A Tribute to ' Joe Sas ' A window into the life of one victim of the World Trade Center disaster.

"I thought we saw it all with Ali," Joe's sister, Kiki Crowley of Manalapan, said last night. "I couldn't begin to imagine something else this devastating could happen to us - and so soon."

The human toll continued to mount at the {Jersey] Shore yesterday, with more than 100 people still missing and presumed lost. Amid the accounts of extraordinary sadness, though, were stories of extraordinary strength. At the Sacerdote home, Arlene and her 17-year-old daughter were not suffering in seclusion. Their eyes were bright, their voices steady, their Catholic faith unshaken. "I said to Andrea, 'It's just the two of us now. We have to be strong for each other,'" Arlene said. Ali's death was a transformative experience for her parents and sister. It shattered them all - Joe wasn't the same easygoing Joe after he lost his little girl - but on some deeper level, it strengthened them, too. "I think after suffering such a devastating loss you take something from it," Arlene said, struggling to explain it. "I almost feel like I have experience in this, like I know what to do." Mother and daughter smiled as they described the man they loved. Make sure you mention his black belt in karate, they said. Don't forget to tell people how he took an indefinite leave from his job at Cantor Fitzgerald to stay by Ali's side for the duration. Feel free to mention how proud he was of his 1988 Acura, which is pushing 200,000 miles.

The Sacerdote family in happier days: left to right, Arlene Sacerdote; daughter Alison, who died in April from a brain tumor; elder daughter Andrea, now 17; and her father, Joseph, who is missing after the World Trade Center attacks. Sunday, September 16, 2001

It was Joe's selflessness that worried them most after an airliner slashed into his office building. He would have been the one to stay behind to help a panicking co-worker. They know him too well to hold out serious hope that he might have somehow made an early escape.

They also know - because their faith tells them so - that he is in good hands.

"My comfort," said Arlene, "is that Joe is with Ali now."

Remembering Joe

In October 0f 1993, my wife, Laurie, and I opened our Karate school in Freehold, NJ. We had invested every penny we owned into it and we had no guarantee that it would succeed. One night a gentleman came in and inquired about the school. My wife and I gave a short demonstration of the art and he immediately registered himself and his two daughters. That man was Joseph Sacerdote. He was my first student. He was the first person to have faith in me as an instructor. He opened the door for me and helped make a life long dream a reality. My wife and I will never forget Joe. I respect Joe because he was the hardest working and caring man I ever met. The way he looked out for his family is an inspiration to all who knew him. His easy going nature brought people together. Joe's enthusiasm in all that he did was such fun it was contagious. It rubbed off on anyone who met him. He was the cornerstone of our school, and as long as this school continues to function, the memory of Joseph Sacerdote will be honored and cherished. We love him.

remembrance of Jay & Laurie Cuoco

remembrance of Christina Fern

Some of the funniest memories in my life have Joe Sas in them. I am thankful for having such great memories of him, and I hope that you find some solace in the fact that he touched so many people in such a positive way. One brief story: After having been dared by someone on the repo desk at Euro Brokers to eat a dozen or so garlic cloves, he got into Chuckie V's blue Honda after a day at work. The garlic was seeping through his skin and on his breath. Dianne happened to be riding with us that day (Note: she was pregnant with Dani at the time). He asked her for a breath mint and she told him that there weren't enough breath mints in the world to take away that smell. We laughed so hard we were crying. Maybe the smell of the garlic added to the tears, but we laughed nonetheless. Only Joe Sas!!! We love you and pray for you every day.

Joe Sas had that famous smile, all teeth showing. I loved that smile. We grew up together, we attended St. John's University together and we worked at Euro Brokers together. Joe and I loved to try new food and restaurants. Joe taught me that leftover Chinese food was also a breakfast food, which he would eat cold. That he couldn't sell me. He loved putting together his top secret, homemade Halloween costumes which always won first prize (his midget costume and his man taking a shower costume and Halloween party table costume were my favorites). During our college years, my bedroom was next to his. Mine had light blue walls, white ceiling and lace curtains. Joe's room had black walls, orange ceiling, and forget about the curtains. There was always his very loud, heavy metal music, bass guitar and amplifier. In spite of this, all his life, Joe showed how much he loved his family. He could never do enough for us. He wanted to protect us and make things better for us. He loved his nephews and nieces. He loved his cousins, first and second, etc.; we are a huge family. Most of all, he loved Arlene, Andrea and Alison. The last year and a half of Joe's life was devoted to Alison. He was relentless in his pursuit of a cure for her brain tumor. We were all heart broken when we lost Ali in April, but Joe was devastated. He missed her so and I know he wanted to be with her again. I know he is with Ali, holding her hand and smiling that famous smile again. He was more than a brother, more than a friend. I could always count on him. Joe never let me down. He was always there making me laugh, making things better. I'm going to miss Joe falling "Up" the stairs, calling me at the busiest times at work, and either asking me trivia questions to win a bet, or disguising his voice. I miss Joe and always will.

remembrance of Jane (Sacerdote) McMillan

remembrance of Becky, Charlie, Michael & Brian

Having Joe as an usher in my wedding and being Godfather to Brian, will always have lasting memories for us, but the greatest memory for me and my family about "Sas" will be what he did for Ali. Joe "Sas" was a class act who will never be forgotten.

