In Memory of Jennifer Lynn Mazzotta

In Memory of Jennifer Lynn Mazzotta

Jennifer Lynn Mazzotta was 23 years old and from Maspeth, New York. Jennifer worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Jennifer was one of Cantor Fitzgerald's youngest traders and engaged to Anthony Roman, a student at the police academy.

"They were on a roller coaster of making their plans," Jennifer's mother said. "He was graduating in February. They were looking for a house. Their wedding was in the summer. They each were saving."

In Memory of Stacey Leigh Sanders

In Memory of Stacey Leigh Sanders

Stacey Leigh Sanders was 25 years old and from New York, NY. Stacey worked for Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. on 96th floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, Stacey had arrived at her office just minutes before a plane hit her tower.

Richard Barry Ross, was among the passengers of American Airlines Flight 11 when it breached the World Trade Centre's north tower at 8.46am. Its nose entered at the 96th floor, where his daughter's best friend, Stacey Leigh Sanders, was at her desk.

"She went out of her way to make other people feel comfortable," Stacey's father said. "With her friends, she would always end their conversations with, 'I love you.' Many of them learned to say that."

In Memory of Laura Angilletta

In Memory of Laura Angilletta

Laura Angilletta was 23 years old and from Staten Island, New York. Laura worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, Mrs. Garbarino (Laura's sister) turned on the television and watched the events unfold at the World Trade Center.

She started screaming and then she started calling every number on the 101st floor where her sister worked. She knew all those numbers because she was on maternity leave from the same company. She sat right behind Laura, who had just joined the company in April as a purchase and sales clerk in the corporate bonds division of operations.

Laura Angilletta
Amid the crowd at the the 9/11 Memorial World Trade Center site, a man gazes up at his sign, with a photo of Laura Angilletta.

In Memory of Stacey Lynn Peak

Stacey Lynn Peak was 36 years old and from New York, N.Y. Stacey worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

In Memory of Stacey Lynn Peak
This picture was taken on Stacey's first day with Cantor Fitzgerald in New York City in 1999. The Twin Towers are pictured in the backdrop.

Shortly before 9am on September 11, 2001, a confused and frightened Stacey managed to place a brief call to her then 76 year old mother, Bobbie Peak, in Tell City.

Stacey didn't know a plane had struck the building, but she knew that a fire, a bad fire, had broken out. Smoke was everywhere. She was trapped and she didn't know if she would be able to get out. Her mother could hear the sounds of chaos on the other end of the line. Stacey then told her mother one final time that she loved her.

In Memory of Marie Pappalardo

In Memory of Marie Pappalardo

Marie Pappalardo was 53 years old and from Paramount, California. Marie was a passenger on United Airlines Flight 175.

On September 11, 2001, Marie was returning home after visiting her daughter in Boston when United Airlines Flight 175 was hijacked and deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Marie was a devout Catholic and a loving friend and parent. She was also a devoted protector of cats, catching wild ones and taking them to her vet for shots and spaying.

In Memory of Steven Paul Chucknick

In Memory of Steven Paul Chucknick

Steven Paul Chucknick loved Christmas.

"Well, the leaves have finally let go and have come down. And today, to my surprise, I woke up to snow. Is that a gift to me from you? I hope so, because it made me smile. I put up the Christmas lights outside today. Well, it doesn't look as good as when you did it, but I tried. I miss you so much. Christmas is so lonely without you. I miss waking up on Christmas morning and watching you and Steven opening your presents. I never knew who was the kid, you or Steven. You were always happy with whatever. I still remember and cherish the Christmas gifts you gave me on our last Christmas together. I will cherish them always. I miss so much the Christmas ornament you bought me every year. Steven and I still buy the son and dad ornament every year. It's what Steven wants. I asked him how long he wants to keep buying the dad ornament, and his answer was, "Forever." And we will. You will always be the best part of our Christmas, even though you aren't here in body. I love you, my Angel."

My heart to yours forever,
Your wife Barbara.


Steven Paul Chucknick was 44 years old and from Old Bridge, New Jersey. (Born: Staten Island, New York). Steven worked as vice president of communications and facilities for Euro Brokers Inc. on 84th floor in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

In his position as the vice president at Euro Brokers, he was the one on the walkie-talkie, organizing employees for evacuation. That post, coupled with his duty as a floor fire marshal, put Steven as one of the last people to leave the floor. Most heartbreaking for his wife is that 240 of the 300 people who worked for her husband's company did escape, and remember seeing him. They tell her what a hero he was, calming anxious employees, making them feel better.

"I wish he would have run out. But he would have never left if even one person was still behind. He was always putting other people first," Barbara Chucknick.

Christmas Tributes at 9/11 Memorial

Christmas Tributes at 9/11 Memorial

Source: Fox News.

With the first Christmas approaching since the 9/11 Memorial opened last September 11, holiday greens, wreaths, red berries, bows, and Christmas stockings are appearing to mark the season.

