American actor with Armenian roots, Joe Manganiello, who recently received the COAF Humanitarian Awards at the Foundation's gala, told in his speech he didn't expect what an impact could the story about his Armenian roots have on public. He posted a video of his speech on Instagram and wrote he was honored to have been invited to be a part of this year’s 20th Annual Children of Armenia Fund Gala in New York City and proud to have received the 2023 Humanitarian Award.
"What an incredible evening full of strength, hope, and generosity. In a matter of hours we raised OVER $10,000,000 to help enhance COAF’S initiatives across rural Armenia, covering crucial areas such as education, healthcare, psychosocial support, and economic development. All Armenians are, or are descended from survivors and COAF works tirelessly to ensure that the next generation of children don’t have to suffer."
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Earlier this year the actor had told the harrowing story of his great-grandmother, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, on the PBS program Finding Your Roots.
In an exclusive video provided to People, Manganiello detailed how his great-grandmother, who witnessed the murder of her husband and 7 children, fled Armenia in 1915.
"The Turks came into her home in 1915 under the guise of World War I and tried to enact the genocide that they had begun. They shot her husband dead, shot her. She laid on the ground, pretended that she was dead while seven other gunshots that went off, which were...her seven children," the actor told.
Manganiello's grandmother lay like that until the Turks left her house.
"She laid there unmoving and the Turks left the house and left the eighth child, who was an infant in the crib, to starve to death, which is just the way that they did business."
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