Family Of Youngest Firefighter Killed On 9/11 Keeps His Memory Alive

NEW YORK (CBS 2) -- The attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 changed America and thousands of families who lost loved ones that day.

The family of the youngest firefighter killed when the Twin Towers collapsed has spent the last 10 years trying to make a difference and keep the memory of Christopher Santora alive.

Megan Santora is getting into shape to become a New York City firefighter just like her brother.

"I just started using my brother's vest to run up and down the stairs," she says.

Megan and her sister Kathleen both joined the army after losing their brother.

Their mother, Maureen, says after Christopher died "part of all of us died" and her daughters decided to "react" by joining the armed forces.

""We knew that they would be protected and that their brother would protect them and we have our little shield of protection in our guardian angel," their father, Al, said.

Kathleen served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"She wanted to do her part to show the bad guys that we weren't just going to roll over and let them walk all over us," Megan said.

Maureen still struggles with her son's death.

"I still have times when I am a mess. What I know now that I didn't know 10 years ago is that - that will pass, I cope better with this pain."

Al and Maureen devoted themselves to keeping their son's memory alive by establishing the Christopher Santora Scholarship Fund.

"You are not only continuing the memory of someone you loved very much but you are helping others to fulfill their dreams as well," Maureen said.

Determined not to let Christopher's death destroy their family, the Santoras each found a way to make a difference.

Maureen wrote three books about Sept. 11. Profits from one goes to support rescue workers with lingering health problems and the other two benefit the scholarship fund.

This year, 14 students shared $50,000 in prize money.