Honoring a Fallen Responder and his Father's Devotion

A rose has been placed on the name of FDNY firefighter Jonathan Ielpi at the 9/11 Memorial. An inset photo shows Ielpi smiling for a photo.
Jonathan Ielpi, FDNY Squad 288 (Gift of Ielpi Family), and white birthday rose at 9/11 Memorial.

Today, 9/11 Memorial staff placed a white rose in the name of Jonathan Lee Ielpi on the bronze parapets of the south pool in honor of his birthday.

A lifelong Great Neck, Long Island resident, Jonathan Ielpi lived with his wife, Yesenia, and their two young boys. He loved to hunt, fish, and was the assistant chief at the community fire department. 

Ielpi was 29 years old when he responded to the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11 with New York City Fire Department Squad 288. He was a New York City Police officer before following in his father’s footsteps in the FDNY. On the morning of 9/11, he spoke to his father, Lee Ielpi, telling him he was heading to the World Trade Center. That was the last time the two spoke.

Band of Dads, Sept. 3, 2002. Left to Right: Al Petrocelli, Dennis O'Berg, John Vigiano, Billy Butler, Jack Lynch, George Riley, Paul Geidel, Lee Ielpi.

Lee Ielpi spent months searching through the debris at Ground Zero. In December 2001, his son’s remains were found and he carried Jonathan out of the debris pile. Lee Ielpi continued his work at the site for the next six months with eight other retired firefighters, known as “The Band of Dads,” who were also searching for their sons’ remains.

Lee Ielpi has devoted his life since 9/11 to making sure the memory of his son and all those who were killed are not forgotten. In 2005, he co-founded the 9/11 Tribute Center and is an active 9/11 Memorial Museum board member.   

(Band of Dads, Sept. 3, 2002. Left to Right: Al Petrocelli, Dennis O'Berg, John Vigiano, Billy Butler, Jack Lynch, George Riley, Paul Geidel, Lee Ielpi. Photo by Curtis Quinn of Lamay.)

By Jenny Pachucki, Content Strategist, 9/11 Memorial 

Previous Post

Stories & Art Program Features “The Giving Tree”

A young girl and a woman listen to a special guest reading at the Museum’s Education Center.

This Friday, as part of the Stories & Art education program, the 9/11 Memorial Museum welcomes a special guest to read “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein and to discuss its parallels to the story of 9/11, specifically the story of the Survivor Tree.

View Blog Post

Next Post

New on View: A Firefighter’s Appalachian Trail Guidebook

An Appalachian trail guidebook belonging to Bruce Van Hine is displayed on a white surface. The book includes a cover image of a waterfall.

As the summer season nears its peak many will hike the Appalachian Trail, a footpath which extends 2,180 miles along the Appalachian Mountain range between Georgia and Maine.

View Blog Post