I remember as a boy watching Ted Kennedy eulogize his brother, Robert. There was a part where he said, "Some people look at life and ask why, my brother looked at life and asked why not." Joe Sas looked at life and solved it. I don't know that I've ever known a more honest, no-nonsense person than Joe. No matter what the question, Joe would either know, or work incessantly to find the answer. So many facets that all came together to make up this one very special person ... musician, financial whiz, comedian, computer geek, karate man, son, husband, father, child of God. And that devilish smile that made you long for the days when you were a kid, when the burdens of life were so few that you even had time to think of mischievous things to do. I could never fully comprehend how the creative genius who concocted such really funny (yet harmless) practical jokes was also the same fellow who was so devoted to the Blessed Mother as to recite a daily Rosary. Joe Sas, a true Renaissance Man. Joe Sas did not end, he is still with us, here today and for as long as we remain in our human forms. In the quiet of our minds, freed from the emotions that so cloud our ability to transcend our human existence, we can see Joe, we can hear Joe, we can feel Joe. He's strumming a rip with Stevie Ray Vaughan, trying to poke holes in the most perfect computer system that you've ever seen, telling corny jokes to Alison (who remains too polite to make fun of him), and breaking bread with Jesus and the Apostles. Word has it that he's even volunteered to help in the resurfacing of the Saints' Swimming Pool. He's talking to us every moment, he's begging us to get past our human grief so that we may understand the unfathomable joy that awaits those who live in Faith, he's telling us that it's all true. So listen now ... very carefully ... oh, so calmly ... it's Joe ...

remembrance of Ray Commisso

remembrance of Tommy Veneziano

My fondest memories of Sas were the fourth of July's in Bensonhurst, when we blew everything up, and the BB guns up at Uncle Joe's during the Hoots. We will miss him very much.

Joe was my father, brother and best friend. There aren't words big enough, or feelings deep enough to describe the kind of man he was. Everyone here knows how amazing he was and what an impact he had on everyone's life. How wonderful for us that when we think of Joe, everyone has a huge smile on their face, because EVERYONE HAS A FUNNY JOE STORY. I think of all the things he taught me, like Friday night's Chinese food is Saturday morning's breakfast. That biting your lip is a sign of insecurity. How to cut food properly so you do not look like a caveman. I think of his outrageous Halloween costumes, and that the best costumes are the ones that are homemade and should not cost any more than $10.00. I think of how he used to play his guitar so loud that the whole house would shake. I think about his many, many inventions, especially the coat hanger antenna for the Acura. But I will always remember his zero cap, because Joe didn't care what he looked like, as long as he was warm. I could go on for days talking about the funny things Joe did, there were so many. I couldn't help but think in the midst of all the chaos on September 11th that Joe was somewhere roaming through the sewer system of New York, with a torch & his tie wrapped around his head leading a bunch of people to safety because that's ... Joe. When we think of Joe, we all have to smile, not just because of his humor, but because he's happy now, he's with his Ali.

remembrance of Kiki Crowley

remembrance of Maria Mastromarino

One of my favorite memories of Joe was a Halloween one. Fred and I had those parties every year and you and Joe always were so creative. One year he came as a man in a shower, complete with shower curtain, back brush and shower cap. He wanted to make an entrance, so he got undressed and then put the costume on in the hall of our apartment building. We always wondered why we were not asked to leave after that. An enduring memory I have of him is how much he is like Uncle Frank. His love for his family, his very outgoing manner and his general concern for everyone will always live on, and I am sure, be a constant source of comfort to those of you he loved.

My Uncle Joe was a wonderful person. He was funny, kind and would always help anyone who was in need. He took me away with him, Aunt Arlene and Andrea to the Dominican Republic at the end of August. I had a lot of fun with him. He made sure that I had a good time and was always cracking jokes. When we were leaving for our trip, he was teasing me, saying that when we arrived, I would have to kill a live chicken. He would have a big, goofy smile on his face as he would talk about our trip and I would just laugh at him. He will be missed by many. Though he is gone, memories of him will live forever.

remembrance of Nicole Zummo

remembrance of Tee & Pia Nelson

My dearest memory is of Joe and Pia. Each time he met her, he would say, "Hi, I am Joe Sas." One day, Pia said, "How come Aunt Targi's last name is Sacerdote, and Joe is only Sas?" I told him that story, and from then on, he would say to her, "Hi Pia, I am Joe Sas, Joe Sacerdote." Arlene, we all love Joe, and all our memories will keep him alive in us.

