By Gina Martinez
City Council member Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) hosted a street co-naming ceremony Tuesday in honor of Vincent Cangelosi, a Whitestone resident who died in the Sept. 11 attack.
Vincent Cangelosi Memorial Way at 154th Street and 26th Avenue now recognizes the broker whose life was ended when he was only 30. Cangelosi worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm located at the World Trade Center.
According to Cangeslosi’s family, he left a lasting impact on his community, so much so that they fought hard to make sure he would be remembered.
“Today we stand with the Cangelosi family and the Whitestone and Flushing communities as we honor and celebrate the life of Vincent Cangelosi, whose life was tragically cut short in the worst tragedy in our country’s history,” Vallone said. “It is fitting we stand across from the memorial park in honor of Vincent and others we lost on that tragic day. I am proud to stand with Vincent’s parents, his cousin Daniel who spearheaded today’s ceremony and the rest of Vincent’s family as we announce 154th Street as Vincent Cangelosi Memorial Way. Today, and every day, we will always remember Vincent each time we travel along 154th Street.”
Whitestone residents, along with Cangelosi’s family, helped build a memorial park dedicated to those lost on 9/11. The memorial park was built near the Queens North Presbyterian Church and St. Mel’s church in Flushing. A foundation was also set up to raise funds for the upkeep of the park, named the Queens North 9/11 Memorial Park. The park features a large plaque in honor of Cangelosi and plans have been made to build a conservation learning center for children and community members. The goal is to teach members about sustainability, food and water conversion. The center will be housed in a shed made specifically for the park, according to Cangelosi’s family.
Cangelosi’s father joined Vallone at the ceremony and expressed his gratitude to all involved.
“I am honored to be here today,” he said “On behalf of myself, my family and all families of 9/11, I would like to thank all that made this memorial possible. A special thank you to Danny Naimoli, who devoted so much time and energy to make this happen. This beautiful memorial will not only preserve the memory of our loved ones that we so tragically lost, it will also allow future generations to remember and honor our victims and heroes.”
