Paul “Paulie” Veneto was met with cheers as he reached the Bronx’s Little Italy. It’s been a long journey pushing an airline beverage cart from Boston Logan International Airport. His final stop will be the site of the former World Trade Center. His goal: to shine a light on the flight crews that lost their lives on 9/11.

“I’m doing something that should’ve been done 20 years ago. It’s taken way too long to get these guys recognized,” said Veneto. 

What You Need To Know

  • Paul “Paulie” Veneto wanted to honor flight crews that died in 9/11 plane crashes 20 years ago

  • Before retirement, Veneto often worked the Flight 175 out of Boston, which is one of the flights that was seized in WTC terrorist attacks

  • In August, Veneto began pushing an airline beverage cart from Boston Logan International Airport to the former WTC site to mark 20th anniversary of 9/11

Veneto, a retired flight attendant, was based at the Boston airport at the time of the attacks. He often worked on Flight 175, but wasn’t on board that tragic day when it hit the second tower.

“I knew everyone who worked those trips. I knew at that point, my life changed forever. It just did,” he said. 

He says, like the rest of the country, he watched in horror at what happened that day. And was proud to see the brave efforts of first responders at the World Trade Center site. 

But he always felt like the men and women who lost their lives in the plane crashes did not get the recognition they deserved.

So a few years ago he decided he would change that. First, he had to get in physical shape and practice pushing the cart in much different terrain.

“The difference here is I knew I was going out on the street and I had to learn how to push this thing in traffic, over railroad tracks, potholes and things like that,” said Veneto. 

“We thought it was such a great thing and if he was coming through the Bronx we were hoping he’d consider stopping here and he did,” said Belmont BID Executive Boardmember Frank Franz.

Aside from bringing attention to the brave actions of the flight crews, his journey to Lower Manhattan for the 20th anniversary of the attacks will also help in other ways.

“And he’s doing this also to benefit Tuesday’s Children, to support our mission, which is to serve the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 and the ripple effects of 9/11,” said Tuesday’s Children Senior Program and Development Consultant Sallie Lynch.

It’s been tough pushing the cart for 218 miles, but he has some support from people back home in Boston. 

“It’s just really close to our heart and I’m really glad he’s doing it in remembrance,” said Massachusetts resident Esther Holmes. 

“He’s going above and beyond and he’s showing what America is all about,” said Beth Veneto, a relative of the creator of the Paulie’s Push initiative. 

Veneto says he’s hoping all who see him pushing this cart will think of the brave Americans, who died doing their jobs.