NICK PETITO

I’ve spent my life as a bricklayer, building something real, something lasting, with my own hands. It started when I was young, working outside in all kinds of weather, stacking red brick and block. The work was hard, the days were long, but there was always satisfaction in knowing that what I built would last.

Pittsburgh has always been a steel city and its mills are more than just buildings—they’re part of our history. The steel produced in those mills has been used for everything from military equipment to our cities and railways that connect them. After years of laying brick outside, I moved inside the mills, constructing the industrial furnaces that make steel and glass. These furnaces are large, intense, and built to handle the extreme heat needed to melt materials.

Safety has always been a top priority, and that’s where my boots come in. The Red Wings I wear have been with me through it all. Whether I’m dealing with the heat of a running furnace or the risk of falling debris—mortar, brick, gunite and concrete—those boots have kept me safe. They even saved me from injury when a 10-ton forklift ran over my right foot. This line of work isn’t easy. It requires sacrifice, and I’ve had to give up spending time with my family to keep busy. I’ve had to travel a lot, often for weeks at a time, taking jobs building furnaces far from home. It’s been tough on me and my family, but it was necessary to keep working to provide for them.

This trade isn’t just about the work itself; it’s about passing down skills and knowledge to the next generation. When my son Anthony told me that he wanted to learn the trade and start to get experience, I got him set up with the union and started as a tile setter. He did well, and it wasn’t long before he’d earned his journeyman book and started laying brick himself. One of the best moments in my career was when Anthony joined me on the job for the first time, doing brick work at Universal Stainless in Bridgeville, PA. We worked side by side, laying brick together, just like I had done for years. It was a proud moment, seeing him carry on the work that’s been so important to me.

As I look back on my career, I see a life of hard work, sacrifice, and pride. My journey in this trade has been long and hard, but it’s been worth it. I’ve built more than just furnaces—I’ve given everything to this trade, and I’ve passed that dedication on to my son. Together, we’ve built something that has stood the test of time, just like the city of Pittsburgh. And that’s what makes all the years of work worthwhile.