Neighborhood Heroes Rescue 9/11 Responder After Theft

With an umbrella-laden citrus smoothie in hand, Kerry Aalbue surveyed her newly constructed porch and wheelchair ramp outside her Franklin Square home on Saturday.

"It's overwhelming," she said, not of the ramp, but of all the people who helped build it out of the goodness of their hearts.

A week ago, a temporary wheelchair ramp was attached to the house, but Aalbue awoke one recent morning in July to find thieves had stolen it during the night. She was simply shocked.

"I had to absorb the act of the theft itself, and then I had to wrap my head around what they stole," she said, still in disbelief that someone would steal, of all things, her gateway to the outside world.

A 9/11 first responder who worked in the morgue at Ground Zero, Aalbue now copes with rheumatoid arthritis and four separate pulmonary embolisms. Although she can walk short distances, each step she takes is a painful and dangerous one. The theft of that ramp was a serious blow to her everyday life and health and her independence.

When the FealGood Foundation, a non-profit awareness and advocacy foundation for 9/11 first responders headquartered in Nesconset, got wind of her story, they came to the rescue to purchase another ramp for Aalbue. However, recognizing the potential threat of another theft, they decided a more permanent solution had to be found.

Robert Eprifania, owner of Niro Construction Group, based in Massapequa, also learned of what happened to Aalbue. After talking with her for hours, Eprifania, whose company often performs community service with the Boy Scouts, offered to build a ramp and to reconstruct her entire front porch. With the help of T Paris Home Improvements and Certified Buildings, Inc., the porch and ramp were constructed in just two days.

In addition to the new construction, Niro Construction Group presented Aalbue with a check for $2,100 to purchase a wheelchair lift for her car.

“It’s beautiful,” said Aalbue. “With the other ramp, I had to get up and walk my chair down because it was so steep. This one is just great.”