9/11 Family Invited to Presidential Ground Zero Visit Snubs Obama

By Monica Morales, PIX 11 News

As 50 carefully selected families prepare to join President Barack Obama for a ceremony at the World Trade Center site Thursday, one of the invited 9/11 families have decided to pass on the commander-in-chief's visit.

Although many consider it to be a once in a lifetime invitation, the Vigiano family of Deer Park, Long Island, have respectfully declined.

"If this form letter was the invitation, it was kinda lame," John Vigiano told PIX 11 News when describing the email invitation sent to him from the White House ... What rubbed the Vigiano's the wrong way was not what the email said, but how it was addressed.

"It says 'Dear 9-11 family member,' - no names'" John Vigiano said, reading the invite aloud to PIX 11 cameras. "I don't know if it's disrespectful, but it doesn't work for me" ... "I'm honored the president of the United States is coming to New York," he said. "[But] to me it's just going to be a photo op."

Jeannie Evans, of Elmont, who lost her baby brother firefighter Robert Evans on 9/11 will also not be there Thursday. She wasn't invited.

"I guess I feel lucky and left out," Evans said as she held a picture of her brother. "It's always a select few. Is it fair? No. We all have voices."