2020-03-02_People

‘Every

moment means

a lot to me.

I know my time

is limited.

I’m thrilled to

be alive’

—JOSE

FELICIANO

1969, which he calls the highlight of his career.

Though some of the country turned on him,

there was one girl in Detroit who thought his

version of the anthem was “cool.” Susan Omillia

was 14 years old and wanted to show support.

“I started a fan club,” she says. When she was

17, Feliciano met her in Detroit. After divorcing

his first wife, Janna, in 1978, Feliciano married

Susan, and they have three children (Melissa,

31, Jonathan José, 28, and Mikey, 24). Today

they’re a tight-knit family who live within min-

utes of one another and meet up every Sunday.

When Susan learned Feliciano’s music was used

in Once upon a Time... in Hollywood— Feliciano

didn’t know yet—the family decided to take

him to the movie to surprise him. After the first

notes of his song began, she says he whispered,

“Wow. I don’t believe it.”

Another moment he’s still savoring: In 2018, 50

years after his divisive performance, the St. Louis

Cardinals were once again playing in Detroit, and

Feliciano was asked to return to sing the anthem.

This time he was met with cheers, not jeers. “It

felt good,” he says. “It touches me that my songs

bring joy to people. I am a man who tried to bring

peace and happiness with my music.” •

HAIR: NATE ROSENKRANZ/HONEY ARTISTS; MAKEUP: JOSEE LE DUC/HONEY ARTISTS; GROOMER: LOSI/HONEY ARTISTS; INSETS, FROM TOP: GAI TERRELL/REDFERNS/GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY JOSE FELICIANO; MARK CUNNINGHAM/MLB PHOTOS/GETTY IMAGES March 2, 2020 57