Saving Private Santillo Brick Township Local members come to the aid of WWII vet
n BY ERIKA WURST
When a World War II veteran who was part of the D-Day invasion needed relief from the August floods , members of Brick Township Local 230 stormed to the rescue .
John Santillo , who was a 22-year-old Army private assigned to the 4th Infantry Division that was among the first American troops to make landfall on D-Day at Utah Beach , was in a jam after his home flooded . He didn ’ t lose many belongings , but the association for the active adult community where he lived required him to remove everything from inside the home so the floors could be replaced .
Members of Local 230 are accustomed to reaching out to their community . They host fundraisers throughout the year , raising money for local families , scholarship funds , bulletproof vests and memorials . Thousands of dollars are collected . But money doesn ’ t solve everything . In some cases , it ’ s the personal connections officers make with residents that go the furthest . So it came as no surprise that Local 230 President Richard Nelson was quick to jump on board when he was approached about an elderly resident in need . At 96 years old , Santillo felt overwhelmed by the task but still refused outside help . “ He just wanted to stay in there and go about his life ,” Nelson said .
So Brick Township employees , who recently recognized Santillo for his service , were determined to help the veteran out . Township Administrator Joanne Bergin knew exactly who to call , and Nelson was quickly contacted to come to the rescue .
“ This hits home for a lot of guys we work with who are also veterans ,” Nelson said .
Within days of the flooding , about 30 officers volunteered to take time off to help Santillo get his affairs in order . They arrived early at Santillo ’ s home one morning and were greeted with a wide smile from the man who had previously refused help .
“ We pulled up and he was very happy . It was awesome ,” Nelson said . “ His girlfriend was there and was crying and thanking us , too .”
In a matter of two hours , the Local 230 brigade packed up Santillo ’ s entire home so that it could be repaired . It wasn ’ t a long day for the officers , but it was an impactful one .
“ I think it ’ s vital for anyone in law enforcement to have a good relationship with the community and the residents in town ,” Nelson said . “ If we can put a smile on someone ’ s face like we did for ( Santillo ), we will do everything we can to make that happen . We want the town to know that we ’ re here for them .”
Being able to muster with members off the job was also an unexpected surprise for Nelson . They were able to kick back , relax and chill in a not-so-stressful environment .
“ It was a great atmosphere , as opposed to on the job when we ’ re going on calls and to domestics . We get to let loose and be ourselves ,” Nelson said . “ It also helps civilians to see us joking around not in uniform . It shows them we don ’ t have to be stereotypical ‘ cops ’ all of the time .” d
48 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ SEPTEMBER 2018