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C.J. and Chafik Waddy Tell a Story

C. J. Waddy

I first met C.J. Waddy a few months ago at the Frankford Library when he was doing the first reading of the book “U NOOO Tito, “Boy Hero,” Says No to Strangers“.   C.J. is the author and Chafik, his son, is the illustrator.

How that book came to be written is a story first told by Inquirer Staff Writer Alfred Lubrano in November 2010.  It was the horrible death of a little girl, Iriana DeJesus, that haunted C.J. and brought about the book which was published this year.  Iriana attended the East Frankford Daycare center (1923 Harrison Street) where C.J. was a teacher in the Summer of 2000.  She lived in Hunting Park and one day was lured by a stranger to go with him and was later found raped and strangled.

So this book became both a mission and a therapy.  The mission, to prevent it from happening to other children and therapy to ease the pain.  C.J. who graduated from Frankford High in the class of 93, is Frankford through and through .  He went on to Western Connecticut State University to study Elementary Ed.  Now he is spending a lot of time promoting the book and doing book readings.  He is concentrating on local schools and day care centers for now but the book is available nationally on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble on the web and in the B&N stores.

Coming up next, the U Nooo Tito “Boy Hero” basketball league.  There is still time to sign up. We’ll post his local events as they come up and keep you up on the rumor about a European book tour.