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CNN Live At Daybreak

Misidentified Firefighter Finally Laid To Rest Under Correct Name

Aired November 30, 2001 - 05:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Jason Carroll now has the story of correcting a mistake in the case of a misidentified fallen firefighter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAUREEN SANTORA, MOTHER OF CHRISTOPHER SANTORA: This is one of my favorites.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Alexander Santora and his wife, Maureen, unpack pictures of their son, Christopher, that will be displayed at a service for him. It was scheduled to be a memorial, but because of a bizarre mix-up, it will now be a funeral.

MAUREEN SANTORA: Well, I just think it was just an awful, terrible, dreadful mistake.

CARROLL: Christopher Santora was a firefighter at Engine 54 in Manhattan. Santora and 14 other firefighters from the same company were killed on September 11.

A few days later, rescuers found what was though to be the body of Jose Guadalupe in the rubble. The final resting place: a cemetery in Queens.

ALEXANDER SANTORA, FATHER OF CHRISTOPHER SANTORA: We were at the service for him, because Jose was the only one in the house who was found.

CARROLL: True. Only one person from the firehouse had been found and buried, but it wasn't Jose Guadalupe. DNA evidence showed it was Christopher who was misidentified and mistakenly buried as Guadalupe. The medical examiner revealed the mistake this week.

ALEXANDER SANTORA: They were up front, and they were honest, and they were hurting as well as we were.

CARROLL: The body was disinterred, so it could be turned over to the Santoras. The medical examiner says his office had used x-rays to identify the body. Guadalupe had an unusual neck condition that showed up in an x-ray. The odds were astronomical, but it turns out Santora had the same neck condition.

MAUREEN SANTORA: A peculiar twist, you know, but I prayed that they found his body, and God answered by prayers.

CARROLL: Not only were the Santora's prayers answered, but they learned something about their son's death and the men that died with him.

ALEXANDER SANTORA: That they were all together, and that they didn't suffer.

MAUREEN SANTORA: And this is my father picture (ph).

CARROLL: At Christopher's service, his family will talk about the 23-year-old man, who lived life to the max, who loved Scooby Doo and his job. They can finally lay Christopher to rest, but they know another family still has to wait.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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