Jim Fair
Phil and Angela Mistrulli-Cantone, with their daughter Adriana, 2, observe the 9/11 Memorial ceremony Wednesday at the Boiling Springs Fire Department. Phil was a fireman in Long Island who responded to the call at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Angela's father was killed while working at Windows on the World.
Jim Fair
First responders salute the U.S. Flag that is brought to half mast on the anniversary of 9/11.
Jim Fair
Firemen's gear is hung on the flagpole during the 9/11 ceremony.
Jim Fair
Steve Boehm, right, retired Fire Marshall from New York City presented BSFD Chief Steve Graham a photo of the Twin Towers as smoke billowed from both, with a message of appreciation on the plaque with the words “Never Forget”.
Their point was toddlers and children of the next generation will have little memory of the fateful day and the aftermath that embroiled the United States into conflicts that continue today.
Adrianna’s mother, Angela, and father, Phil, are making sure she remembers the historic event through stories about her grandfather, Joseph Mistrulli, and her father’s memories of losing a score of first responders from Long Island who answered the call.
“My grandfather and mother were scheduled to leave that day for a cruise on the Caribbean to celebrate their 25th anniversary – their first minus children,” Angela said. “He worked at Windows on the World (106th and 107th floors of the North Tower) and was called in at 5 a.m. to help with a problem.
“It was typical of him to go at the last minute. We didn’t know he was gone and later learned he was working. Once we found out, we were all making frantic phone calls to mom.”
Joseph Mistrulli was 47.
Phil Capone was a firefighter for 15 years on Long Island when the call came for all first responders to report to the Twin Towers.
“When the call went out everybody knew we were going. We were anticipating doing our job of saving people. When we arrived there was nothing but a pile of rubble on the street. It became apparent we were more into the scenario of body recovery.
“I lost my lieutenant, my training officer and about 20 other guys.”
Phil and Angela met while attending memorial services and other events related to 9/11. They moved to Landrum to be near Phil’s mother who lives in Simpsonville.
“We are a true family of victims of 9/11,” Phil said.
Adrianna clutched a framed photograph of her mother and grandfather before Wednesday’s service. Angela paused with Andrianna at the base of a steel beam from the Towers, the centerpiece of the memorial.
“The simple fact is she will never know her grandfather,” Phil said. “We talk about him and tell stories. At times she will point to the picture and in her baby talk, say ‘Papa’. I look at her and think, no, I know she knows who he is.”
• Chaplain Gary E. Rogers read Psalm 46 at the service.
• Steve Boehm, retired Fire Marshall from New York City (1999) presented BSFD Chief Steve Graham a photo of the Twin Towers as smoke billowed from both, with a message of appreciation on the plaque with the words “Never Forget”.