Local Celebrity

Riley is a local celebrity even before she turned 3 months! Riley and her Grampy were in the Danbury Newtimes last week and today they put it on the Newtimes Online. They had a special section on GRANDFATHERS. Half of the front page of the D section (D for Diminico) was a giant photo of Riley and her Grampy taken by her mommy of ORAGANO.

Now being a famous baby we are not going to let it go to our head. We are going to try and be humble... but really she is the cutest thing ever?!? :) When we were at Katerina's Confirmation Party... one of the waitresses came up to Ryan when he was holding Riley and told him she was so cute then asked her name. When he told her Riley she got all excited and asked: "Like the Riley in the newspaper?!?" Don't you love it! And it really is a TRUE STORY!

p.s. I took the photos and got no photo credit in the paper...


Section of the article from the Newstimes:
Tony Diminico's granddaughter, Riley D. Ragan, was born
March 1.

"I don't want to miss a thing," said Tony Diminico, when asked how he envisions his relationship with Riley.

Diminico, 56, wants to be around for every new stage in his granddaughter's life, just like he was for his daughter, Casey Ragan, now 27.

Casey is an only child, and both her parents took a very active role in her life as she was growing up. On the day she was born, Diminico did what many fathers couldn't or didn't want to do back then -- he was in the birthing room and saw her being born.

"In those days, the thought of 'making the catch' was unheard of. We had a very difficult time finding a doctor who was comfortable with me wanting to do that," said Diminico, a Bethel resident. While he was unsuccessful with Danbury Hospital, he was able to do it at Norwalk Hospital.

After Casey was born, Diminico did something else that was uncommon a
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generation ago. He took a year off from his job to be a stay-at-home father. "I even got involved in playgroups," he said.

These days, Diminico and his wife, Gail, are still very involved in their daughter's life, and are very happy she and her husband, Ryan, live close by, in Newtown.

Diminico even works with his daughter. He teaches computers and she teaches first grade at Rockwell Elementary School in Bethel.

For anyone who knows him, it should be no surprise he wanted to be in the delivery room to witness the birth of his first grandchild.

"I look upon my involvement in the birth as a natural continuation in the circle of life," he said. "I'm committed to the philosophy from the Old World, which is that rather than (being there) being thought of as something special, it's the kind of a thing that should be expected. "

Diminico believes the concept of family doesn't have the same significance it once did. He feels that many things in society are changing, especially the way grandparenting is viewed.

In the Old World, older people were more respected than they are today, he said. They were around children much more often, and as a result, had a much more direct impact on their lives.

Grandparents were able to instill important family values in grandchildren, which is essential to a child as he grows up and makes his way in the world, Diminico believes.

"These days, family members tend to move far away from each other and, as a result, their relationship becomes impersonal."

Whereever they live, "The bond between grandparents and grandchildren should always be treasured."