There's the little glass jar filled with sand from a special Oahu beach, left for the young Hawaii native, and the collection of red cotton scarves for "the man in the red bandana" who led so many others to safety but never made it out himself.

Elsewhere in the tapestry of tributes left at the 9/11 Memorial are notes in children's handwriting saying things like "Daddy, we miss you," first responder badges from around the world, family pictures, flags, sealed letters, flight attendant wings, rosaries, even a CD of hits by The Who.

Maile Rachel Hale, for example, was a 26-year-old Honolulu native and Wesleyan graduate working in the financial industry in Boston who was attending a conference at Windows on the World on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Next to her name, visitors left a collection of what she loved: a glass jar of sand with a label saying it was from Malaekahana Beach, a pair of ballet slippers to reflect her passion for dance, a small bag of M&Ms because she was a chocolate fanatic, several leis, a collection of notes and a soccer ball signed "For Maile from Elise."

At Welles Crowther's name, it's the red bandanas – at least three of them. On 9/11, when Flight 175 hit the South Tower at the 78th floor, a number of survivors said a young man appeared with a red bandana around his face and personally escorted or carried them off that floor and got them started to floors below. Then he kept going back up to help other people.

For LeRoy W. Homer, Jr., co-pilot of Flight 93, which crashed in a Pennsylvania field, someone left a small balsa wood airplane with a paper flower attached.

And Who fan John Joseph Ryan was honored with a CD of their songs inscribed "I think of you every time I hear your favorites! Miss you! PR"

At the Survivor Tree, a callery pear so named because it survived the 9/11 attack, then was nursed back to health and replanted – someone left a red-ribboned wreath with badges from eight different first responder units, some as far afield as Wyoming and Rhode Island.

In Memory of Mary Lou Hague

In Memory of Mary Lou Hague

Mary Lou Hague was 26 years old and from New York, N.Y. (Born: Marietta, Ohio). Mary worked as a financial analyst for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. on the 89th floor in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Liza Adams, mother of Mary Lou Hague.
"I received a phone call from her and it was a quarter of nine and she said mother turn on the television, we think a plane has flown into the other tower but she said all I can see is flames and flying papers."

Mrs. Adams told Mary Lou to get out of her 89th floor office in the second tower, immediately. "She called me back and said, I have my cell phone, I have my purse I'm leaving now."

That was the last time a loving mother would talk to her 26 year old daughter, as the second plane crashed, 5 floors below Mary Lou's office.

"A parent never gets over, or heals or has closure with the loss of a child, you just learn to cope with it. I miss her every day and do whatever I can in the community to keep her memory alive."

In Memory of Susan M. Pollio

In Memory of Susan M. Pollio

Susan M. Pollio was 45 years old and from Long Beach Township, N.J. Susan worked as a a bond trader with Euro Brokers Inc. on the 84th floor in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

At 9:03am on September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower, entering at a tilt and raking across six floors - 78 to 84, the last being the Eurobrokers' office. Most of the company's trading floor was annihilated.

After months of being reported as missing, Susan's body was recovered on November 1, 2001. She was laid to rest on December 1, 2001, at Holy Name Cemetery, Jersey City.

At Thanksgivings, Susan would get up from the table and announce, "I have to go see a friend." After she died, her family learned that she had been going into Manhattan to feed the homeless in soup kitchens.

In Memory of Stephen V. Long

In Memory of Stephen V. Long

Stephen V. Long was 39 years old and from Alexandria, Virginia. Stephen was a Major in the United States Army.

On September 11, 2001, Stephen was attending a biweekly meeting in the ODCSPER executive conference room at the Pentagon. After American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon, Stephen crawled towards the Pentagon's E ring and there he died while trying to rescue others.

Major Stephen V. Long is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Section 64 with the other victims of September 11 at the Pentagon.

In Memory of Madeline Amy Sweeney

In Memory of Madeline Amy Sweeney

Madeline Amy Sweeney (known as Amy Sweeney), was 34 years old and from Acton, Massachusetts. (Born: Valley Stream, New York). Amy worked as a flight attendant for American Airlines Flight 11.

On September 11, 2001, Amy was asked by American Airlines to take an extra shift, because the other crew member who was assigned to the position was ill. Normally, she would only work on weekends.

During the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11, Amy used an airphone to call American Airlines flight operations center. During the call Amy reported that two flight attendants, the pilots, and a first class passenger had been stabbed. She reported that the hijackers had jammed their way into the cockpit and that there was mace in the first class cabin, and how they struggled to breathe. She also stated that the cockpit was not answering their phone. During the last minutes of the call, she said that the aircraft was flying erratically and that they were descending very rapidly.

As she looked out of a window, Amy's final words were, "I see water. I see buildings. I see buildings! We are flying low. We are flying very, very low. We are flying way too low. Oh my God we are flying way too low. Oh my God!"

