HOST:
Here at StoryCorps, we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary by revisiting classic conversations from our first two decades… with updates on the participants…
This 2007 recording is from StoryCorps’ September 11th initiative… collecting the stories of survivors, recovery workers, and family members who lost loved ones on that day.
Retired firefighter John Vigiano, Sr. lost TWO sons in the attack on the World Trade Center
John Vigiano Jr. was a firefighter like his father… Joe Vigiano was a police detective.
John Vigiano Sr: There were a couple of days each year you were allowed to take your children to work – and Joe loved it. That was his birthday present, that he would come and spend the night in the firehouse. We’d have a cake, and the guys I worked with, they would take a milk container and they’d cut out the facsimile of a building and they’d put it on the top of the cake, and then they would light it up and they would tell Joe to put it out and he would throw a pot of water on it. The birthday cake was a little soggy, but this is what he wanted.
Joe started dating a young lady whose father was a police officer, and he come home one day and he says, “I’m taking the police test.” I says, “Joe, you’re only 17 years old.” He says, “Ah, no big deal.”
On the other side of the room. My son John wanted nothing to do with police or fire department. He was gonna make a million dollars and take care of his mother and father.
But in 1984, I came down with throat cancer. He noticed then how my unit, they took care of us. And he says,” I’m gonna become a fireman.” I says, “You’re kidding me. Firemen don’t make millions of dollars. How am I gonna live like a king?” But I was very happy, very proud.
My father had been on the fire department and he was the first one to be issued badge number 3436. And when John decided he wanted to be a firefighter they reissued it to my son, John. So the badge was only used by two.
Both the boys, uh, would call me when they were working, talk for a few minutes, and I’d say, “All right, be careful. I love you.” John would always call around three thirty, four o’clock, and that particular night, September 10th, I says, um, “Look out for your brother tonight. He’ll be haunting the city.” And he says, “Okay, I love you.” I says, “I love you.”
Joe called me in the morning. And told me to turn on the television, that a plane just hit the Trade Center. And he says, “I’m heading south on West Street. This is a big one.” And I just said, you know, “Be careful. I love you.” He said, “I love you too.” That was it.
We had the boys for John for 36 years, Joe for 34 years. Ironically – badge number 3436. I don’t have any, could’ve, should’ve or would’ves. I wouldn’t have changed anything. There’s not many people that the last words they said to their son or daughter was, I love you, and the last words they heard was, I love you, so that makes me sleep at night.
[MUSIC]
John Vigiano Sr: We have 5 beautiful grandchildren, 5 little munchkins that I see my sons in… in so many ways… looks, personality… Amazing. They’re amazing children. So, we feel blessed.
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Joe Vigiano: My name is Joseph Vigiano. I’m Detective Joseph Vigiano’s son, and my grandfather was John Vigiano Sr.
My grandfather passed five years ago. They were saying that the cancer that eventually took his life was related to the World Trade Center. He was down there for months with the recovery efforts, looking for my dad and uncle. My grandfather was a larger than life figure for many. But, um, his legacy, I, I think he would want to be remembered as a, a good father. He had a firm understanding of service and sacrifice, and he would pass that on to us.
Today, I’m a police officer with the emergency service unit, the same unit that my father was a member of. Originally that wasn’t the plan. Uh, I kinda wanted to grow up and be a paleontologist. Favorite movie was Jurassic Park growing up. But, um, after my father’s passing, I was eight years old and that set me on my course where I am now.
When I was in the police academy I had requested to take my dad’s PO shield, 19363, but unfortunately it was already taken by an officer that was up in the Bronx. And when he found out that I had requested it, he willingly gave up that shield number. And he let me have it. And then he took on a new one, you know, just a few years before his retirement. I mean, putting on that uniform and then seeing that those numbers, it’s special.
My mom also served in the New York City Police Department as a cop for 20 years. That’s how she met my father. It’s funny ’cause I can drive home and call her on the phone and complain about things at work and she understands it just as well as the guys I sit with every day.
My brother works in the 75th Precinct as well. And he actually has my Mom’s shield number.
So, it’s heavyweight. People are looking at you to see like, what, what is Vig’s kid doing? You know? ’cause they have expectations. Everybody loved my grandfather, they loved my dad, you know, my uncle. And they were heroes.
I mean, I wish my grandfather was still around. To seek guidance from. I don’t think jealousy is the right word but the members of the fire department that got to experience his leadership – that’s a special thing. And as I, get a little older, become a father. You know, I’m married now, you know, gaining experience through life and at home. I wish I had him to, you know, lean on a little bit.
[MUSIC]
New York City Police Officer Joe Vigiano… remembering his grandfather, retired firefighter John Vigiano, Sr.
StoryCorps hopes to record one interview for each life lost on September 11, 2001… Those conversations are archived at both the Library of Congress… AND at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
