NYPD Detective Joseph V. Vigiano and FDNY Firefighter John Vigiano, brothers killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, were honored Tuesday at a wreath-laying ceremony at Ground Zero. The event, organized by the Detectives Endowment Association (DEA), also commemorated 79 NYPD detectives who have since died from illnesses related to their response to the attacks.
Joseph Vigiano, 34, was one of two NYPD detectives who died that day, entering the North Tower of the World Trade Center. His brother John, 36, died with four other members of FDNY’s Ladder Company 132 in the South Tower shortly before its collapse.
Joseph Vigiano Jr., son of the late detective and nephew of the late firefighter, spoke at the ceremony, reflecting on the support he received from the NYPD’s 75th precinct officers after losing his father. Vigiano Jr. is now an NYPD officer himself, following in his father's and uncle’s footsteps. "Post-9/11, after I lost my father, the officers of the 75th precinct became a second family to me," he said.
The Vigiano brothers are survived by three sons, Joseph Jr., John, and Jimmy, all of whom have pursued careers as first responders. John continues to serve in the U.S. Marines, while Joseph Jr. and Jimmy are with the NYPD. Their mother, Kathy Vigiano, noted that their father would be proud of their sons. "Their father would be very proud of all three of our boys … They’re just living to honor their father," she said.
DEA President Scott Munroe stated that the association remembers all its detectives, not only those who died on 9/11 but also those lost to related illnesses. "We have three in hospice right now. This number just keeps going up. We will remember every year, not just this year," Munroe said.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Gov. Kathy Hochul also attended the service. Gov. Hochul had come from a dedication ceremony for members of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and on 9/11.
