A former New York City police detective who fought until his final days for the extension of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund was being remembered Wednesday during an emotional funeral service in Queens.
The funeral for Detective Luis Alvarez, 53, was held at the Immaculate Conception Church in Astoria, New York.
Alvarez died Saturday in a hospice center in Rockville Centre, New York, after a three-year battle with colorectal cancer.
He attributed his illness to the three months he spent digging through rubble at the World Trade Center's twin towers after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Hundreds of NYPD officers saluted the flag-draped casket of Alvarez as it was brought into the church for the 10am service.
Mourners, including Alvarez's wife, Lainie, and former 'Daily Show' host Jon Stewart, were seen gathered outside the church ahead of the service. Stewart was seen hugging other service men before emotionally saluting Alvarez's casket.
During the ceremony Alvarez was remembered for his impeccable 'bravery'.
Police Commissioner James O'Neill said Alvarez was among the responders who did not hesitate to serve following the terrorist attacks.
Former New York City detective Luis Alvarez, 53, who fought for the extension of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund will be remembered Wednesday at his funeral. Among the hundreds of mourners gathered at the church was former 'Daily Show' host Jon Stewart who saluted Alvarez's casket as it arrived
The funeral ceremony for Detective Luis Alvarez, 53, is being held at Immaculate Conception Church in Astoria, New York. Servicemen ares see removing Alvarez's casket from the back of a hearse ahead of his funeral on Wednesday
Jon Stewart is seen hugging first responder alongside Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney ahead of Alvarez's funeral
Members of the New York Police Department line the streets as they prepare to attend the funeral for former Detective Alvarez
Alvarez (pictured on June 11 testifying before Congress) died Saturday in a hospice center in Rockville Centre, New York, after a three-year battle with colorectal cancer
'He was an authentic man. He let you know exactly what he thought,' O'Neill said.
O'Neill said that Alvarez was a 'highly decorated cop living life on his own terms' who at the end of the day 'just wanted to do what’s right and he just wanted others to follow suit'.
The police commissioner also called for lawmakers to extend the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund 'indefinitely'.
Alvarez's sister, Aida Lugo, remembered her brother during the ceremony.
She recalled the numerous telephone calls with Alvarez begging him not to go near Ground Zero.
But, she said, 'our brother Luis responded without hesitation to the 9/11 attacks'.
She said it 'became my brother’s dying wish' that the compensation fund would come to pass, adding that her brother was 'faithful until death'.
Lugo received a standing ovation from the mourners gathered to remember the fallen hero.
She was followed by Alvarez's son, David, who also received a standing ovation after he recalled moving memories of his father.
'Before he became an American hero he was my hero,' David said through tears.
'I learned to be brave like him,' he added.
Following the ceremony, pallbearers in police uniforms carried Alvarez's coffin out of the church as officers proceeded to fold the flag.
His grieving wife, Lainie, clutched the American flag while her sons comforted her following the funeral.
A church deacon officiates during the funeral ceremony for Alvarez, at Immaculate Conception Church, in the Queens borough of New York on Wednesday
Rev John P. Harrington delivers the homily during the funeral mass for Alvarez at Immaculate Conception Church
Hundreds of officers are seen gathered outside the church as the hearse carrying Alvarez's body arrived earlier on Wednesday
Alvarez's son, David (pictured, speaking), said through tears: 'Before he became an American hero he was my hero. I learned to be brave like him'
Lainie Alvarez receives the flag from the casket of her late husband Luis Alvarez following his funeral on Wednesday
She was seen clutching the flag as she stood amongst her sons and family members
Police officers are seen lined up as they marched toward the church where the funeral service for Alvarez was held
In June, a frail Alvarez appeared before the House Judiciary Committee with Stewart to request the extension of the compensation fund, which provides health benefits to September 11 first responders and is largely depleted.
'I should not be here with you, but you made me come,' he bluntly told lawmakers at the time.
'You made me come down 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.'
'I did not want to be anywhere else but ground zero when I was there,' Alvarez said at the hearing.
'Now the 9/11 illnesses have taken many of us, and we are all worried about our children, our spouses and our families and what happens if we are not here.'
At the end of his testimony the hushed chamber erupted with applause with many people seen wiping away their tears.
After Alvarez and Stewart's emotional testimony before Congress, the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously in support of a bill that would extend funding through fiscal year 2090.
The bill awaits a full House vote.
Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted Monday that he plans to give Alvarez a posthumous key to the city 'as a symbol of our profound respect and gratitude for his service'.
De Blasio also paid his respects at a wake in Long Island on Tuesday.
In a statement after his death, Alvarez's family called him their 'warrior' and told people to 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. Thank you for giving us this time we have had with him, it was a blessing.'
NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea tweeted that Alvarez was 'an inspiration'.
'He exemplified the NYPD motto, 'Fidelis Ad Mortem,' or 'Faithful Unto Death,' Shea wrote.
This aerial image shows the two-block-long line of service men and women who gathered outside the church (orange building) ahead of the funeral
Dozens of people are seen outside the Immaculate Conception Church in Astoria, New York, before heading inside
This aerial view shows service men and women outside of the church as the hearse carrying Alvarez's body arrived
A massive American flag draped from two fire trucks was seen near the entrance of the funeral home in honor of Alvarez's heroic service to his country
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'An inspiration, a warrior, a friend - we will carry his sword,' he added.
