Thoughts on young love in Ansonia

Love was in the air at The Original Antonio’s Restaurant in downtown Ansonia on a recent Saturday night.
Ansonia Mayor James Della Volpe revealed a bit about his personal life this week when he told me his son, Vince, had popped the question in front of dozens of family and friends gathered at the restaurant. Vince Della Volpe is a girls’ junior varsity basketball coach at Ansonia High School. He asked his longtime girlfriend, Amy Cosciello, for her hand in marriage at a surprise party for her 30th birthday.
 “She was surprised and she said yes,” the mayor recalled. “The room erupted in cheers and applause.”

Contacted this morning at John C. Mead Elementary School in Ansonia where she teaches first grade, Cosciello sounded like she was still on Cloud Nine, almost two weeks after the fact.
Cosciello is a big fan of Lionel Richie. “He (Vince) was playing a yes game with me,” she said, her voice bubbling over with joy.
He asked her if she liked Richie and his music. She said yes to each question. For a fleeting moment she thought Richie was going to walk into the restaurant to surprise her.
Instead, Vince Della Volpe surprised her by asking her if she would make him the happiest man in the world and marry him, Cosciello said. And the rest is history.
Cosciello said, “It was so much for me to handle. It was a surprise 30th birthday party and I was surprised by the marriage proposal. Lionel didn’t show up, but I got a beautiful ring.”

Ah, young love.

Lionel Richie’s music brings back many fond memories. My husband, Ralph, and I chose his 1984 hit, “Stuck on You,” for our first dance at our wedding in May, 1986.

Ah, young love.