@Wander
"he and his mother escaped from the revolution in Greece with little more than the clothes on their backs." - so we have indeed been told. I stress I have no other information, but a healthy element of caution for some such stories (particularly involving anything 'Greek' and 'poverty'..)
Our learned friend 'Bronx' counsels (elsewhere)
"Scepticism with regard to 'news' stories is healthy regardless of newspaper/media outlet."
As always, his comments are well-founded.