Lawrence "Larry" Joseph Virgilio (1962–2001) was a New York City firefighter who grew up in a middle-class Italian American family in Woodside, Queens. A gifted athlete, he played for several local football associations and later completed two New York City Marathons and various triathlons. After graduating from Power Memorial Academy in 1980, Larry earned two bachelor’s degrees: one in American Studies from Queens College and another in Physical Therapy from New York University.

Though he had an academic background, Larry chose to join FDNY in 1989. Following ten years of service with Manhattan’s Ladder Company 35, he joined the elite Squad 18 in Greenwich Village. As an advanced rescue specialist, Larry earned two-unit citations for bravery and had recently been selected to train for the FDNY’s specialized out-of-city disaster response team.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Larry voted in the NYC primary elections before bicycling from Queens to his firehouse. His squad was among the first to respond to the World Trade Center, where they were tasked with rescuing people from the North Tower. While ascending the stairs as others evacuated, Larry called his beloved Abigail at 9:50 a.m., leaving a final message urging her to leave Manhattan and telling her he loved her. Larry died when the North Tower collapsed. Today, this playground in his native Woodside - where he played as a child - is named in his memory.