He is a national treasure.
The beloved 105-year-old World War II Army veteran, who went viral after thrilling Islanders-Rangers fans with a soaring saxophone rendition of the national anthem, had crowds cheering again Saturday at the Elmont team’s home opener against the New Jersey Devils.
“What this country has done for me, no other country in the world could do — and I mean that,” Long Island centenarian Dominick Critelli told The Post.
“I love the USA, and I wouldn’t change it,” he added.
The Floral Park super senior returned to UBS Arena after his star turn there last December, when his performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” earned rave reviews from fans of the rival hockey teams.
Critelli delivered another memorable performance Saturday night, bringing Islanders and New Jersey fans together as he was honored as the game veteran. Islanders alum Butch Goring presented him with a jersey bearing the number 105.
Critelli’s remarkable life has inspired people for decades. In 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron knighted him for helping liberate France from Nazi occupation. Critelli had survived the Normandy landings at Utah Beach as a flight mechanic.
He later carried out 14 perilous supply and medicine drops behind enemy lines for stranded soldiers during the infamous Battle of the Bulge in Belgium’s Ardennes Forest.
“We saved a lot of lives,” said Critelli, who went on to become a teacher and build houses after the war.
A recipient of the Air Medal and three Bronze Stars, Critelli was such an exemplary soldier that a close friend and ranking officer urged him to re-enlist for another four years, promising him a promotion to officer.
But Critelli knew it was time to change tunes and return home to his family.
After combat, he continued performing jazz for troops and other audiences across the United States, carrying that passion well into his golden years. His recent appearances have included a September show at the physical therapy facility where he was recovering from a leg injury.
“I’ll be alright,” Critelli said of the injury, projecting confidence as he used a temporary walker. He also maintains a regular glass of red wine, which may be part of the secret to his longevity.
Born in 1921, Critelli came to America from Calabria, Italy, at age 8 and fell in love with music when he was 13. He remembered being captivated by the Statue of Liberty while traveling to Ellis Island and said he was grateful not to have been “stuck” with Mussolini on the wrong side of history.
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Before World War II, Critelli studied music at NYU and brought his saxophone overseas. While deployed in Europe, he became a favorite at troop dances and VIP speeches, using his uplifting performances to entertain and inspire.
Playing twice at Islanders games before thunderous crowds was an honor, he said, but neither appearance compares with his biggest show: performing atop a tank for thousands of newly liberated civilians in the Netherlands near the end of the war.
“I’ll tell you, those people are very thankful to us for what we did for them,” said Critelli, who still keeps his wartime saxophone at home near Belmont Park. The sheet music for “The Star-Spangled Banner” remains beside his bed.
“That was a wonderful day.”
Critelli’s story of patriotism, military service and music has reached a global audience since he took the ice around Christmas 2025. His newfound fame has also made him a sought-after visitor at schools, where he speaks and plays for high school students.
“Every day people call me — ‘will you please talk to my kids?’” Critelli said, adding that he “could never say no to kids.”
“I talk about the freedom of speech, and the kids come over with papers and pencils, and they start writing — they’re listening,” said Critelli, who opens with a tune to get the students engaged.
“Then I’ll go through the other freedoms we have here. They clap and have a good time.”
Playing at the Isles games gave Critelli a taste of stardom that gets him giddy — especially thinking about his own rehearsal room at UBS Arena “with my name on the door in brass.”
“I thought that was very nice.”
But Critelli puts his love for America and stories past in the spotlight for truly selfless reasons.
“The people left behind — they couldn’t talk the way I do, couldn’t do what I do,” he said.
“I’m doing it for them.”