Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

After Tragedy, Baseball Reunites Family

Hoya Staff Writer Friday, September 8, 2006 Stephen Cangialosi (CAS ’83), right, with his friends during their years at Georgetown.

Jeffrey and Peter Cangialosi both love baseball. They are avid Yankees fans, active on their school teams and love to play catch in the backyard of their Middletown, N.J. home whenever they have the chance. Baseball has meaning to the Cangialosi boys – but it has meant more since they lost their father, Stephen Cangialosi (CAS ’83), nearly five years ago. Stephen, a bond trader who worked in the South Tower of the World Trade Center, was killed as a result of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The Cangialosis are a Georgetown family: Stephen’s dad, Thomas Cangialosi (MED ’59), his brother, Thomas Jr. (CAS ’79) and his sister Elizabeth Dickey (CAS ’78) are all Hoyas. Now, on as the five-year anniversary of that fateful day, they are just one of the thousands of families who have moved on but not forgotten. A Devoted Father and Fan Stephen Cangialosi was an upbeat, positive and talented man who loved being a dad, an inspiration to his wife and kids. Soon after graduating from Georgetown, he married his wife Karen, who he met while working as a lifeguard on the New Jersey shore. Soon after that, he began working on Wall Street. As a father, Stephen served on the board of his town’s youth baseball league and coached his sons’ teams in their T-ball days. “Steve would be sure to make it home from work before sunset just so he could play catch with his kids,” Karen said. “That was his favorite part of being a dad, spending all of his free time with his kids.” Stephen and his sons shared a connection to baseball that Karen said she would never understand. All three would get together to watch almost every Yankees game on TV. “They both remember how much their father loved baseball,” Karen said. Karen remembers how Stephen was very hands-on with his sons, doing “Dad things” like checking their homework, showing them how to do yard work, teaching them to read the sports section and, of course, playing catch. Today, Jeffrey, 15, and Peter, 12, have followed their father’s passion for baseball, knowing that it was his favorite sport. Both play for their school teams. It’s one of the ways they remember their dad, Karen said. “[Stephen] would be proud of their achievements,” Karen said. Baseball has given Karen her own way to remember her husband. Each year she helps organize a home-run derby in Stephen’s honor as a fundraiser for Peter’s team. Most of all, Karen sees her husband live on in her sons as they grow up and mature. “I just try to keep on track and do the things for them that my husband would have wanted,” she said. Karen has often looked to Stephen’s family for strength and support. Several family members live only minutes away from her Middletown home. Stephen’s father, Thomas in nearby Rumsford, N.J., and his brother, Thomas Jr. lives with his family in Middletown. Thomas Jr. says he’s surprised by how much more quickly the last three years have gone than the first two since the loss of his brother. “It’s amazing that we’re at the five-year point,” he said. “The first couple years had been challenging, not just because of our loss, but also because of the daily reminders all over the news and the public nature of the whole thing.” Thomas still believes that the family vacations and get-togethers serve an important function in remembering Stephen. “The family gets together often, and it’s hard not to think of Stephen when we do,” he said. Elizabeth Dickey, Stephen’s older sister, lives in Old Greenwich, Conn. with her own family. She feels like Stephen never left since the family often reminisces about the memories of her brother. “The longer someone’s not here, the harder it is to remember, but somehow, you still remember some things that are so clear about him,” she said. “Holiday after holiday goes by where he’s not physically present, but we always still talk about him, and so it’s like he’s still there.” An Enduring Legacy on the Hilltop As the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11 approaches, there’s another chance for the Cangialosi family to remember Stephen. Stephen’s parents will hold a yearly memorial service in their own parish in Rumsford. Elizabeth plans to go right to the sight of the tragedy – Ground Zero. “The more we shy away from [this place], the worse it gets,” she said. “It’s good to be open about these kinds of things.” Karen and her sons plan to attend a variety of memorial services in the New Jersey area. Then, on Sept. 15, they’ll come to Georgetown to visit Stephen’s old college friends, as they have done each year since the tragedy. Karen hopes to organize a small memorial service in Dahlgren Chapel for Stephen. She also plans to visit the study room in Reynolds Hall that she and Stephen’s college friends have dedicated to his memory. “Georgetown has become such an important part of our lives,” Karen said. “I am glad to be continuing such a strong friendship with many of Steve’s friends and remaining a part of this close-knit community.” On this particular visit to Georgetown, Jeffrey will take a tour of the campus. He’s thinking about becoming a Hoya, just like his dad. “It would be wonderful if Jeffrey carried on the Cangialosi family tradition at Georgetown,” Karen said. “We all know how much Steve would love that.” After another Sept. 11 anniversary, it will be back to the regular life for the Cangialosi family, with Stephen always in the back of their minds. Karen will return to taking care of her kids. Jeffrey and Peter will go back to school and back to playing baseball. Playing catch never had such a special meaning until now.

Donate to The Hoya

Your donation will support the student journalists of Georgetown University. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Hoya