In his final interview two weeks ago, the 20-year veteran of the NYPD told gathering reporters that he had made 'peace' with the idea of succumbing to his disease.
Alvarez selflessly used his last-ever public address to once again urge federal lawmakers to replenish the September 11th fund.
'I'm doing well. I'm comfortable. I'm not in a lot of pain. I have my family surrounding me and I'm at peace,' Alvarez told Fox News, adding that he has 'no regrets' about helping to search for victims among the wreckage of the Twin Towers.
'I have no regrets - no regrets whatsoever,' he said. '9/11 happened. We got called down. It's my job as an NYPD detective to respond to emergencies. So, no hesitation. We went down, spent about three months down there doing the bucket brigade, doing rooftop detail, trying to find remains.
'I did what every other FDNY, NYPD, EMS worker - everybody. I'm nobody special. I did what all the other guys did. And now we're paying the price for it.'
Alvarez (center) was diagnosed with the condition in 2016, with doctors linking the disease to the three months he spent at Ground Zero, searching for survivors and remains among the rubble
Accompanied by Stewart, father-of-three Alvarez appeared before congress on June 11 and delivered a hoarse appeal before a House Judiciary subcommittee in Washington
Alvarez shared the tragic news of his declining health on Facebook telling friends he had stopped treatment because 'there is nothing else the doctors can do'.
Alongside the post Alvarez shared an undated image of himself before his 2016 diagnosis, in which he cuts a muscular, heavy-set figure.
The cancer ravaged his body, rendering him virtually unrecognizable from his former self when he appeared in front of Congress.
In his final interview, Alvarez warned that he wouldn't be alone in dying from 9/11-related afflictions, going as far to say the issue was sure to become an 'epidemic' and Congress needed to act promptly with foresight to replenish the fund.
'We did our job, congress has to do theirs. We were told the air was safe down there and it wasn't. But you know what, that doesn't matter. Because we would have went in anyway. Because that's what we do. It's not a job for us. It's a calling.
'There's going to be more and more first responders getting sick. And our government has to take care of them. It's just a matter of decency, a matter of doing the right thing. We did the right thing when we went down there. Now it's the government's turn to do the right thing by us.'
Alvarez received a standing ovation when he finished his emotional testimony before the House Judiciary subcommittee. He is seated center surrounded by Stewart (right) FealGood Foundation co-founder John Feal (center) and retired FDNY Lieutenant and 9/11 responder Michael O'Connell (left)
'He exemplified the NYPD motto, 'Fidelis Ad Mortem,' or 'Faithful Unto Death,' NYPD Chief Demot F. Shea tweeted in response to the news of Alvarez's death. 'An inspiration, a warrior, a friend - we will carry his sword'
Alvarez shared the tragic news of his declining health on Facebook telling friends he had stopped treatment because 'there is nothing else the doctors can do'. Alongside the post Alvarez shared an undated image of himself before his 2016 diagnosis, in which he cuts a muscular, heavy-set figure (left)
In his final interview, Alvarez warned that he wouldn't be alone in dying from 9/11-related afflictions, going as far to say the issue was sure to become an 'epidemic' and Congress needed to act promptly with foresight to replenish the fund.
The fund is in serious danger of running completely dry after the Justice Department announced it would be cutting pay-outs by as much as 70 per cent, hoping to preserve its reserves for the years ahead.
Legislation had set aside $7.3billion dollars to compensate the victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families, including those killed and first responders.
But $5billion has already been paid out to 21,000 victims, and families and their advocates say at least another $5billion is needed to cover 19,000 pending claims.
Alvarez voiced that he thought of himself as lucky and 'blessed' because of the fund when speaking to FOX, insisting the vital assistance provided by the fund allowed him to find the best quality treatment to keep his prognosis at bay.
But however lucky he may feel for the bought time, Alvarez admitted the thought of leaving his sons behind was a tough to contemplate.
'It's not fair - I've been blessed. I got sick 16 years after the fact,' Alvarez began. 'This is my son, David. He was 11 years old on 9/11. He's 29 years old now. And I'm leaving him without a father. I also have two other sons, Tyler and Ben, who are 19 and 14. And I'm leaving them without a father.'
The fund is projected to completely run dry by 2020.
'This is my son, David. He was 11 years old on 9/11. He's 29 years old now. And I'm leaving him without a father,' an emotional Alvarez said during his last interview
Alvarez is survived by his mother, Aida; his wife, Lanie Alvarez (pictured); his sons, David, Tyler and Ben; and his brothers, Fernando and Phil
Alvarez warned lawmakers the issue of first responders of 9/11 falling critically ill was sure to become 'an epidemic' (pictured: Part of the facade of one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center still stands as rescue and cleaning efforts continue on September 13, 2001)
Alvarez was born in Havana, Cuba, in October 1965.
He was raised in Queens and graduated from Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School in East Elmhurst.
Alvarez served in the Marines before joining the New York Police Department in 1990, and spent time in the Narcotics Division and the Bomb Squad.
He later served in the Marines and studied at the City University of New York, before joining the NYPD in 1990.
Alvarez was initially assigned to the 108th Precinct in Long Island City, but transferred to the narcotics division in 1993 and was promoted to detective two years later.
He was recognized for police work excellence five times throughout his career and retired on disability in 2010.
Alvarez is survived by his mother, Aida; his wife, Lanie Alvarez; his sons, David, Tyler and Ben; and his brothers, Fernando and Phil
Credit by Dailymailonline
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