Being born and raised on Staten Island, I felt a feeling of insecurity moving to New Jersey. The friends I left behind, how would I, how could I replace them? I soon found that my worries were unfounded. While building my new home, a man walked up to me and put his hand out. That man was Joe Sas. That handshake grew into a friendship that soon became a brotherhood of two close and dedicated friends. A friendship that grew into much more, a feeling of having the brother I never had. He gave me hope when I was feeling hopeless, made me laugh when I was sad and showed me an internal strength that I still can't perceive. Joe, to me, was the epitome of what a husband and father was put on this earth for. Joe was the person that would see the cup half full, not half empty, like so many of us do. It's so hard to say goodbye, Joe; this is God's way, not mine, but I truly realize God needs your strength and attributes in heaven. I will miss you, my friend, my brother, but I truly feel you are needed in another place. I will do everything in my power to be there for Arlene and Andrea, this, I pledge to you.

remembrance of Rich Castaldi

remembrance of Theresa

There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of Joe - I am sure he is watching over you and Andrea and the rest of the Family. We, the Veneziano cousins, were fortunate to live close to each other as small children - we did not need friends - we had each other. As it turned out, we were 20 First Cousins, but the first group (the old ones) always played on 6th Street, until Uncle Mike had to move to that terrible place called Nutley, New Jersey. The only salvation Charlie, Michael and I had was that Uncle Frank would take Joe, Janie and Mary (no Kiki at that time) to Jersey on weekends to buy a house - I am sure they did not want to leave Brooklyn, but we were glad to have them visit us often. We wanted them to move, but unfortunately, it never happened. Remember, Nutley was on the other side of the World. Joe would always make fun of our neighbor, Crystal - he would say, "How is Cut-Glass doing?" He had a way of always making us laugh. That is what I will remember - the smile on his face. To this day, my neighbors still remember Joe, because he made them laugh. Words cannot describe what a great father Joe was - and that is one of the things I will always think of when his name is mentioned. You take care - we are here for you. Remember, you are now one of the 20 First Cousins.

I sit here trying to put into words what Joe Sas meant to me ... and I am struck by how unreal having to do this is. Sas was simply the greatest gift I ever received from Wall Street - friend, big brother, advisor and full-time entertainer. Joe was so intense at everything he did - from researching a topic inside and out, to loving his family and friends. Words cannot do him justice - to me, Joe was larger than life, one of those truly special people who we were blessed with on our road of life ... a road I no longer fear the end of, because I know without a shadow of a doubt that Joe is going to be waiting there with his big grin and a hug, and a "Hey Ziggy, it's about time you got here!"

remembrance of John Singler

remembrance of Louie Montecalvo

I stand here today still not believing Joe is not here. The sound of his voice, his smile is etched in my mind forever. Words on a piece of paper cannot describe the emptiness in my heart. How do you explain to someone what it feels like that for 40 years, you had a friend that you shared your best days and your worst moments? A friend that you could call day or before 9 at night. Nobody could truly know what that feeling was like unless they knew Joe the way I knew Joe. I feel blessed that I had Joe as a friend for the time I did, but I also feel cheated that he was taken away so soon. When I get there, God has a lot of explaining to do.

Those that knew Joe Sas may wish to post their thoughts of Joe on

THE MEMORIAL WALL

FOR MY BEST FRIEND In Loving Memory of Joseph F. Sacerdote By: John Sacco This is a tribute to my friend Joe, We go back more than forty years you know? It all started in the first grade as I remember, We were together every September. In alphabetical order the teacher would say, Sacco then Sacerdote would line up the same everyday. And we were not afraid. We endured the drill for 8 long years, We were having so much fun there was no time for tears, And on our graduation day, both of us had very little to say, High School was just a summer away, And we were not afraid. As summer ended and High School began, we had to grow up time to be a man, We lived through the Beatles and those bell bottom years, Our country in turmoil the war and its fears, But we were not afraid. Before we knew it four years had passed and now we were off to college, to be the heads of the class? Going to school to work and to play, Hoping that we would make the big time one day, And still we were not afraid. Then came marriage, a home and children to love, All of life's blessings were gifts from above, Joe cherished all that came his way, His family and his friends are the "best" he would say, So now it is time for me to celebrate his life through the years, and to put an end to any of my fears, Thanks to Joe I will never forget what it means to have a "friend" And in my heart he will be with me until the end, And because of that I am not afraid.

Joseph Sacerdote: Sadness for a Family Man December 13, 2001 Click Here This story also mirrored on Legacy.com.

Joseph Sacerdote Click Here

September 11 - A Memorial Joseph Sacerdote Click Here

The Twenty-Third Psalm

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul:  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,  I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;  thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

This web site was designed by Mark Samwick (mark@irregardless.net) to honor Joe's memory.