Luis Gustavo Alvarez

On June 29, 2019, USMC (k4) LCPC and NYPD 1st Grade Detective Bomb Squad Luis Gustavo Alvarez passed away after fighting a 9/11-related illness. He was 53 years old.

Alvarez was born in Havana, Cuba in October 1965. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Later in 1990, he joined the New York Police Department. Five years after being sworn in, Alvarez was promoted to detective, however, wanting to pursue a less stressful assignment, he volunteered for the Bomb Squad in 2004. Alvarez was among the many heroes who assisted in debris cleanup following the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and spent a large part of his career fighting for the healthcare rights of said heroes at the congressional level.

Alvarez retired from the NYPD in 2010 and continued to work as an explosives expert for the Transportation Security Administration until 2017, shortly after his diagnosis.He spent his final years making repeated trips to Washington urging lawmakers to pass a bill replenishing the 9/11 compensation fund. He passed away just weeks after making an emotional plea to Congress.

NYPD 1st Grade Detective Bomb Squad Luis Gustavo Alvarez leaves behind his wife, Alaine, and three children.