Thursday, October 8, 2026
On September 23rd, Gloucester came together to honor the late Capt....
On September 23rd, Gloucester came together to honor the late Capt. Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo and his extraordinary record of courage and service on the high seas.
Gus was awarded three Gloucester Mariner’s Medals posthumously, recognizing three separate occasions when he and the crew of the F/V Lily Jean answered distress calls and helped save the lives of nine fellow mariners — the F/V Holly & Alexander in 2000, the F/V Virginia Surf in 2007, and the F/V Elizabeth Ann in 2011.
Each story reflects the same qualities: courage, seamanship, calm under pressure, and an unwavering commitment to helping others in peril at sea.
What makes Gus’s story even more meaningful is that he never sought recognition for any of it. He believed that when someone was in trouble on the water, you helped. It was simply part of who he was and the responsibility that comes with being a mariner.
As I said during the ceremony, “Captain Gus is the finest kind.” I was honored, along with Ted Costa, to nominate Gus for these medals, but Dr. Lily Sanfilippo was the driving force behind making sure her father received the recognition he deserved. She carried out a promise she made to her grandfather years ago — a promise that took on even greater meaning after Gus’s passing.
The loss of Gus and the six other members of the Lily Jean crew has left a profound void for their families and for the entire Gloucester community. The official presentation of these medals to his family was a chance to remember Gus not only for how he died, but for how he lived — with skill, humility, courage and a deep commitment to his fellow fishermen.
I am grateful to the Sanfilippo family for sharing Gus’s story and helping us honor his life and legacy, and to the City of Gloucester for preserving the tradition of recognizing those who exemplify the very best of our maritime heritage.
Gus’s legacy will live on in the people he helped, the family who loved him, and the mariners who continue to look out for one another on the water.
📸: Sefatia Romeo-Theken
📸: David Sokol / Gloucester Daily Times
#StateSenatorBruceTarr #GloucesterMA #FVLilyJean #MarinersMedals
