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Carlos DaCosta: Honoring a Heritage

 

All the houses on his block in the Elmora section of Elizabeth, N.J.. were well kept and aging in a graceful, uniform way. But Carlos DaCosta's property stood out, its individuality coming from a three-foot-high concrete and wrought iron fence constructed in the style of walls in Portugal.

That fence -- the only one on that side of the street -- was built by Mr. DaCosta and his father-in-law. Even after more than 30 years in the United States, Mr. DaCosta, who had been born in Portugal, showed off his native culture whenever possible. "There was a special place in his heart for Portugal," said his younger sister, Celeste. "He loved Portuguese culture, and Portuguese food." Mr. DaCosta, 41, regularly took friends to the Portuguese restaurants in Newark's Ironbound section. On special occasions, he would take Portuguese pastries to his office at the World Trade Center, where he was general manager of building services for the Port Authority.

Mr. DaCosta spoke only Portuguese at home to make sure that his two children learned the language, and he tried to make them aware of how big and diverse a world this is. "Carlos was fascinated by different cultures," said Antoinette Viana, a friend since high school. "He would take his kids anywhere that would seem different."

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From "Profiles in Grief" of The New York Times