Joseph John Hasson III

Sportsman and History Buff
Joseph J. Hasson III was not supposed to survive his freshman year in college. But after he recovered from a car accident in which his skull was fractured and two fingers of his right hand severed, he decided to enjoy life.

An avid sportsman, Mr. Hasson learned to throw a football with his left hand. He deftly bench-pressed 325 pounds, and though his disability kept him from serving in the armed forces, he was a history buff who constantly read about United States military campaigns.

Over the years, Mr. Hasson, who lived in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and was an assistant vice president of sales at eSpeed, learned to treat himself and those he loved to the best in life. Among his indulgences were Hine Rare and Delicate Cognac, Cohiba cigars and Caribbean vacations with his wife, Mary. When he went out to dinner, he would often order takeout for his dog, Chooch.

"He lived life to the fullest," Mr. Hasson's sister, Victoria Zanotto, said. "He didn't miss out on anything when he was here."

For a year and a half, Mr. Hasson, 34, and his wife had been trying to conceive a child. When Joseph J. Hasson IV was born last Father's Day, Mr. Hasson's world finally seemed complete. "He'd go to the gym at 5:15 in the morning just so he didn't have to go to the gym at night, so he could spend more time with me and the baby," Mrs. Hasson said. "He was so thrilled."