The oldest of five children and only son, Alex Fosco was born on Sept. 19, 1925, in Chicago to Alex and Mary Vespa Fosco. The family lived in the Italian neighborhood at Taylor and Halsted streets. Fosco’s father was born in France, but his family was originally from Pizzone, Italy. 

Fosco enjoyed spending time with his extended family, especially his maternal grandmother, Angelina Vespa. “She spoke Italian to me, but we were encouraged not to speak it outside of the home because they wanted us to be American,” he says.