JEAN RIMBACH, Staff Writer
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
11-28-2001
SCHOOL HONORS FALLEN ALUMNI -- PA COPS GRADUATED FROM NORTH BERGEN `NO WORDS
TO EXPRESS THE GRIEF'
By JEAN RIMBACH, Staff Writer
Date: 11-28-2001, Wednesday
Section: NEWS
Edition: All Editions -- Two Star B, Two Star P, One Star B
As teenagers, Robert Cirri and Christopher Amoroso walked the halls
of North Bergen High School. Both graduated with the desire to help
others. Both went on to join the Port Authority police.
But on Sept. 11, the two officers perished in the ruins of the
World Trade Center.
On Tuesday, North Bergen remembered Cirri and Amoroso in a service
held in front of their alma mater. Cirri, 39, graduated in 1980 and
Amoroso, 29, in 1990.
'It wasn't long ago that both young men were here as students --
they spent their time here, they grew here, they had friends here. And
there are no words to express the grief that is felt by all of us,'
Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco, also an assistant school superintendent, said
before unveiling a memorial engraved in their honor.
Dozens gathered on the sidewalk and grass in front of the school.
Family and friends, police, teachers, and administrators took time to
celebrate these two lives, mourn their passing, and laud their heroism.
'I think it was a very good idea to remember Christopher and my dad
for being good cops and helping people and putting their lives before
others,' said Jessica Cirri, 13, of West New York, one of Cirri's
children.
'He wouldn't have picked any other job. He always put people first. He
always wanted to help people.'
As cars whizzed by on Kennedy Boulevard, poems were read and some
eyes grew red. Peter J. Fischbach, district superintendent, noted that
many survived the tragedy because of the actions of Amoroso, Cirri, and
many others.
'Unselfishly they searched to save the lives of those trapped
inside the Twin Towers,' Fischbach said. 'And as they went about the
saving of other lives, Chris and Robert along with many of their
colleagues, lost their lives.'
Sixteen American flags hung from the chain-link fence in front of
the school, each given to a family member after the service. Red, white,
and blue ribbons adorned the trees flanking the flagpole in front of the
school.
Etched into a small stone monument at the base of the flagpole is
an American flag, the image of the Twin Towers, and this inscription:
'In memory of the North Bergen High School graduates who perished in
the line of duty at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.'
It includes the two men's names, their graduation year, and a
notation that it is dedicated to all those who 'suffered as a result of
the attack on America's freedom.'
'They have left with us an example of dedication, compassion, and
sacrifice,' said the Rev. Howard Wilcomes.
After the service, Edward Sahagian, the district math supervisor,
fondly recalled teaching geometry to Amoroso, who lived on Staten
Island with his wife and 18-month-old daughter at the time of his death.
'He was just a good kid,' he said. 'He would give you his right arm
if you needed it. It showed in what he did at the World Trade Center. He
had a great personality. What a kibitzer he was. We would be discussing
a topic in math and he always had a way of . . . turning it into a fun
type of project. He was a special kid in every sense of the word.'
Mike Boyle, a high school guidance counselor, said that as a teen,
Cirri was a hospital volunteer, on the ambulance squad, and was
president, vice president, and secretary of the health careers club,
where he received a service award.
Boyle said a guidance counselor at the time made note of Cirri's
ambition, hard work, and dedication in his school file. He said Cirri's
school records show his 'wanting to help other people.'
Cirri's son Robert, 17, said that was second nature for his dad,
who would even stop to help fellow officers when he wasn't on duty.
Cirri, a Nutley resident with two children and three stepchildren, was
also a paramedic at Hackensack University Medical Center.
He called his dad 'a great guy, a loving father who always put
people's lives before his own.' Like his sister, Robert was dressed in a
dark blue sweatshirt that included the words 'Never Forget' and a police
emblem. He said he had talked with his dad about pursuing a career as a
police officer and paramedic -- a plan he intends to complete.
'This makes it mean more,' he said.
Cirri had been on the force since 1986, served at the police
academy as executive officer and was promoted to lieutenant last year.
Amoroso was in his third year with the force and was with the tactical
response bureau.
Charlie Amoroso described his son as a 'big marshmallow.' He said
at 6 feet, 2 inches and 235 pound,s he was an anomaly in a generally
more diminutive family. He said children 'flocked to Chris like a
magnet,' and his little cousins loved to wrestle with him on the floor.
He recalled playing softball with his son in various leagues and
going with him to the shooting range. More recently, they had talked
about what it's like to be a dad.
On Sept. 11, Amoroso was on a team that had evacuated lower trade
center levels. After gathering up oxygen packs and hard hats, he headed
back inside shortly before the building collapsed, Charlie Amoroso said.
'Chris was doing what he wanted to,' the elder Amoroso said. 'He
waited 5 1/2 years to get into the academy to do a job he wanted to do --
he always wanted to be a police officer and help people.'
Staff Writer Jean Rimbach's e-mail address is rimbach(at)northjersey.com
Illustrations/Photos: 2 THOMAS E. FRANKLIN PHOTOS 1 - Noreen Smith, left, Christopher
Amoroso's mother, being held by daughter Justine Amoroso at Tuesday's ceremony
in North Bergen. 2 - The memorial honoring Christopher Amoroso and Robert Cirri
was unveiled Tuesday in front of North Bergen High School's flag pole. 3 - PHOTO
- CIRRI. 4 - PHOTO - AMOROSO.
Keywords: NORTH BERGEN. SCHOOL. MONUMENT. STUDENT. NEW YORK CITY. BUILDING.
