In late 2007, Phil returned to Brooklyn after undergoing heart surgery and several months of physical therapy. He found the family in disarray under the highly controversial leadership of Faustino "Doc" Santoro. While there was some expectation that Phil would return to his position of boss, the stress of his heart attack had caused him to lose all interest in the job. Phil prepared to support his protégé Gerry Torciano in his bid for boss, and was emphatic in stressing that being a boss, 'health-wise, is a young man's game.' But Phil's and Torciano's plans were ended when Santoro had Torciano murdered at a dinner with Soprano Family consigliere Silvio Dante. The fact that Silvio's life was imperiled prompted Tony to appeal to Little Carmine to take the reins as boss of the Lupertazzis. However, Little Carmine explained to Tony that during his war with Johnny, his wife had appealed to him to quit so that she would not lose him.