Melville Firm Honors Vietnam Veteran

November 30, 2017

The Long Islander

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A Melville-based elder law firm recently honored a Vietnam veteran who was also a first re-sponder to Ground Zero on 9/11.
James Weber, 70, was hon-ored at a “Salute to Veterans” event sponsored by Cona Elder Law, which is located on Broadhollow Road. The event was also spon-sored by Stony Brook-based LI State Veterans Home.
Weber, who was drafted into the army after graduating high school in 1966, felt both re-sponsibility and duty as an American to serve in the army. He earned both Bronze and Pur-ple Heart medals as a combat veteran in Vietnam, serving in Airborne Unit (“Screaming Ea-gles”) and Tet Offensive. After his military service, he toured the world as a merchant marine for 11 years.

Melissa Negrin-Wiener, Esq.,a partner with Cona Elder Law, called Weber a “humble man who has given so much to help our coun-try… He took it upon himself to go to Ground Zero during 9/11 as a first responder.”
Weber also worked as a deck hand in charge of safety for the Staten Island Ferry, earning ci-tations from Mayors Dinkins, Koch and Giuliani for recover-ing three people from ferry ac-cidents.
As a recent patient at the LI State Veterans Home in Stony Brook for three months follow-ing quadriceps surgery, Weber credits the staff for helping him walk again.
Jonathan Spier, assistant ex-ecutive director of the veterans home, said Weber was honored for “his accomplishments both in Vietnam and as an advocate for veterans to receive entitled benefits.”

Weber is a photojournalist whose work has been published in The New York Times and As-sociated Press among others. In December, his photos will be displayed in a solo exhibition at The School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.

Weber, of Rocky Point, lives with his wife Lara, a retired RN. He has two daughters ages 39 and 26.