NEW YORK (AP) — A vial holding the blood of a firefighter was placed in a coffin alongside his uniform Monday, marking the final memorial service for the 343 firefighters killed at the World Trade Center.
The family of Michael Paul Ragusa, 29, had put off any funeral for two years in the hope that his remains might be identified. But they never were.
However, the family had blood that Ragusa had donated to a bone marrow center in the months before Sept. 11.
Ragusa’s family said the donation represented his lifelong dedication to helping others. [New York Times]