Astoria Funeral Scheduled For Detective Who Fought For 9/11 Fund

ASTORIA, QUEENS — A funeral will be held Wednesday in Astoria for former NYPD detective and 9/11 responder Luis Alvarez, a leader in the fight for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

Alvarez, 53, died Saturday of colorectal cancer. His funeral will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church, located at 21-47 29th St. in Astoria.

Alvarez attributed his cancer to the three months he spent searching for survivors and remains in the rubble of the World Trade Center's twin towers after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

*** Please Be Advised ***
Funeral Arrangements For Ret. @NYPDDetectives Luis Alvarez, Are As Follows:

MOS Report Time For Wednesday, July 3, 2019 Will Be 0900 Hours. pic.twitter.com/RU4AFTuC6g
— NYPD Ceremonial Unit (@NYPDCeremonial) June 30, 2019

Alvarez was born in Cuba, grew up in Astoria and graduated from Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School in East Elmhurst in 1983, according to QNS.com. He joined the NYPD in 1990 and served with the 108th police precinct in Long Island City.

Alvarez was admitted to hospice days after he appeared before Congress with former "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart to ask officials to extend the compensation fund.

"This fund isn’t a ticket to paradise — it’s to provide our families with care," Alvarez told the House Judiciary subcommittee on June 11. "You all said you would never forget. Well, I'm here to make sure that you don’t."

The fund for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and their families is slated to end in 2020 and has already burned through more than two thirds of its money. Officials warn that beneficiaries will see their payments cut as much as 70 percent because of the shortfall.

New York City Rep. Carolyn Maloney is sponsoring a bill that would extend the fund for about seven more decades, but it has languished in committee since it was introduced in February.

Patch editor Noah Manskar contributed reporting.