Published September 18. 2024 11:12AM
Steven Santiago, now a corporal with the North Catasauqua Police Department, sang the national anthem Sept. 11 at the Mission BBQ restaurant, along Grape Street, Whitehall, at the restaurant’s annual remembrance ceremony of the 9/11 attack on America.
What made Santiago’s emotional presentation of the anthem so special to him, and to those in attendance, was that on Sept. 11, 2001, Santiago was an NYPD sergeant working at ground zero.
Santiago spent many days at ground zero of the collapsed twin towers, providing security and support. He also participated in the efforts at the Staten Island landfill to identify victims of the attack.
Throughout his tenure he also responded to mass demonstrations, blackouts and Super Storm Sandy in 2012. He retired from the NYPD after 20 years of service.
Santiago is also a retired Army Command Sergeant Major where he completed 29 years of service with two overseas deployments.
PRESS PHOTO BY JIM MARSHCpl. Steven Santiago, of the North Catasauqua Police Department, sings the national anthem at the 9/11 “Never Forget” remembrance ceremony at Mission BBQ, Whitehall Sept. 11. Santiago was a New York Police Department sergeant on duty at ground zero when America was attacked in 2001.
