Former Hempfield music teacher searching for student who gifted 'Fragile Dad' Christmas ornament

For decades, Leroy Ferri has proudly displayed a handmade Christmas ornament on his tree, a reminder of his 34-year career as a music teacher at Hempfield Area School District.

Dubbed “Fragile Dad” because of the way it is packaged, the ornament depicts Ferri on a concert night as seen by a student more than 40 years ago. The ornament features Ferri wearing a black suit and includes glasses, a red-and-green polkadot tie, a pink boutonniere and a baton made from a toothpick.

After years of placing the ornament on the tree at eye level, Ferri is searching for the student who gifted it.

“I’d like to connect and would once again like to thank them and say it’s taken a prominent place on our tree on an annual basis,” Ferri said. “It’s very meaningful.”

Ferri this month shared a photo of the ornament on Facebook and asked friends to share the post so it reaches more people. So far, it has been shared more than 100 times but has not generated any responses leading to the student.

Ferri said he previously shared a photo on Facebook but was unable to figure out who the student was.

“It’s beautifully done, and I think it was done by the mother of the student. But for the life of me I just can’t put two-and-two together to figure out who it was,” he said.

For Ferri, the ornament often sparks memories from his time as a music teacher, which began following his graduation from West Virginia University at a district in Dunbar Township, Fayette County, in 1961.

After spending a year in the district, which is now part of Connellsville Area School District, Ferri moved to Hempfield after being hired as an instrumental music teacher in 1962.

During his career with Hempfield, Ferri worked with students in kindergarten through 12th grade, assisted with the Hempfield Area Marching Band and taught for several years at Harrold Middle School, previously Harrold Junior High. He spent the last five years of his career working in district elementary schools before retiring in 1996.

While Ferri is hopeful this is the year he connects with the student, he knows, regardless, the ornament will continue to hold special memories with his children, who ask each year where the ornament is on the tree.

In future years, Ferri is hopeful his granddaughter, Katie Parker, 17, will display the ornament on her Christmas tree. Parker is the drum major for the Hempfield Area Marching Band and was accepted into West Virginia University, where she will pursue music education.

“Hopefully when the day comes when I’m not here anymore, she’ll hang ‘Fragile Dad’ on her tree,” Ferri said. “That would be a good ending to the story.”