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The Sergio G Villanueva
Endowed Scholarship Fund
It was Sunday afternoon, September 9 and the game was
scoreless with just minutes left to play. Suddenly Sergio Villanueva sped down the field, whacked
the ball with his foot and goal!. The fires department won, 1-0. A native Argentina, Fire fighter
Villanueva loved soccer. Tanya Villanueva, his wife, used to have to put on a special hat with bells
dangling from it, as well as a jersey from an Argentine team, and run through the house shouting
goal! when an important match was on television. "He was a huge soccer fan" she
said. Two days later, on Tuesday morning, September 11 FDNY Fire fighter Sergio
Gabriel Villanueva responded with his company, Ladder 132, the the world trade centre tragedy and
paid for our freedom with his life. "Our brave New York City fire fighters....New York police officers...and
uniformed service members - laid down their lives for strangers. They were inspired by their sense
of duty and their love for humanity. As they raced into the Twin Towers and other buildings to save
lives, they did not stop to ask how rich or poor the person was, they didn't stop to ask what
religion, what race, what nationality. They just raced in to save their fellow human beings. They
are the best example of love that we have in our society" - Mayor Ruldolph Giuliani, September 23,
200. 343 FDNY brothers answered New York's call for help on September 11, 2001
and paid with their lives. Sergio never looked back and never asked questions.
His love for New
York, his family, and his soccer family was demonstrated by his willingness to sacrifice himself for
them. He has
always been and always be a hero to everyone who knew him and he and the rest of the men and women
who so valiantly gave their lives will never be forgotten.
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