Sergio Gabriel Villanueva

Sergio Gabriel Villanueva, (Bahía Blanca, July 4, 1968; † September 11, 2001), was a New York City Fire Department firefighter and one of the four Argentine victims who were killed at the Twin Towers during September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. He is considered a hero.

Biography

Sergio Villanueva was born in Bahía Blanca, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was a NYPD policeman and a NYFD firefighter, part of the group that rushed to the World Trade Center minutes after the first plane struck the north tower during September 11, 2001 attacks in New York.

He arrived USA on 1970 when he was two years old, with his parents, brother and sister, as Argentine immigrants, and they settled down in Flushing, Queens. Sergio was engaged with his fiancee Tanya Béjasa and was known as “Big Daddy”.

In 1992 Sergio get into the New York City Police Department as anti-[...] official and afterwords as firefighter at the 46 precint, stair 132 unit.

Out of his job Villanueva was a socker layer, leader of the NYPD team.

9/11 hero

President Nestor Kirchner with relatives at the memorial of the 9/11 Argentine victims

Sergio Villanueva had an optimistic and solidar personality. His mother remember him in this way:

On September 11, 2001, at 8 o'clock in the morning, Sergio Villanueva had finished his night service and was preparing himself to go back to home to sleep. He was still at the Fire Department when de bell ringed. Villanueva changed his clothes again and went to the Twin Towers.

He get into de north tower with the 132 stair, just after the second plane hit the south tower.

The NYFD lost 343 members; 15 were hispanic, and only one of them, Sergio Gabriel Villanueva was Argentine. His body was not found..

Sergio Villanueva was considered as one of the 9/11 heroes. Nueva York Mayor Michael Bloomberg referred to him in public with these words:

Because of Sergio's passion for soccer, after his death it was created the Firefigther Sergio G. Villanueva Soccer Foundation. Villanueva's Foundation support sports and educational activities at the Hofstra University and the Santa Cruz High Schooll.

To celebrate his life and memory the Hofstra University created the Sergio G. Vilanueva Memorial Scholarship. The Villanueva's Scholarship grants athlets-students helping them to complete their high education. Candidates have to prove an ethic attitude facing life, integrity and courage.

In memory

The four 9/11 Argentine victims (Pedro Grehan, Sergio Gabriel Villanueva, Gabriela Waisman and Mario Luis Santoro, were honored by placing a commemorative inscription at the entrance of the Argentine consulate at New York..

See also

  • September 11, 2001 attacks
  • [...]

Other 9/11 Argentine victims

  • Pedro Grehan
  • Mario Luis Santoro
  • Gabriela Waisman

See Also

Bob Hymel

Robert Hymel was one of the victims of the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon. Hymel was a B-52 co-pilot...

Mario Luis Santoro

Mario Luis Santoro (Rosario, March 17, 1973; † September 11, 2001), was one of the four Argentine...

Gerald F. DeConto

Deconto_2.jpg Gerald Francis DeConto (b. August 17 1957, Halifax, Massachusetts – d. September 11...