STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Counterterrorism Detective and Staten Island resident Thomas Santoro will always be remembered as a brave man who not only stepped up in the aftermath of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks, but who also fought 9/11-related cancer.
Santoro, 53, died on Sunday at Addeo Hospice in Egbertville, becoming the latest victim of 9/11-related illness, according to his obituary.
“[He was] always remembered as the funny guy of the group,” his family wrote in the obituary.
Santoro, who according to public records was from Prince’s Bay, was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, and became a police officer in 1988, shortly after graduating from John Jay College in Manhattan.
In his 20-year career, Santoro worked in several divisions within the NYPD including the Counterterrorism Division, from which he retired in 2008.
Known among his family as “Mr. Mom,” Santoro became a consistent presence for his children, 17 and 15.
“What he enjoyed most of all really was our family trips, which we made sure we took annually," his family wrote in the obituary. "Either a cruise or resort, and always to our favorite place, Ocean City, N.J. Those were the times we made the most memories.”
On Tuesday the U.S. Senate finally passed a bill aimed at extending the federal compensation fund to support victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks through 2092.
Earlier last week, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah opposed the bill, raising concerns.
On Sunday, the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association publicly attacked Paul on Twitter, writing “while you sipped cocktails NYPD Det. Thomas Santoro died of 9/11 related cancer. Sinful Rand!"
Paul and Lee voted against the bill on Tuesday.
Just one day before Santoro’s passing, Det. Christopher Cranston, of New Dorp, died of 9/11-related cancer.
Four viewings for Santoro will be held from Wednesday through Thursday at the Scarpaci Funeral home in Pleasant Plains.
A funeral will be held Friday at 9:30 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church in Pleasant Plains. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains.