Domenico Schiano di Cola, co-owner of J&S Pizza in Natrona Heights, remembered for infectious positivity

Domenico “Domen” Schiano di Cola made a name for himself running his family’s restaurant, J&S Pizza, in Natrona Heights, Harrison, but his first love was Italy.

It’s where he was born, visited each year with family and, on Aug. 6, 2024 died unexpectedly.

Schiano di Cola, 29, of Natrona Heights suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during the family’s latest trip to Italy, hours after a photo shoot with fiancee, Marissa Kesicki, for their wedding invitation. Kesicki said she’ll miss him dearly.

“He’d give me the perfect cookie if mine was broken. He’d trade me dinners if I didn’t like mine,” Kesicki said. “Domenico was always putting others before himself and would do everything he could to support those around him.”

Services will take place Monday in Natrona Heights. A funeral also was held in Monte di Procida, the section of Naples where he died.

“The whole town was stopped because of this funeral,” said his mother, Debora Malvone. “We had the mayors, past and present, come visiting. Even the priest that didn’t really get to know Domenico … he got choked up at the Mass.”

Back in the states, Domenico Schiano di Cola was known as kind, driven and committed to living life to the fullest, unfazed by his congenital heart defect and sporadic health scares.

In May, a doctor gave him a clean bill of health, according to family.

Domenico, the oldest of the di Cola boys, had stepped into an ownership role at J&S Pizza after graduating from Saint Vincent College in 2017 with a business management degree.

J&S Pizza was founded more than 40 years ago by Domenico’s maternal grandparents and later taken over by his parents. The family has closed the shop until Aug. 28.

Domenico’s younger brother Vincenzo said the shop will miss its “ever optimistic peacemaker.” Occasionally, that attitude led to a lack of planning, but more often, it helped balance out his higher- strung family members.

“He was the cool one to take care of (issues),” Vincenzo said. “And me and my dad are freaking out in the background.”

Longtime friend Conor Lynch also is familiar with Domenico’s steady demeanor and quick wit, having worked with him at the shop for years. The two did plenty of goofing off, but Lynch looks back most fondly on watching his childhood buddy come into his own as a businessman.

“Seeing him have that professional growth was pretty cool,” Lynch said.

Lynch also looks back fondly on their times at St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights, where they played soccer together. Once Lynch got his driver’s license, he’d drive Domenico to and from school every day.

“One of our funniest (moments) was the day ‘Black and Yellow’ from Wiz Khalifa came out,” Lynch said. “We must have listened to that fives times on the way to school, fives times on the way to practice and fives times on the way home.”

Domenico was a prolific athlete, having played volleyball, baseball and tennis and — most importantly — soccer. He made the team as a freshman at Saint Vincent College in 2013, but during conditioning drills collapsed from his heart issue.

Then-Saint Vincent College soccer coach Carl Dei Cas recalled the aftermath of the incident as a testament to his Domenico’s character.

“He came back and said, ‘Coach, I can’t play. Can I hang out with the team?’ ” Dei Cas remembered. “He always had a smile on his face. Always. And the guys liked him.”

He returned to the team the following year to play eight games and start two as a midfielder before turning his focus elsewhere, though he never completely gave up soccer.

In 2020, he joined Dei Cas’ squad in the Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League and occasionally played at the Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena in Harmar and other local spots.

He also enjoyed watching his beloved Napoli soccer team, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pirates.

Whether at the pizza joint, school or the soccer field, family and friends said Domenico left a positive impression on everyone he met.

“I think anytime somebody young dies unexpectedly, it hurts, but I think the impact that he had on people, the short-term meetings and long-term friendships, is why we’ve seen such a pouring in of support,” Lynch said.

Domenico Schiano di Cola is survived by his mother, Debora Malvone; father, Biagio Schiano di Cola; brothers, Vincenzo and Luca Schiano di Cola; fiancee, Marissa Kesicki; grandparents, Vincenzo “Vinnie” Malvone and Caterina “Cathy” Ambrosino; and other relatives.

Arrangements are under the care of Cicholski-Zidek Funeral Home in Harrison.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at 7 p.m. Monday in Most Blessed Sacrament Church. There will be a vigil held following the Mass outside of the church.