On a poignant episode of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Joy Behar was overcome with emotion as she uncovered heartbreaking truths about her family’s past. The View co-host learned about her mother’s struggles and her ancestors’ tragic history, leaving her in tears on live television. What shocking revelations led to this emotional moment? Read on to discover the full story.
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Joy Behar Discovers Heartbreaking Family Secrets
On Tuesday’s episode of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Joy Behar embarked on a journey to trace her Italian heritage. Alongside The Sopranos actor Michael Imperioli, Behar delved into her ancestral past, uncovering hidden and painful truths that left her visibly shaken.
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Behar discovered that her grandfather, Vincento Carbone, emigrated from Sant’Eufemia, Italy, at the age of 23. Not long after his arrival in the United States, tragedy struck when his wife succumbed to kidney disease shortly after giving birth to Behar’s grandmother. This revelation was particularly shocking for Behar, as she had spent most of her life believing that the woman she called “Grandma” was her biological relative. It wasn’t until she turned 17 that she learned the truth.
The emotional weight of these revelations deepened when Behar learned about her mother’s upbringing. After spending much of her early life in Italy in extreme poverty, Behar’s mother returned to the U.S. as a teenager, only to face even greater hardships.
A Childhood Marked by Struggle and Sacrifice
Behar was deeply moved when she learned about the immense challenges her mother endured. As a child, her mother lived in an impoverished Italian town before making the difficult journey back to America. Behar recounted how her mother, in an attempt to soften the harsh realities of her past, would make up stories that painted a less dire picture of her upbringing.
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“She’d make up stories that were so pathetic,” Behar recalled. “She said, ‘My father wanted me to learn the piano, and we would bring fruit to the piano teacher.’ It made you think like, ‘Oh my God, they had nothing.’”
Upon returning to America at the age of 14, Behar’s mother found herself thrust into an unforgiving world. With no formal education and little money, she was forced to work in a factory as a seamstress. This revelation brought Behar to tears, as she imagined the pain and struggle her mother had endured at such a young age.
“I could start crying now from this. That makes me sad, that my poor mother at 14 is thrown into a factory already. She had no chance,” Behar lamented. She expressed deep gratitude for her mother’s sacrifices, acknowledging that her own success was built upon the hardships her mother and grandfather had endured.
A Tragic History That Left Behar in Tears
As if the emotional discoveries weren’t enough, Behar was confronted with yet another devastating revelation about her ancestors. Gates took her further back in history to uncover the tragic fate of her fourth great-grandfather. In 1743, a catastrophic earthquake struck Calabria, destroying hundreds of towns and claiming thousands of lives. Among the victims was Behar’s ancestor.
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“It’s really hard to envision all of this, to think about all of this. This will haunt me,” Behar said as she processed the tragic events that had shaped her family’s history.
However, amidst the sorrow, there was also a tale of resilience. Behar learned about her third great-grandfather, who, despite losing his parent and his hometown to the earthquake, managed to survive and continue the family line. His survival and determination deeply moved Behar, who praised her family lineage as “hearty stock.”
Joy Behar’s Emotional Reflection on Her Family’s Legacy
The journey through her family’s past left Joy Behar overwhelmed with emotions. She openly expressed her sorrow over the hardships her ancestors endured and questioned whether she deserved to meet her mother in the afterlife, given all the suffering that had paved the way for her own opportunities.
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Despite the grief, Behar found solace in acknowledging the strength and perseverance of her forebears. Their sacrifices, struggles, and resilience had ultimately shaped her life and career. The emotional revelations served as a reminder of the deep connections between past and present, illuminating the untold stories that form the foundation of family histories.
Joy Behar’s tearful moment on Finding Your Roots was a powerful testament to the weight of family history and the resilience of those who came before us. Her journey through the past revealed a lineage marked by tragedy, struggle, and incredible perseverance. As she grappled with these painful discoveries, she also found gratitude and admiration for the sacrifices that had shaped her life.
If you found Joy Behar’s story moving, explore your own family roots—you may uncover incredible stories of resilience and strength that define your heritage. Share your thoughts in the comments below!
