{"id":80041,"date":"2025-12-24T12:03:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T12:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/80041\/"},"modified":"2025-12-24T12:03:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T12:03:07","slug":"positive-impact-how-a-grant-helped-create-father-capodanno-memorial-on-staten-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/80041\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Positive impact\u2019: How a grant helped create Father Capodanno memorial on Staten Island"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Staten Island war hero Rev. Vincent R. Capodanno was officially immortalized with a statue and public access military garden earlier this month <\/a> \u2014 a tribute made possible in part by a grant from the National Association of Realtors. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe positive impact of a $7,500 National Association of Realtors \u2018Placemaking Grant\u2019 awarded to the Staten Island Board of Realtors was realized Dec. 14 during an unveiling of a public-access \u2018Military Garden\u2019 and statue of Father Vincent Robert Capodanno,\u201d the Staten Island Board of Realtors noted in a press release.<\/p>\n

Upon applying for the grant, SIBOR detailed that the funds would be specifically earmarked for the purchase and placement of shrubbery, perennials and concrete pavers to surround the commemorative eight-foot statue, which was recently unveiled near the intersection of Seaview Avenue and Father Capodanno Boulevard.<\/p>\n

The multi-organizational project, which was supported by several of Staten Island\u2019s elected officials, as well as a strong contingent of borough veterans, also added a variety of patriotic enhancements to the park area.<\/p>\n

\u201cI sold keychains and raffles. I gave out poppies \u2026 That is how I raised the funds for this statue,\u201d Anthony \u201cTony\u201d Leto, a Vietnam veteran and driving force behind the memorial<\/a>, noted at the unveiling. \u201cI\u2019m grateful for those who helped me along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speakers at the ceremony acknowledged the legacy of Father Capodanno, both as a Staten Islander and as an inspiration to the borough\u2019s community of veterans.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we are here to recognize Father Capodanno, an extraordinary veteran, whose courage and service continue to inspire our community,\u201d said State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, a Democrat representing the Island\u2019s North Shore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis statue stands as a tribute, not only to him but to all veterans who have sacrificed for our freedoms,\u201d she said, before also acknowledging Paul Matrecano from her office, who helped secure the site for the statue.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a young boy, I got to know who Father Capodanno was because they changed this name from Seaside Boulevard to Father Capodanno Boulevard, you got to know what this hero was all about,\u201d added Borough President Vito Fossella.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got to know Jim Capodanno and put two and two together,\u201d Fossella continued, referring to Father Capodanno\u2019s brother. \u201cJim, like so many others here, kept Father Capodanno\u2019s legacy alive and they remind us every moment what it really means to sacrifice for freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Father Capodanno was alongside the men of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines on Sept. 4, 1967, when he ultimately lost his life during a search-and-destroy mission. Despite being unarmed, he was shot 27 times on the battlefield in Que Son Valley while running to the aid of a wounded corpsman and the Marine he was assisting.<\/p>\n

Even though Father Capodanno had sustained his own serious injuries, the chaplain spent the last moments of his life administering medical and spiritual care.<\/p>\n

The bronze effigy features Father Capodanno dressed in fatigues. In one hand he holds a rosary. With the other, he\u2019s comforting a small child.<\/p>\n

The base of the statue chronicles the life of the Staten Island-born priest and Medal of Honor recipient. The memorial also pays tribute to his family and to the many Staten Islanders who made the monument possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Staten Island war hero Rev. Vincent R. Capodanno was officially immortalized with a statue…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":80042,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-80041","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80041"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80041\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}