It was hard enough for Krystyna Gaglio to stand by and watch her family’s restaurant go up in flames, but when she realized a treasured family photo went with it, it was almost more than she could bear.
Gaglio — the “Mama G” of Mama G’s Italian Restaurant in Clayton — stood by early Monday morning and watched as firefighters battled the blaze. Any hope that her restaurant could be saved soon vanished amidst the billowing smoke and twenty-foot high flames.
Her son and business partner, Paul, tried to comfort his mother but there was little he could say or do when she realized a treasured photo of her late husband — his dad — was lost in the blaze. It was a moment of sheer devastation.
Gaglio’s response to the loss of that “one of a kind” photo was not surprising given the obvious closeness her family shares with one another and the mountain community they’ve served for the past 16 years.
The family’s patriarch, Paul James Gaglio, was born in Bronx, New York and, according to his obituary, served in the U.S. Air Force. He and his family settled in Georgia and opened Mama G’s in Stone Mountain in 1986. They moved to Rabun County in 1999 bringing their unique brand of food and hospitality to the North Georgia mountains.
On the restaurant’s website there’s a special tribute to “PaPa G”, written long before the fire, that speaks to the family’s enduring affection and deep sense of loss since his death at age 63 in December 2009:
“Papa spent a lifetime devoted to his family and almost 25 years to this restaurant. He is one of two main reasons we have become what we are today (the other reason is, of course Mama G!). Papa had a wife he adored, two children he loved without compromise or boundaries, and three grandchildren he cherished. But he also considered the restaurant a part of his family – the staff, the customers, and the City of Clayton. There was nothing he would not do to support any of us.”
That legacy of support is being returned by the community in the wake of Monday’s devastating fire. Within minutes of the news breaking, hundreds had shared it through social media and sent their condolences to the family.
The Gaglios are quick to point out that their family includes the twenty-five employees who now suddenly find themselves out of work. A fund is being set up at the Rabun County Bank to help take care of them as the Gaglios look to rebuild.
Meanwhile, an event that was scheduled to take place tonight at the restaurant has been moved.
Mama G’s was to have hosted a celebration for the Rabun County High School football players, cheerleaders and their families in recognition of the Wildcat’s big win Friday over region rival, Union County. According to WGHC Radio, that event will now be held at the Rusty Bike Cafe in Clayton.
Mama G’s Fire
October 19, 2015
Clayton, GA
Photos by Annah Harris and A.N. Williams
Click photos to enlarge
