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Burgettstown native writes motivational book

5 min read
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Rick Tauceda

Burgettstown native and author Steve Gavatorta

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Chris O’Meara

Burgettstown native Steve Gavatorta was home for Christmas about five years ago when he told his father – also Steve – that he wanted to take a ride through the elder’s childhood home of Langeloth.

Steve Gavatorta, right, with his parents, Donna and Steve.

The small village, one-time site of the American Zinc & Chemical Company, the Climax molybdenum plant and several coal mines, is dotted with small houses where the workers of these plants and mines resided.

The duo drove up the hill from Burgettstown, and Gavatorta’s father pointed out the residents of his old neighborhood.

“This was my home,” said his father. “There is Barry Alvarez’s home … and Dr. Maropis, Dr. Spanogians, Dr. Stracci, the Brunner family, the Vallina family, Fernandez family …”

The tour of Langeloth, and the realization of how many people who were raised in those homes went on to triumph, struck a chord with Gavatorta.

“It hit me like a ton of bricks how many successful people came from that little village,” said Gavatorta from his Tampa, Fla., office. “They all came here with nothing, not speaking each other’s language, and most became hugely successful.”

Gavatorta, owner of Steve Gavatorta Group Inc., is a consultant, coach and public speaker who works with individuals and companies. As a Certified Professional Behavioral and Values Analyst and Myers-Briggs practitioner, Gavatorta’s work is dedicated to helping people exceed their goals.

Those who have overcome adversity and learned from their struggles are often the most successful, he has found.

“Trials and tribulations are going to happen,” he said. “Face them. It’s going to help you evolve into who you are supposed to become.”

Gavatorta’s newest book, “In Defense of Diversity” features stories of Burgettstown and Langeloth natives.

From the dedication page to the final chapter, Gavatorta’s second book, “In Defense of Adversity: Turning Your Toughest Challenges into Your Greatest Success,” is infused with inspiration from his hometown, including interviews with Barry Alvarez, football coach who led the Wisconsin Badgers’ to a Rose Bowl win and current athletic director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Adoni Maropis, a Hollywood actor who is best known for his recurring role on the TV series “24”; and Dr. Peter Stracci, a Pittsburgh cardiologist.

These successes, and many others, were born into immigrant families that faced great odds, overcame adversity and prospered, Gavatorta said. These families were strong-willed and persistent, and would not let obstacles stand in their way.

“In this day and age, a lot of people want to complain,” he said. “All of those immigrant families faced hard experiences and overcame them.”

Gavatorta said Alvarez summed up the theme of the book best when he said people from Langeloth “knew how to grind,” a term that means the ability to remain persistent in the face of obstacles. The book, Gavatorta said, shows readers “how to grind” when faced with a problem.

Gavatorta also draws on his own experiences, discussing what he calls his “summer of hell.”

Having graduated from Burgettstown in 1981, Gavatorta was in his junior year at Allegheny College in Meadville when he got a call from his mother, Donna, telling him the foundation of their family home on Hindman Avenue had cracked in half, causing a portion of the home to sink three feet. The collapse occurred because of mine subsidence.

The house couldn’t be salvaged.

Gavatorta returned home that summer, as he usually did, to help with the family business, Steve’s Fruit Market on Route 18. Donna continued to work for Burgettstown Area School District. The elder Steve was preparing to rebuild their home when he became ill. A calcium deposit caused by rheumatoid arthritis punctured his lung, causing it to collapse.

Steve Gavatorta, right, with his parents, Burgettstown residents Steve and Donna Gavatorta.

The family, living in a one-bedroom apartment, considered closing the business for the summer, but ultimately decided that Gavatorta would run the produce market.

Though, at the time, it was one of the most stressful events he had ever endured, Gavatorta said it was one of the best things that ever happened to him. He drew on the knowledge passed on from his father and took charge.

“When all of this happened, I didn’t panic,” he said. “I realized all my experiences with my dad working those summers prepared me for this moment. Instead of responding in freeze, flight or fight, I knew I could do this. I was thinking in a rational state of mind.”

That year ended up being one of the most successful for the business. By the end of summer, Gavatorta’s father recovered and a new house was built.

When he graduated from college the next year, Gavatorta interviewed for jobs at several companies.

“They didn’t want to know about my grades, what I studied, that I played football. They wanted to know about the summer I ran the business,” he said. “That situation was a life changer for me.”

The adversity he faced made him stronger, he said. He wants others to take that lesson and apply it to their own lives.

“You have to accept adversity is going to happen,” he said. “Acknowledging it’s meant to be in our lives helps us evolve … and makes us stronger for the next one.”

Gavatorta said he was honored to receive recommendations of the book, published by Richter Publishing LLC, from Alvarez and former Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier.

“Trials and tribulations are a part of everyone’s life – from daily annoyances to life-changing events. Our ability to successfully overcome adversity, in all its shapes and sizes, is the key to living the life we want to live,” Bleier said. “‘In Defense of Adversity’ provides an easy-to-follow program that shows you how to face life’s obstacles in a positive, productive manner.”

Gavatorta’s book is scheduled to be released Wednesday at www.amazon.com.

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