NYC pizzerias replace celebrity photos with 9/11 first responders to honor heroes
NYC pizzerias honor 9/11 heroes
It’s a tradition at many New York City pizzerias to put up photos on their walls of celebrities who have visited their restaurant. However, in honor of 9/11 there are several pizzerias shelving those photos for the week and replacing them with ones of first responders. FOX 5 NY’s Jessica Formoso has the story.
NEW YORK CITY - In honor of 9/11, several New York City pizzerias are replacing photos of celebrities who have visited with ones of the first responders still dealing with Sept 11. releated illnesses.
Photos of the first responders have been hung on the walls of half a dozen pizzerias across the city.
The FealGood Foundation partnered with Rethink to launch "the Walls of Honor" to help raise awareness and educate the public about 9/11.
"Each wall features portraits of responders still dealing with health issues from 9/11/01. 23 years ago, these men and women rushed to Ground Zero to help. Today, we're asking you to grab a slice and learn their story," Walls of Honor said in a video.
Well-known pizza shops like Prince Street Pizza and Lombardi's are swapping their celebrity photos with the ones of these real-life heroes.
"What decoration is better than these heroes, real heroes," Tony Sosa, General Manager at Prince Street Pizza said.
Sosa and John Brescio, co-owner of Lombardi's, said they didn't think twice when they were approached with the idea.
"This here makes my day, makes my day to have these guys up on the wall any day before a celebrity," Brescio said.
Days after 9/11, the owner of Lombardi's filled a wagon with pizza pies that he personally delivered to the first responders at Ground Zero.
"I had a wagon, a few of us would do it, different restaurants, and we'd spend a couple of hours there," Brescio said.
Both Prince Street Pizza and Lombardi's said they are not just going to leave the photos up for the entire month of September, however, they are actually going to keep some forever saying heroes have a place there.