Anthony Vargas

United States Army Specialist Anthony Vargas passed away on November 8, 2010 while in the line of duty.

Vargas was born and raised in The Bronx, New York and Staten Island, New York. He, his parents, and three siblings were very close and made it a point to attend church multiple times per week. He loved riding bikes with his friends, playing handball, and was the class clown. Vargas and his wife, Luisa, met while they were in high school. Mutual friends connected them, and they often played handball with their group of friends. They later moved to Pennsylvania, were married, and created a family together.

As a New York City native, the events of September 11, 2001 were very humbling for Vargas. Inspired by the tragedy to help, serve, and protect his country, he enlisted in the US Army in 2008. He was happy to serve and be able to support his family. While serving, Vargas was promoted on two separate occasions. He also grew as a person and learned a lot from his peers. His main goal was to gain as much experience as possible to make himself a good candidate for the NYPD. However, Vargas unfortunately met his premature death before being able to accomplish his goal. While deployed in early November of 2010, Vargas and his unit were looking for disruptions in the road when an IED went off. He was devastatingly killed immediately.

Luisa currently resides in Tennessee and is a stay-at-home mom for her children. As a side job, she loves to express her creativity through making charcuterie boards and selling them to others in her community. In the future, she is excited to provide a better life for her children. The donation of a mortgage-free home from Tunnel to Towers for Luisa and her children allows them to create more memories together. She is very happy and blessed with the tools she has received from the Foundation to better navigate growing up without and grieving a parent. Finally, Luisa would like others to know that her husband was a good man and a wonderful father. He loved all of his family and wanted to make a good life for them. He was proud to serve his country and strived to make a difference. Vargas was full of life; his laugh was infectious. Luisa hopes he is proud of his family and how much they have grown. He is severely missed.

United States Army Specialist Anthony Vargas is survived by his loving wife, Luisa, his beautiful children, and his siblings, Julio, John, and Jennifer. He is predeceased by his parents, Maria and Julio.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has paid off the mortgage of the Vargas family home through the Gold Star Family Home Program.