Legacy of Staten Island 9/11 firefighter Chuck Margiotta lives on

WEST BRIGHTON -- Ever since Charles (Chuck) Margiotta, a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), sacrificed his life trying to save others on 9/11, the Margiotta family has done everything it could to perpetuate his memory.

There have been soccer and basketball tournaments named in his honor, among other places, at St. Rita’s parish in Meiers Corners, where he gave countless hours as what many considered the backbone of the program.

There was the renaming of his street, Chuck Margiotta Way, and there is a plaque behind his family’s seats at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. Of course, his dad, Charlie, the long-time guru of the Staten Island Touch Tackle League, renamed his winter league after his son. That was a no-brainer.

Recently, when the new synthetic field at Prall Intermediate School in West Brighton was officially opened, the entire complex was renamed after the hero who was coming off a shift in Brooklyn when he pulled off the highway, parked his car and joined the rest of the heroes from Rescue Co. 5 in their race to destiny on Sept. 11, 2001. None came back.

Those legacies will endure, and so too, will a pair of others — the Chuck Margiotta Scholarship and the Brains, Brawn and Bravery Motorcycle fund-raiser that supports it.

Chuck was a football star at Monsignor Farrell High School and Brown University so it was easy to figure out how to award the scholarship.

“It’s an independent memorial scholarship,” said Mike Margiotta, Chuck’s brother, “and we wanted to give the award to a need-based athlete who wanted to attend Farrell and play football, but his family needed support to make it happen.

“The only stipulation we make to keep the scholarship,” Margiotta added, “is that he stay at Farrell, and never quit the team.”

Mike Margiotta recently announced the third winner — Stuyvesant Hurley, a West Brighton resident and an eighth-grader at Prall, where Mike has been a physical education teacher for 10 years.

“Stuyvesant is a student of mine and I have been monitoring his progress for the past three years,” said Mike Margiotta. “He’s athletic, and he hopes to play basketball as well, and a good student, which his family stresses. He’s a perfect fit.”

The main fund-raiser to support the scholarship is the motorcycle event which is being held May 22, starting at Farrell. This is the third such venture and it has featured some 300-plus motorcyclists driving in procession style past places important in Chuck’s life, including Angels Circle in Grasmere, his street in Meiers Corners and then back to Farrell in Oakwood.

“It’s a fun day,” said Mike Mrgiotta of the Sunday which will include coffee, bagels and juice to start the day, and a barbecue and live music to end it.

In between, there will be much to reflect upon.

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Tonight, there will also be a dine-out fund-raiser at the Applebee’s at 1451 Richmond Avenue in Graniteville. The management will donate 10 percent of your bill to the Chuck Margiotta Scholarship Fund.

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Donations can be made online at www.ChuckMargiottaScholarshipFund.com or you can e-mail mix28@aol.com or call 718-698-9494. Information about the motorcycle event is also available on the website.

By Jerry Lee Staten Island Advance