Priest and cook had met before

In 1939, Anthony Manzi was an eight-year-old living in Albany. One day, he visited the second-floor apartment of a friend, whose dog had always been friendly.

This time, however, the German shepherd chased Anthony, who fled down the stairs, tripped and went flying through two glass doors, landing in a bloody heap on Wilber Street.

Anthony's arm was so severely cut that when he tried to stand, he fainted and collapsed. An artery had been severed.

Just then, a young priest who was walking by stopped, tended to the boy, wrapped up his arm and rushed him to Albany Medical Hospital. A week later, the priest, who had been ordained only about a year, dropped by the hospital to check on Anthony's progress and explained that he had been on Wilber Street to visit his mother, a visit that proved fortunate for Anthony.

Sixty-four years later, Anthony took a part-time cooking job at St. John the Evangelist parish in Schenectady, pitching in at the rectory while the regular cook was having surgery. One of his tasks was to rustle up meals for Rev. Anthony DeFranco, a retired priest living there.

As he served dinner one night, Anthony idly asked Father DeFranco where he was born. "Wilber Street in Albany," said the priest.

The cook was stunned and asked, "Did you ever pick up a boy who was hurt?"

The two suddenly realized they had met before, and Father DeFranco asked, "How's your left arm?" He had remembered the exact injury.

That evening, Anthony finally had the chance to thank the priest who saved his life more than six decades before.

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