TERRORISM. DEATH
Copyright 2001 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
11-28-2001
SCHOOL HONORS FALLEN ALUMNI -- PA COPS GRADUATED FROM NORTH BERGEN `NO WORDS
TO EXPRESS THE GRIEF'
By JEAN RIMBACH, Staff Writer
Date: 11-28-2001, Wednesday
Section: NEWS
Edition: All Editions -- Two Star B, Two Star P, One Star B
As teenagers, Robert Cirri and Christopher Amoroso walked the halls
of North Bergen High School. Both graduated with the desire to help
others. Both went on to join the Port Authority police.
But on Sept. 11, the two officers perished in the ruins of the
World Trade Center.
On Tuesday, North Bergen remembered Cirri and Amoroso in a service
held in front of their alma mater. Cirri, 39, graduated in 1980 and
Amoroso, 29, in 1990.
'It wasn't long ago that both young men were here as students --
they spent their time here, they grew here, they had friends here. And
there are no words to express the grief that is felt by all of us,'
Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco, also an assistant school superintendent, said
before unveiling a memorial engraved in their honor.
Dozens gathered on the sidewalk and grass in front of the school.
Family and friends, police, teachers, and administrators took time to
celebrate these two lives, mourn their passing, and laud their heroism.
'I think it was a very good idea to remember Christopher and my dad
for being good cops and helping people and putting their lives before
others,' said Jessica Cirri, 13, of West New York, one of Cirri's
children.
'He wouldn't have picked any other job. He always put people first. He
always wanted to help people.'
As cars whizzed by on Kennedy Boulevard, poems were read and some
eyes grew red. Peter J. Fischbach, district superintendent, noted that
many survived the tragedy because of the actions of Amoroso, Cirri, and
many others.
'Unselfishly they searched to save the lives of those trapped
inside the Twin Towers,' Fischbach said. 'And as they went about the
saving of other lives, Chris and Robert along with many of their
colleagues, lost their lives.'
Sixteen American flags hung from the chain-link fence in front of
the school, each given to a family member after the service. Red, white,
and blue ribbons adorned the trees flanking the flagpole in front of the
school.
Etched into a small stone monument at the base of the flagpole is
an American flag, the image of the Twin Towers, and this inscription:
'In memory of the North Bergen High School graduates who perished in
the line of duty at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.'
It includes the two men's names, their graduation year, and a
notation that it is dedicated to all those who 'suffered as a result of
the attack on America's freedom.'
'They have left with us an example of dedication, compassion, and
sacrifice,' said the Rev. Howard Wilcomes.
After the service, Edward Sahagian, the district math supervisor,
fondly recalled teaching geometry to Amoroso, who lived on Staten
Island with his wife and 18-month-old daughter at the time of his death.
'He was just a good kid,' he said. 'He would give you his right arm
if you needed it. It showed in what he did at the World Trade Center. He
had a great personality. What a kibitzer he was. We would be discussing
a topic in math and he always had a way of . . . turning it into a fun
type of project. He was a special kid in every sense of the word.'
Mike Boyle, a high school guidance counselor, said that as a teen,
Cirri was a hospital volunteer, on the ambulance squad, and was
president, vice president, and secretary of the health careers club,
where he received a service award.
Boyle said a guidance counselor at the time made note of Cirri's
ambition, hard work, and dedication in his school file. He said Cirri's
school records show his 'wanting to help other people.'
Cirri's son Robert, 17, said that was second nature for his dad,
who would even stop to help fellow officers when he wasn't on duty.
Cirri, a Nutley resident with two children and three stepchildren, was
also a paramedic at Hackensack University Medical Center.
He called his dad 'a great guy, a loving father who always put
people's lives before his own.' Like his sister, Robert was dressed in a
dark blue sweatshirt that included the words 'Never Forget' and a police
emblem. He said he had talked with his dad about pursuing a career as a
police officer and paramedic -- a plan he intends to complete.
'This makes it mean more,' he said.
Cirri had been on the force since 1986, served at the police
academy as executive officer and was promoted to lieutenant last year.
Amoroso was in his third year with the force and was with the tactical
response bureau.
Charlie Amoroso described his son as a 'big marshmallow.' He said
at 6 feet, 2 inches and 235 pound,s he was an anomaly in a generally
more diminutive family. He said children 'flocked to Chris like a
magnet,' and his little cousins loved to wrestle with him on the floor.
He recalled playing softball with his son in various leagues and
going with him to the shooting range. More recently, they had talked
about what it's like to be a dad.
On Sept. 11, Amoroso was on a team that had evacuated lower trade
center levels. After gathering up oxygen packs and hard hats, he headed
back inside shortly before the building collapsed, Charlie Amoroso said.
'Chris was doing what he wanted to,' the elder Amoroso said. 'He
waited 5 1/2 years to get into the academy to do a job he wanted to do --
he always wanted to be a police officer and help people.'
Staff Writer Jean Rimbach's e-mail address is rimbach(at)northjersey.com
Illustrations/Photos: 2 THOMAS E. FRANKLIN PHOTOS 1 - Noreen Smith, left, Christopher
Amoroso's mother, being held by daughter Justine Amoroso at Tuesday's ceremony
in North Bergen. 2 - The memorial honoring Christopher Amoroso and Robert Cirri
was unveiled Tuesday in front of North Bergen High School's flag pole. 3 - PHOTO
- CIRRI. 4 - PHOTO - AMOROSO.
Keywords: NORTH BERGEN. SCHOOL. MONUMENT. STUDENT. NEW YORK CITY. BUILDING.
TERRORISM. DEATH
Copyright 2001 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.
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