Stephanie said she was looking forward to seeing what her brother had in store for his future, and will miss just being able to talk to him. She noted that her brother always described her as the “the sauce to his garlic knots.”

“He said we were twins separated at birth by 10 years,” she said. “It was a unique bond. We were close as anything could be.”

Menna said she last saw Santo about a week before he died, and they talked the night before his death on the phone. “He was the strongest person I’ve ever met,” she said. “He gave me hope. He made me the person I am today. Hopefully one day I’ll be as strong as he was.”