Luis Alvarez, a 9/11 first responder who testified alongside Jon Stewart this month, has passed away, his family announced Saturday.
“It is with peace and comfort, that the Alvarez family announce that Luis (Lou) Alvarez, our warrior, has gone home to our Good Lord in heaven today,” his family said.
The statement continued, “Please remember his words, ‘Please take care of yourselves and each other.’ We told him at the end that he had won this battle by the many lives he had touched by sharing his three-year battle. He was at peace with that, surrounded by family”:
He exemplified the NYPD motto, “Fidelis Ad Mortem” or “Faithful Unto Death.” Detective Lou Alvarez has lost his battle with 9/11-related cancer. An inspiration, a warrior, a friend—we will carry his sword. https://t.co/utRphj7owx
— Chief Dermot F. Shea (@NYPDDetectives) June 29, 2019
Alvarez, 53, was an NYPD bomb-squad detective, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016. He testified before a House subcommittee alongside other first responders, as well as Stewart, on June 11, making a plea to lawmakers to renew the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, which will run out next year without action. Alvarez informed them that he was going through round 69 of chemotherapy.
“You made me come here the day before my 69th round of chemo, and I’m going to make sure that you never forget to take care of the 9/11 responders,” he told the committee.
“This fund isn’t a ticket to paradise, it’s to provide our families with care,” Alvarez continued. “You all said you would never forget. Well, I’m here to make sure that you don’t.”
The Marine veteran entered hospice care last week and promised to fight “until the Good Lord decides it’s time.”
He wrote:
Hello everyone, “I’m still here and still fighting.” I just wanted to let you know, what is going on with me. Since you have have been with me on this 3 year ride. I’m now in hospice, because their [sic] is nothing else the doctors can do to fight the cancer. It had nothing to do with my trip to DC, that was just coincidence. The day after my trip I was scheduled for chemo, but the nurse noticed I was disoriented. A few tests later they realized that my liver had completely shut down because of the tumors and wasn’t cleaning out the toxins in my body and it was filling up with ammonia, hence the disorientation. So now I’m resting and I’m at peace. I will continue to fight until the Good Lord decides it’s time. I will try to do a few more interviews to keep a light on our fight for the VCF benefits we all justly deserve. Please take care of yourselves and each other.- God Bless-Lou.
“ Still here, still breathing, Still fighting”.
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