Goodnight everybody. We hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend and that everyone enjoyed their Fourth of July celebrations.
You know, Scott and I grew up in a town called Great Neck. Great Neck is about 35 minutes from NYC. On September 11th 2001, Six Great Neck peninsula residents died during the attack on the World Trade Center.
One of them was our hero, Jonathan Lee Ielpi. Jonathan was a volunteer firefighter with two young sons. His youngest was only 3yrs old at the time . He was only 29yrs old on 9-11-01 and began volunteering at the FD when he was only 17. He grew up seeing his own father save countless people and from the time he was only a toddler, Jonathan wanted to follow in his fathers footsteps. He always wanted to help others, even at such a young age. He is remembered with love by every single person who knew him.
He was from an extremely close knit family. His Mother Anne, his father Lee, his three siblings, Brendan, Melissa and Anne Marie, their children, and his own wife and two sons, lost a piece of their hearts on that horrible day. They’ve been missing him and honoring his memory ever since.
His Father Lee was also a life long firefighter but was retired at that time. He was, and still is, known as a “Legend” . On the day of the attack and the days following, Lee Ielpi got his tools, packed up his car and drove to Ground Zero. He dug through the hot rubble with his own hands, determined to find his son, as well as anyone else missing there. It is no wonder that his son has the heart of a hero.
To me, Jonathan’s father, Lee, is also a hero. Today he suffers from the World Trade Center disease, that affected and took the lives of so many first responders, in the days, weeks and months following the worst terrorist attack in our nations history. God bless him and God bless Jonathan Ielpi.
Our hometown also lost others, our friend Andrew Stergiopoulos, Peter Frank, Frederick Kuo, Jr., Joshua Vitale and Richard Yun Choon Lee. Great Neck has memorials just for them. We will never forget.
Jonathan Ielpi’s Father, Lee Ielpi, founded the September 11th Families’ Association and co-founded the Tribute WTC Visitor Center. He did so, in loving memory of his beloved son and so many others that lost their lives that day.
In Great Neck we have another hero. Ben Harrow was a friend of Jonathan Ielpi and when Jonathan was lost on that day, Ben joined the Military in honor of him and went to war for our country. He was critically wounded during his time at war and lost both of his legs. What a courageous and beautiful thing he did in honor of his dear friend. Ben now joins other critically wounded service men, who are in need of handicap accessible homes. So many men and woman fought for us and now it is our turn to help them. They need and deserve to live in a way that’s easiest and most comfortable for them, after their injuries. Here is the link to some more information regarding Ben and other heroes like him.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/2527156313001/
About a week ago, Bravo TV aired an episode of their show “Princesses: Long Island”. In a scene that was filmed at The Jonathan Ielpi Memorial Park, in Great Neck Plaza, one of the “Princesses” was doing a photo shoot to promote her product, and proceeded to totally disrespect a FDNY memorial 9/11 statue of Jonathan. It was totally disgusting.
“The scene shows Amanda Bertoncini doing a photo shoot for her product (a piece of fabric that wraps around any sort of drink can or bottle) at the FDNY memorial, where one of the models is hanging on the bronze statue of firefighter Jonathan Ielpi. You can hear the photographer tell the model, “Kiss the fireman, try to feed him the beer.” Then Bertoncini exclaims, “Yeah, feed him the beer! Then act scared.”
We find this behavior totally unacceptable and completely reprehensible. We feel very strongly that this show be pulled off of the network for good. Not only does the entire Ielpi family deserve an apology, but this show needs to cease to exist.
Jonathan Ielpi’s Sisters, Melissa and Anne Marie, hit the ground running. They were understandably outraged. What a total disgrace for the producers, directors, creators and Amanda Bertoncini herself, to behave this way, allow this behavior and or even air this garbage. And in such a sacred place , and to the memorial of our hero, Jonathan and all who perished that day. This is completely inexcusable.
We have already done our part, on behalf of Jonathan and his family, to put an end to this show immediately.
Please help us show our support of the whole Ielpi family, by telling those that took any part in this despicable act, that its not okay. It’s not acceptable at all. This show needs to be taken off the air.
Here is a list of contacts. Please feel free to call and e-mail the people below to relay your feelings on this matter.
Andy Cohen- Exec VP Programming
Andy.Cohen@nbcuni.com
Jennifer Geisser- Senior Vice President, Communications
(212) 664-4864
jennifer.geisser@nbcuni.com
Julia Nietsch- Manager-“Princesses: Long Island” julia.nietsch@nbcuni.com
(212) 664-7459
Rachel Sussman- Coordinator, “Princesses: Long Island”
(212) 664-5358
rachel.sussman@nbcuni.com
Jodi Davis
Vice President, Communications
(212) 664-7387
jodi.davis@nbcuni.com
Chloe Ellers
Director, Communications
(323) 965-6727
Chloe.Ellers@nbcuni.com
Ashley Kline
Senior Press Manager
(323) 965-6726
ashley.kline@nbcuni.com
Ryan McCormick
Press Manager
On FB you can find out more about Jonathan Ielpi, American hero, at “Remembering Jonathan Ielpi”.
To follow the status of the fight to stop this show, Melissa Ielpi has created a FB page “Shame on Bravo – Cancel Long Island Princesses”.
We are all in this together. We are all equal in the eyes of God. Let us stand together with the Ielpi family in honor of Jonathan and the sacrifice he made for us.
No lives will go in vain. No pain will go unnoticed. Amen.
Love from,
Jessica Lee Smith,
For Sammy & Family
