Firefighter Father Recalls Losing Sons On 9/11

[1Hippiechick]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112676905
September 11, 2009
John Vigiano Jr. was a New York City firefighter. His younger brother, Joe, served on the police force as a detective. Both died in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Their father, retired firefighter John Vigiano Sr., recalls how the two became public servants. At 17, Joe began dating a young woman whose father was a police officer, inspiring him to take the police test.

As John recalls, he told his son, "Joe, you're only 17 years old!" But Joe replied, "No big deal."

After finishing his training, Joe joined the police force in East New York, where his father had begun his own career.

John Jr., on the other hand, grew up wanting to be the "next Donald Trump," according to his father.

"He was gonna make a million dollars and take care of his mother and father," John Sr. says of his son.

Enlarge StoryCorpsJan and John Vigiano, parents of Joe and John Jr.

StoryCorpsJan and John Vigiano, parents of Joe and John Jr.
But after seeing his father struggle through throat cancer — and witnessing firsthand the way his dad's firefighter unit took care of him — John Jr. decided to become a firefighter. He even received his grandfather's badge number, 3436.

John would talk to his sons on the phone each day while they were working. Around 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 10, John talked with John Jr. They ended the call by saying "I love you" to each other.

The next morning, Joe called his father, telling him early details of the terrorist attacks. That call also ended with "I love you."

"We had the boys for — John for 36 years, Joe for 34 years, ironically. Badge number 3436," John Sr. says.

On the loss of his sons, John Sr. reflects, "I don't have any could've, should've or would'ves. I wouldn't have changed anything. It's not many people that the last words they said to their son or daughter was 'I love you.' "

Produced for Morning Edition by Lizzie Jacobs and Vanara Taing. The senior producer for StoryCorps is Michael Garofalo.