NEW YORK — A TSA-trained bomb-sniffing dog has brought three Manhattan families together after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Asaro, a two-year-old half Labrador, half German Shorthaired Pointer was named for Firefighter Carl Asaro, one of 343 FDNY members killed at the World Trade Center. Firefighter Asaro was a 14-year FDNY veteran with Engine 54, Ladder 4, and Battalion 9.
Valerie Hexner, a TSA employee from upstate New York was randomly chosen as an owner. When she found out who Asaro was named after, she decided to set-up a meeting with Firefighter Asaro’s family at the firehouse.
Two other TSA employees, Natalie and Maria Crilley read about Asaro’s adoption in the TSA internal newsletter. Natalie’s father and Maria’s husband, Lieutenant James Crilley was a childhood friend of Firefighter Asaro and their families remained close over the years.
The Crilley family contacted Firefighter Asaro’s widow, Heloiza, and arranged to meet.
While meeting at the station, Heloiza was excited to meet Asaro.
“There’s something of Carl in that dog because everyone seems to love him, and he offers such love to everyone he meets, just like Carl did,” she said.
Firefighter Asaro’s three sons are hoping carry on their father’s legacy. Two of them took the 2011 FDNY Open Competitive Firefighter exam, and the third plans to do the same in the new few years.