Mario Fanni

Mario Fanni, beloved son, brother and uncle, passed away peacefully while surrounded by family on Saturday, June 8th, 2019 at the age of 55. Born at Brampton’s Peel Memorial Hospital in 1964, Mario soon became an integral part of the growing Fanni family.

Even though Mario was born with downs syndrome, he lived a very active and engaged life. For instance, he played baseball, hockey, bowling and soccer, in addition to taking part in many outdoor activities, including hiking, biking and swimming. Mario loved the water, and his niece and nephews fondly remember spending years horsing around with him at Wasaga beach. Even when his siblings went skiing, Mario would willingly follow along for the adventure. He became a fixture of Centre Street, constantly riding his bike around the block and befriending many of the neighbours - he would never be found sitting still.

Mario would be excited to get involved in any activity, and this persistent enthusiasm made him many friends: no matter who you were, Mario would greet you with a handshake, a smile and a “hi.” He joined the family in becoming involved in the Italian Cultural Centre of Brampton, where he would help clean tables, stack chairs, dance and greet guests with his characteristic warmth during the Carabram Festival. Mario brought this dedication to his workplace, working at Norpak for nearly thirty years, and he also made many friends playing hockey with the Brampton Battalion special-needs team, attending many of their tournaments throughout Ontario and the United States. Pepe, Bobby, Josh and other teammates can remember Mario’s nonstop skating up and down the rink.

Mario also accompanied the family to Italy numerous times, where he loved to visit his extended family,
becoming avidly involved in rural Italian life - the fruit orchards were a particular favourite of his, and he would follow his aunts and uncles around the farm to help wherever he could. Being helpful was one of the main ways Mario kept himself involved in the lives of those he loved: setting tables, shucking beans, picking apples were just some of the many parts of Mario’s active routine. Mario was inseparable from his mother, Angela, and they could often be spotted throughout Brampton visiting bakeries, hockey
rinks and parks.

Mario’s endless enthusiasm for everything that life brought, from the mundane to the unique, inspired everyone who was blessed enough to know him. As a result, Mario was deeply loved by his family and community, and the wry smile, firm handshake, and mischievous antics that became such staples in their lives will be greatly missed. The warmth and humour he brought to the lives of his sister, Paula (Nick), his brothers Walter (Sherry), Johnny and Robert, his niece Rebecca and his nephews Zachary and Brandon will remain with them forever.