9/11: We Remember

9/11 Victim's Parents, Fiancee At Odds Over Money

Fallen Firefighter's Family Does Not Want Wife-To-Be Collecting Half His Pension -- $37,500

NEW YORK (CBS) ― It's a family fight that's now in court.

The death of a firefighter on 9/11 should have brought his fiancée and parents closer together. Instead, they're locked in a bitter battle over his pension.

Kevin Prior was one of the 343 firefighters killed on Sept. 11, 2001. He and Doreen Noone were engaged to be married less than a year after he died.

"Kevin gave his life at the World Trade Center without hesitation and he deserves to be remembered in truth by the department that he loved and the city that he served," mother Marian Prior said.

Noone is trying to be understanding.

"I understand that his parents lost their son, but at the same time I lost my fiancé and the life that we were supposed to lead," she said.

Five years ago the FDNY pension fund ruled that Kevin's "domestic partner" – Noone – was entitled to half his pension, $37,500 per year, tax free. Kevin's parents are suing to prevent her from collecting that money.

"The Priors have and continue to take the position that Kevin and Doreen were not, were not domestic partners," attorney Norman Siegel said.

Noone's attorney fired back.

"We are puzzled by the parents insistence on challenging this benefit," Philip Seelig said.

The Priors already received the other half of their son's pension, and could end up getting all of the money, but they insist that's not what they're after.

"The issue has been -- and continues to be -- whether Kevin and Doreen were domestic partners. And we've said from the beginning and are going to continue to say that they were not," Siegel said.

Noone refuses to accept that rationale.

"It's sickening, absolutely sickening. Not what he would have wanted that's for sure," Noone said.

No settlement was reached Thursday. Both sides are due back in court on May 29.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---