9/11 – Remembering Firefighter Jeffrey M. Palazzo

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Curt:

Jeff was 33 the day he died on 9/11 running into the damaged towers rather than out.

But this isn’t about how he died but about he lived. And it begins with disco. Yup, disco.

In the 1980’s, Jeff Palazzo was a Brooklyn disco king who liked the cruising scene and obsessing over his Chevy Malibu. At a dance benefit at Bishop Ford High School in 1987, the disco king fell for a self-described ”rock head” from Marine Park named Lisa Vissalo. They married three years later.

The disco king tamed the rock head. He traded in his cruising cars for Bronco trucks outfitted with car seats for daughters Nicole, 5, and Samantha, 2. He bought a fixer-upper home in New Dorp, in Staten Island. He packed up his family on weekends off and took them camping and scuba diving.

The Brooklyn native lived life that’s for sure. Hunting, skiing, scuba diving, fishing, and he loved to work on the house.

To my dearest friend, All those times we spent together will never be forgotten, how fate brought us together, with the short times we had together seemed like forever. We have been through goods and bad, and I believe you are in a good place for a good person. I should have called out sick to help you with your basement, but hindsight is always good. As we always say to each other, “see you later”
~ David Chan

He enlisted in the Coast Guard and then became a reservist once becoming a fire fighter. He influenced many it seems:

palazzo1

While we were stationed at Chatham I sat in awe listening to your stories with the FDNY. You were one of my primary influences in my decision to retire and become a firefighter/paramedic. In our station we display a large american flag with all the names of the 343 listed on the stripes. To me, your name stands out among the other 342 every time I pass by it. God Bless Jeff

Chris Flavell (USCG Ret)

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