Parents Commemorate 9/11 Firefighter At St. Michael’s

By John Toscano

Christopher Santora was only embarking on his career as a firefighter when he gave his life in the effort to save the many lives caught up in the Sept. 11, 2001 inferno at the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.

But despite his untimely passing at the age of 23, the youngest in the department to die in the terrorist attacks, this product of Long Island City will forever be remembered along with the hundreds of other firefighters, police officers and emergency service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their city and country.

Now efforts are being made to honor Santora’s memory with a memorial at St. Michael’s Cemetery in East Elmhurst where he is buried. The facility serves the communities of Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights and the Greater Western Queens area in general. It is located at 72-02 Astoria Blvd. in East Elmhurst

Among those involved in this effort under the banner of the Christopher Santora Memorial Committee are Congressmember Carolyn Maloney, the group’s honorary chairperson and community leaders George Stamatiades, former president of the Dutch Kills Civic Association, Tony Siano, a former president of Kiwanis and Gus Antonopoulos.

At the same time, the late firefighter’s parents, retired Fire Department Deputy Chief Alexander and Maureen Santora, have established an educational scholarship fund in their son’s name. At this moment they are preparing for an annual fund-raising dinner to support scholarships and other programs "to benefit students, schools and Christopher’s community."

Tomorrow evening, the committee to establish the Christopher Santora Memorial Garden at St. Michael’s Cemetery will meet to plan activities to raise about $80,000 to establish the memorial garden.

According to cemetery official Ed Horn, the garden will consist of a statue of a firefighter leaning on his axe which will be erected near a gazebo in a serene, picturesque corner of the facility.

"We felt it was appropriate to have the gazebo near the statue so that people who come to visit will have a place to pause and reflect as they rest for a while," Horn said.

He explained that cemetery officials decided to create the statue in the garden memorial because of Santora’s heroic sacrifice and his family’s devotion to public service and the community.

Horn cited Alexander Santora’s public service as a firefighter with a reputation as his neighborhood’s friend in need. His wife, Maureen, is a former school teacher and two of her children have followed in her calling: Patricia, a teacher at P.S. 222 in Jackson Heights, which was renamed in Christopher Santora’s honor and, Jennifer, who teaches at P.S. 10 in Astoria. Christopher also taught briefly as a substitute in P.S. 2 and 10. A third daughter, Kathleen, is serving in the Army in Kuwait, having joined the service about a year ago when the United States was readying its pursuit of terrorist Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.

Expressing her desire to be involved in St. Michael’s Cemetery’s efforts to honor Christopher Santora, Maloney (D–Queens/Manhattan) stated: "On September 11, while thousands of civilians were racing to escape the terror that struck the World Trade Center, hundreds of firefighters like Christopher Santora ran into the burning inferno, risking their own lives in hopes that more would be saved.

"Christopher Santora was the youngest firefighter to give his life on September 11 and one of the hundreds that America will forever remember for their courage and sacrifice.

"The efforts of St. Michael’s Cemetery to establish a permanent memorial acknowledging the selfless and heroic acts of Christopher Santora and the other silent heroes of September 11 honor the personal sacrifice those individuals have given us all. I am pleased to join St. Michael’s Cemetery and the families of our firefighters in paying tribute to the memory of those who truly redefined the meaning of heroes for our country."

Horn also noted that several of the people involved in the cemetery’s effort to honor Santora are from other boroughs.

"In effect, this will be a citywide tribute to all of those who died on September 11 because their heroic acts and sacrifices were made on behalf of our entire city," Horn explained.

For information on contributing to the cemetery committee’s tribute to Christopher Santora, call 718-278-3240 or 718-278-2846.

Santora’s parents said they established the Christopher Santora Educational Scholarship Fund about a year ago in his memory. They said, "Our goal is multifold: we want to honor our son and keep his memory alive through scholarships and grants to students and schools."

They said last year they were able to offer scholarships to the schools that Christopher either attended or taught at. A family friend, John Cardona, told the Gazette that Christopher attended P.S. 166 and J.H.S. 227 before going on to Bayside H.S. and Queens College.

Last year, the fund also provided the following:

•$3,800 to Queensview Inc. to install new basketball equipment;

•$3,000 to Queensview Nursery School to purchase new blocks;

•$3,000 to the Firefighter Christopher Santora Early Childhood School in East Elmhurst.

"This year," they said, "in addition to the four schools that received awards, we will include Christopher’s firehouse. A scholarship will be offered to a son or daughter of a firefighter/officer from Christopher’s firehouse. Another scholarship will be offered to a firefighter/officer from the same house—Engine 54, Ladder 4, and the office of Battalion 9."

They continued: "Our scholarship fund is in its infancy. We need your support and help."

Those wishing to help can attend the fund’s dinner-dance, Friday evening, June 20 at Riccardo’s by the Bridge, 21-01 24th Ave., Astoria. The cocktail hour starts at 7 p.m. with dinner at 8 p.m. Tickets are $60 per person.

The sponsors are also publishing a dinner journal, offering an opportunity to make a contribution to the fund through taking out an advertisement in the souvenir publication.

For information on the dinner and/or the journal, call 718-626-9048.n