January 20, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,

 

It is with great sadness that I am notifying you of the very sad news that Mario Canzoneri, a dear friend to all of us at VOICES has passed away.  Mario, his wife Karen and their Smile Retrievers have been an important part of our annual September 10th and 11th events.  We are sending the information of his funeral arrangements, provided by Diane Horning, knowing that you may be interested in attending the services or sending your condolences.

 

All of us at VOICES join you in keeping Mario, Karen and the Canzoneri family in our thoughts and prayers. 

 

Mary Fetchet and the VOICES staff

 

 

***

  

 

Dear friends and family,

    It is with such great sadness we pass on this news.  Our dear friend, Mario Canzoneri, died on Saturday, January 19, 2008 following heart surgery four days earlier.  Mario and his wife Karen have been true and constant supporters of the September 11th community.  They have shared their therapy dogs, their Smile Retrievers (Jake, Jessie, Mattie and Macie), with all of us. Beginning September 12, 2001, Mario began by going, unasked, to New York City searching for ways to bring his therapy dogs to help the families of the WTC disaster.  Through his tenacity, they were finally permitted to reach out to us, and we have all been the stronger for it.  Selflessly, and always at their own expense, Mario and Karen ministered to us.  They also traveled to Oklahoma City, to the TAPS program in Washington, to the campus of Virginia Tech and to many other places where people were in pain from brutal losses.  To our family's great honor, Karen and Mario named their third dog in honor of our son.  We adore Matthew D. Horning the Second.  Mario never failed to share this beautiful gift with us.  Mario has attended every forum sponsored by Voices of September 11th and has accompanied the Pentagon families during their remembrance walks and has ministered to all of us in the WTC "bathtub" every September 11th.  Children were able to deal with the terrible sadness every anniversary because they could cuddle up to the dogs and find solace.  We can never thank the Canzoneris enough.

 

The arrangements the family has made for visitation and funeral service are as follows:

                           

    Visitation:  Monday, January 21, 2008

 

          The Bedell Pizzo funeral home

          7447 Amboy Road

          Staten Island, NY  10307

          phone: 718-984-0913

 

            hours:2:00- 4:00 p.m.

                     7:00- 9:00 p.m.

 

    Funeral Mass:  Tuesday, January 22, 2008

                         9:45 a.m.

 

                St. Thomas the Apostle Church (St. Joseph St. Thomas Church)

                6135 Amboy Road

                Staten Island, NY  10309

                phone: 718-356-0194

 

While the family is accepting flowers, they have also asked me to pass on a request, especially for September 11 families, that they would welcome donations in Mario's name sent to:

 

                Voices of September 11th

                161 Cherry Street

                New Canaan, CT 06840

 

Condolences can be sent to Karen and family at:

 

                Karen Canzoneri

                128 Hawley Avenue

                Staten Island, NY  10312

 

 

If you have questions, please contact us through email at:

 WTCFamiliesforProperBurial@comcast.net

  

Thank you, Kurt, Diane and Dana Horning