Bracelet
- Description
- Metal memorial bracelet, in red, created in memory of the members of the FDNY lost on 9/11, including Sergio Gabriel Villanueva. The bracelet is engraved: "In Memory of Our Heroes Who Sacrificed So Much | 9-11-01 FDNY." A small image of a fire helmet is printed to the left of the text.
- Historical Notes
- Born in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, Sergio Villanueva came to the United States in 1970. He lived in Flushing, Queens, with his fiancée, Tanya. Sergio cheered for Argentina’s soccer team and played on an FDNY team. Before joining the Fire Department in 2000, he had worked as an NYPD officer. On September 11, Firefighter Villanueva responded to the towers with Ladder Company 132. He was 33 years old.
Curator's Comment
Building on a tradition begun during the Vietnam War era to remember American prisoners of war and those missing in action, bracelets bearing the names of victims emerged after 9/11 as a way to honor those killed in the attacks. Some bracelets also bear personal inscriptions and images, including the American flag, the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and insignia reflecting a victim’s status as a first responder. Whether worn by relatives and friends of the victim or by empathetic strangers, 9/11 memorial bracelets created an intimate connection to individual victims while also communicating a shared sense of loss and compassion.
- Accession Number: C.2015.149.3
- Dimensions: 0.75 in X 2.125 in X 2.625 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 1.905 cm X 5.3975 cm X 6.6675 cm
- Source: Tanya Villanueva Tepper
- Credit Line: Gift of the Villanueva family in memory of Sergio Gabriel Villanueva
All materials made publicly available by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on this site are intended for research and educational use only. Users may need to obtain other permissions for their intended use(s) and are responsible for determining copyright status and securing these permissions.
To inquire about copyrights and reproductions, contact: xxx@911memorial.org
