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The Butterfly is Dondino's Logo
You will find it used on his stationary, website, promotional material, clothing and on stage.
The butterfly represents more than a logo or good luck symbol- it played an important role in his life. As a child attracted by the beauty and grace of the first butterfly he ever saw he followed it into the woods only to get lost. Three days later, still lost, he followed the next butterfly he saw and was led out of the woods to where he could be found, Catskill Forest-Upstate New York.
This all happened to a twelve year old selected by the New York Police Athletic League (PAL) to go on a state-sponsored overnight camping trip. This was quite an honor for the young Dondino who had recently arrived in New York City with his parents from his native country of Italy. He spoke no English. The bus filled with the children stopped for a break on the side of Highway 17 in heavily wooded upstate New York. Everyone got out to stretch.
As the twelve year old Dondino was getting off the bus, he spotted a butterfly. It was the first one he had ever seen. There were no butterflies in the small town of Italy where Dondino was born and raised. Fascinated, he followed the pretty butterfly far into the woods. Suddenly it disappeared. He was lost in the forest. Dondino remained there lost for three days and two nights.
Meanwhile his parents were alerted, he made the newspaper headlines, and rescue squads searched the forest to no avail.
He seemed hopelessly lost. Three days later, another, or maybe even the same butterfly, came by. Enchanted again, Dondino followed it. It led him out of the dark, cold and beautiful but frightening forest. Dondino was once again on Highway 17 but 3 miles away from the point where he entered. The State Troopers soon found him unharmed walking down Highway 17.
Dondino vividly recalls the beauty and excitement of that experience and has made the Butterfly his symbol for saving his life.
