A moving literary tribute to a brother with the magic touch

First-time author Philip Buttafuoco, of Oceanside, always wanted to write a book about his family’s immigration journey to America from Italy, but instead he has published a touching tribute to his brother, André, who died of AIDS in 1994.

The children’s book, “André Learning Hair Styling,” not only tells the fact-mixed-with-fiction story of how André rose from styling horses’ hair to the locks of celebrities like Farrah Fawcett and Lori Loughlin.

Released on May 6, the children’s book, available on Amazon, became a reality after a friend told Philip they recently published a book. He realized he could do it now that he had the time, thanks to being  retired.

Philip, now 69, drew from early childhood memories for the book.

“I thought about my brother as a little kid in Italy — he basically was playing with dolls and whatever to play and work with hair,” Philip reminisces. “I thought about it and came up with the idea. I think it’s interesting for kids. It’s fun.”

During his prime, André styled the hair of celebrities and had the privilege of styling models alongside the legendary hairstylist Paul Mitchell. He traveled the world, showcasing his talents at various modeling shows, leaving an indelible mark on the industry and the individuals he touched.

“Unfortunately,” Philip said, “he was on the cusp of becoming really famous. He was trying to copyright the Mooshka name, but then he got sick and passed away in ‘94. It was a really big loss.”

People still approach Philip about André’s exceptional talent. “He was just so fast and so intricate and precise. He was just amazing,” Philip proudly recalled, saying André styled hair with his hands alone sometimes, truly showing he had that  magic touch.

The Buttafuoco family ran a deli out of their home in Menfi, a small Sicilian town, while taking care of their nearby farm where they grew grapes, almonds, and olives to sell. André and Philip came to the United States from Sicily when Philip was 8 and André was 13. Despite their humble beginnings, André always possessed a strong determination to chart his own path in life.

“He was his own person,” Philip said. “He didn’t like to be told what to do, he was very independent, and when he had something in mind, he was going to do it.”

This trait clashed with their father when one night in 1961 André dyed his hair blue, triggering their father to react physically. At night, he cut André’s hair while he slept.

In the children’s book, however, the story shows the father’s reaction to be supportive.

Their mother was born in Alabama in 1916 and spent three years in America, but later her parents took her back to Italy due to illness. However, she never forgot her time in America, and longed to return. Since she was born in America, she was able to use her citizenship to come back with her daughter and her five other children. The father came over shortly after.

Settling in Brooklyn, the family had to learn English as well as find housing and a job, while being constantly harassed and called foreigners during a racially tense time.

Through it all, “We were determined to stay and succeed,” Philip said, explaining that two bilingual boys in his school helped him overcome the language barrier.

After a near-death incident in Brooklyn where André was attacked and stabbed four times, his parents made the decision to relocate to the South Shore in the late 1960s. “I think he had nine lives, he’s been through a lot of stuff,” Philip said.

Since then, Baldwin became home, and the eventual location of his popular high-end salon Mooshka. As the brothers grew older, André had his salon, and Philip helped him using his electrical training.

Philip also served in the Air Force to help fund his college education. Joining in 1974, just after the Vietnam War had ended, Philip didn’t see combat but instead worked on fighter jets. During this time, Philip also wrote some poems he recently rediscovered.

After his military tenure, Philip secured a job as a Federal Aviation Administration technician at John F. Kennedy International Airport until his retirement in 2018. 

At JFK, he played a vital role in maintaining engine generators, electrical power distribution, and battery backup systems, ensuring the safety and efficiency of pilots flying in and out of the airport.

Throughout the process of writing the book, Philip made several changes to ensure it would captivate and engage its young readers. He admitted that writing is challenging, but he persevered by constantly editing until he was satisfied.

The illustrations were a similar story, with Philip collaborating closely with the illustrator to bring his vision to life and ensure that André’s memory lives on, inspiring generations to come with his passion, talent, and indomitable spirit.

Philip said the goal of his book is “to show a little boy with a passion and desire to learn something and just that determination to continue and not give up.”