Some firefighters saved their lives on 9/11 by diving under fire trucks. For others it became their tomb. Robert Curatolo, 31, had finished his shift with Ladder 16 at 9AM that morning, but hitched a ride in with a 19th precinct car. He had two brothers who were firefighters and one who was a police officer. They all three showed up on September 12th to find their “baby” brother. Found under a pancaked truck they were told “it would be better if someone else made the I.D.”
Curatolo had been seen dragging a man with two broken legs to safety after the South Tower fell. His brothers have a picture of him and Lt. Murphy, smothered in dust, heading back towards the North Tower to help. (His is the shoulder in the foreground of the photo posted just above under Lt. Murphy.)
Still a newlywed on 9/11, Robert Curatolo had a reputation in his family for being late for everything, always. Everthing except the World Trade Center.