Carlos’s death was honored in numerous tributes, but one carried special meaning for Cecilia. A few months before 9/11, on one of their daily commutes, they noticed an industrial property across from an elementary school in Astoria, Queens. The trash-strewn lot saddened Carlos, who told Cecilia he thought it would make a fine place for a father to toss a ball or enjoy a milkshake with his child. The City of New York acquired the property in 2007. Today it is an oasis of green space and flowering trees, a haven for city parents and children, named Carlos R. Lillo Park.
