Theresa Rossini

Theresa Rossini is an older woman who lives in Foster Creek with seven cats and a reputation that frightens neighborhood children. When Annie McNeil is chased down an alley by the Locos gang, Mrs. Rossini pulls her to safety and welcomes her inside for tea. Annie discovers that the supposedly strange woman has endured terrible grief: a drunk driver killed her family. Yet Theresa speaks of being truly happy despite having little. Her quiet faith and hospitality challenge Annie's boredom with a mountain of Christmas presents. Even when gang members shatter her windows with rocks, Theresa's home becomes a place where responsibility and friendship begin. Kind beneath her eccentric reputation, she gives Annie a reason to return with cat food and an open heart.