George A. Sgriccia was born on November 10, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan. His father Antonio Sgriccia was 34 and his mother Maria (Aunt Oda) Carsetti was 27. He was stricken with a heart disorder by an attack of rheumatic fever at the age of 13. In 1956 he underwent a rare surgery for correction of the disorder. George died on April 7, 1957.

The result of the operation was a tick in George’s heart that was audible to any person who met him. Apparently, completely recovered from the operation, he joined a local watch repair shop as a watchmaker. The tick in his heart was caused by a plastic valve that was installed behind George’s original aortic valve which had been damaged by rheumatic fever.

George became gravely ill just before Christmas 1956 and was rushed to Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C., where he spent the holidays. He never recovered and returned to his mother’s house where he remained bedfast until his death on April 7, 1957. He was 27 years old.

A number of fundraisers were held in Clymer and Indiana to raise funds to help the family with the mountain of hospital bills. George was buried in Clymer at the Church of the Resurrection Cemetery.