By Andreas Yilma Citizen’s News
PROSPECT — Attorney Carlos Santos said his success was made possible because he’s been surrounded his entire life by an army of friends and family that have encouraged him including his late father Albino Santos.
There was an empty chair at Carlos Santos’ table in memory of his father at the 100th annual Lewis A. Dibble Sr. Award dinner at the Aria Banquet Hall in Prospect on Feb. 24, Thursday night.
Santos said his father was the single most influential person in his life.
“There are no words that can adequately describe his kindness, his generosity and his love for others. He always put the well-being of his friends and family first. Working non stop, never expecting of anything in return,” Santos said. “I recall often asking him to slow down. ‘Dad, please work a little less.’ He always had the same response. ‘Son, without hard work we have nothing.'”
Santos, a product of the local school system in Naugatuck and Waterbury, has a lengthy record of giving back to the community. He has been practicing law with the firm Fitzpatrick Santos Sousa Perugini P.C., in the borough since 1994. He also currently sits on Naugatuck Economic Development Corporation and the Naugatuck Valley Regional Development Corporation.
He has previously served as a board member on the United Way of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, Our Lady of Fatima Church and the Portuguese Sport Club, Inc. of Waterbury and has mentored for many years in the borough school system and has coached with the Middlebury and the Naugatuck Youth soccer organizations. Santos is also the co-owner of The Station Restaurant in Naugatuck.
The community continued to give back to him, as well. The Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce honored Santos with the Lewis A. Dibble Sr. Award during its annual meeting.
The award recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions to the business and socioeconomic well-being of Naugatuck.
In a room packed with family, friends and local officials that packed the banquet hall, Santos said it was a tremendous honor to have this award.
“When you have been blessed as I have been to be raised and supported by the best of the best, failure is no option,” Santos said. “To all my family and friends, tonight I share this honor with you.”
Mayor N. Warren “Pete” Hess, who calls Santos a good friend, said friendship is the essence of life and he has never met anyone with more friends than Santos. The reason is that Santos listens, understands, cares and applies his wisdom to people, Hess added.
Hess said he describes Santos with three qualities which are wisdom, generosity and his mindset.
“You give your time. Anything someone needs, you’re always ready to be there… The best part of it is, you never try and draw attention to yourself,” Hess said. “You do everything without looking for credit and that’s really what it’s all about when it comes to generosity.”
State Sen. Jorge Cabrera, state Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, state Rep. David Labriola and state Sen. Joan Hartley presented Santos with a citation on behalf of the state General Assembly acknowledging the Dibble Award and Santos as the honoree.
