About Heritage Stories
Making Sure Our Stories Live On
My name is Nick Adams Pandolfo. I started Heritage Stories because I think it’s wrong that the people with the most life experience are often unable to share their wisdom with others, especially their own families. I think the world is set to lose an incredible amount of this wisdom that can’t be replaced by large language models and apps, and want to preserve as much of it as possible, for the individuals, their families and society at large.
The Story Behind the Story
When my grandmother was forced to move into an assisted living home, I visited her on Sundays. As her dementia progressed, the card games we played got simpler, until they stopped altogether. I often interacted with fellow residents at the communal tables and their stories were fascinating. One man told me about his obsession with attending the funerals of strangers. He would stand in the back and listen to loved ones eulogize them. ​
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I started Heritage Stories because I believe those stories are powerful. First, it’s beneficial for people to consider their lives and the legacy they're leaving behind. Research shows it can stem the progression of cognitive decline and give older adults a stronger sense of themselves.
Second, capturing someone's story can help their legacy live on and inspire younger people setting off into their adult lives.
Lastly, it's about feeling special. It seems you get to an age where you stop having as many special moments. I want older adults to have their lives, their accomplishments, their struggles, captured and processed, but then also give them an opportunity to once again be the center of attention. Have them put on some lipstick, slap on some suspenders and get to be the main event.
Nick Adams Pandolfo spent his early career as an ESL teacher in the U.S. and abroad in China and South Korea before pursuing a career in journalism. He attended Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and has spent the past 15 years as a journalist-turned-content lead both in house and at some of the industry's best known communications agencies. He's also a storyteller, having competed through The Moth and Mass Mouth, which named him a "Rising Star".