On Sept. 11, 2001, former Harrison resident Alexandra Razzeto was sharpening her pencil in her fifth-grade classroom. From what I remember, the pencil sharpeners were adhered to the windowsills in the classroom. While sharpening pencils, we could escape for a moment, glance out the windows and daydream about where we would much rather be, instead of in a classroom on a gorgeous day.
However, as beautiful as it was on that horrible day, the view wasn’t of beauty at all for Razzeto or any of us. It was an image of horror, and as a young student, she couldn’t take her eyes away from what she was witnessing, a reaction we all had.
Her immediate thoughts were of her younger brother, who was 1 at the time. Her mind wandered and raced; thinking about young men having to be drafted and having to go to war and give pay back for what terrorists had just done to our country on that unforgettable, horrific day 20 years ago. Razzeto couldn’t bear the thought of her baby brother having to someday have to go to war.
From that moment on, Razzeto knew what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She wanted to fight for the country she had already been fighting so hard for and reaping personal rewards from.
She came to the United States from Peru as a young child, at age 7, and had many struggles in her life. Growing up in Harrison as an immigrant, she had many opportunities. But before she could do that, she had to learn the English Language.
Her parents were her major support group in pushing her to succeed, excel and instilled in her that there is an American Dream. She also mentioned her first-grade teacher, whom she will never forget, Miss Viruet, was extremely hard on her.
She most likely saw the drive and commitment in Razzeto’s eyes and pushed her to learn English. Razzeto’s highlight was not only learning English but finally receiving a trophy for her outstanding performance from Viruet, something Razzetto said she never expected, and it meant a lot to her.
Moving forward throughout her education, she couldn’t wait for her senior year of high school. A shy student, playing volleyball would open her social life, but enlisting in the US Army in her senior year was her dream come true. In 2009, she enlisted, and her strong will, drive and determination afforded her to climb the ranks to captain in 2014 with key leadership roles.
Next stop is Major and she is well on her way to that goal as well.
None of these moments in her life were an easy task by any means. She is a small, petite woman in the number one company with all males. Her company became number one under her leadership out of 75 in the United States.
From Harrison to basic training in Missouri and to currently being stationed in Fort Dix, Razzeto continues to excel as an Army Reservist Captain. She was recently nominated to be a key speaker for the National Women’s Equality Day, a day that she not only cherishes because she is a woman but of all the accolades she has accomplished, she did it all as an immigrant.
A true American from another country and grateful for everything America had to offer her, and she welcomed it all. She has always been a giver and with her bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall for nursing, she not only is in the military full-time as an Army Reservist Captain, but she also runs a business in healthcare.
She owns and operates Eternal Life Staffing, a firm to get the best health care providers placed in nursing homes.
Razetto truly embraces the American dream and with all the amazing feats she has accomplished, her main struggle was to learn English. After seeing all the sacrifice and determination her parents had to endure to make a better life for them and their family, she knew that once she fully learned English, there was no stopping her.
Her advice for kids, whether they are immigrants or just the shy kid in the corner is: “The sky is the limit, your beginning does not determine your end. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it is where you are going in life that matters and it makes your victory even sweeter. Don’t be afraid to go for what you want in life. Take pride in being an immigrant because the bigger the obstacle, the bigger the reward. The only thing different from you and I, is that even when I was afraid; I went after it, and you can too. I didn’t let closing doors stop me. Pray and believe that God has a better plan for you. Never stop being a good person and as my dad would always say to me, “Never forget where you come from, the only one limiting you, is yourself. Follow your dreams and have faith in God.”
She may have been born in Peru and those are her roots, but America is her home.
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