Carlo Lives!

There have been several instances where news got around on social media that a certain celebrity or other well-known person had died only for that news to turn out completely false once said person retracted their own death notice. But this time, it's hit close to home. Earlier this week, it was making the rounds on Twitter that Carlo Angelone, a Downtown fixture well known for yelling in Italian up and down Wyndham Street, had died. But don't eulogize him yet though because contrary reports are saying Carlo is, in fact, alive if not very well.

The short version is that the reason you haven't seen (or heard) Carlo downtown for awhile is that he's sick. Several sources have confirmed it, including Downtown Guelph Board Executive Director Marty Williams and a poster on the Guelph Mercury's "From the Editors" blog called Donna, who said, "I can confirm that Carlo is ill but has not passed away." The "death" announcement was making the rounds of social media (and, in fact, continues to make the rounds) on Tuesday, but Williams and others tested the validity of the claim and confirmed from their own sources that Carlo didn't die of a heart attack over the holidays.

I speak for several Downtown patrons when I say we wish Carlo a speedy recovery, and that we look forward to hearing (though not understanding) what he has to say soon.

By the way, check out a great photo of Carlo by Guelph photographer Julia Busato here.