Madeline Amy Sweeney's name on the 9/11 Memorial
Amy's name inscribed on Panel N-74 of the National September 11 Memorial's North Pool

In Memory of Zoe Falkenberg

In Memory of Zoe Falkenberg

Zoe Falkenberg was 8 years old and from University Park, Maryland. Zoe was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77.

Zoe, along with her parents, Charles Falkenberg and Leslie Whittington, and her 3 year-old sister, Dana, were on their way to Australia for a two month stay.

On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 was deliberately crashed into the Pentagon killing everyone on board.

The night before Zoe climbed aboard Flight 77, she phoned her friends Katie and Camila with big news. She wanted her girlfriends to know she had got to ride around town in a limousine.

All the girls, and sometimes their friends, would read with their parents before bed, often Harry Potter books, and then they'd sing "Puff the Magic Dragon."

In Memory of Robert John Fangman

In Memory of Robert John Fangman

Robert John Fangman was 33 years old and from Chelsea, Massachusetts. (Born: Wilmington, Delaware). Robert worked as a flight attendant for United Airlines Flight 175.

United Airlines Flight 175 was a passenger flight which was hijacked on September 11, 2001, as part of the 9/11 attacks. The plane was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, killing all 61 people aboard plus the hijackers, and an unconfirmed number in the building's impact zone.

At the time of the hijacking, Robert, using an Airfone in row 31 at the back of the plane, called a United Airlines office in San Francisco, and spoke with Marc Policastro. Robert reported the hijacking, and said that the hijackers were likely flying the plane. He also said that both pilots were dead, and that a flight attendant was stabbed.

In Memory of CeeCee Lyles

In Memory of CeeCee Lyles

CeeCee Lyles was 34 years old and from Fort Myers, FL. CeeCee worked as a flight attendant for United Airlines Flight 93.

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by four terrorists. Subsequent analysis of the flight recorders recovered from the crash site revealed how the actions taken by the passengers prevented the aircraft from reaching the hijackers' intended target.

Before Flight 93 nose-dived into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, CeeCee dialed home twice on a cell phone to tell her husband about the hijacking and of her love for him and their children. Calmly, she prayed to see her husband's face again, then beseeched God to forgive and welcome her home, along with everyone else on the plane.

In Memory of Thomas F. McGuinness, Jr.

In Memory of Thomas McGuinness

Thomas McGuinness was 42 years old and from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Thomas, a former Navy fighter pilot was the co-pilot and first officer on American Airlines Flight 11.

The names of John Ogonowski, Thomas F. McGuinness, Betty Ong, and other 911 victims from American Airlines Flight 11
The names of John A Ogonowski, Thomas F. McGuinness, Betty Ann Ong, and other 9/11 victims from American Airlines Flight 11, inscribed on bronze panel N-74 of the North Pool of the National September 11 Memorial

The Unforgettable Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers

I think this review on Amazon sums up this book very well.

"A recommended read for any true story fanatic and anyone who would like an insiders perspective into the tragedy. It definately made me phone home and tell my family how much I love them, hitting home that anything could happen to any of us at any time."

Details:
At 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001, fourteen thousand people were inside the World Trade Center just starting their workdays, but over the next 102 minutes, each would become part of a drama for the ages. Of the millions of words written about this wrenching day, most were told from the outside looking in. New York Times reporters Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn draw on hundreds of interviews with rescuers and survivors, thousands of pages of oral histories, and countless phone, e-mail, and emergency radio transcripts to tell the story of September 11 from the inside looking out.

Dwyer and Flynn have woven an epic and unforgettable account of the struggle, determination, and grace of the ordinary men and women who made 102 minutes count as never before.

9/11 Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes

This excellent new book relates the stories of many heroic people directly involved at the World Trade Center on 9/11.

The stories rendered here with stunning emotion and depth of feeling by retired Army Colonel Will Merrill Jr. will stand as vivid reminders of the deep sense of pain experienced by an entire nation. Interviews feature more than sixty heroic people directly involved with the events of that day, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the Fire Commissioner of New York City, two Department Chiefs of the Port Authority Police Department and the Senior Deputy Chief of the New York City Police Department as well as ordinary people affected by the loss of human life.

Colonel Merrill evokes the spirit of the fallen as both a reminder that the threat of terrorism is still very real and to call attention to those still suffering from the effects of that horrific day. Many of those exposed to Ground Zero both on 9/11 as well as in the relief effort are experiencing severe health problems, including suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and it is paramount that the heroes of these events never be forgotten.

Full of heart wrenching tales of loss and awe inspiring moments of valor and bravery, Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes is a profoundly moving call to arms to make sure the events that occurred that day never happen again on American soil.

In Memory of Suzanne Rose Kondratenko

In Memory of Suzanne Rose Kondratenko

Suzanne Rose Kondratenko was 27 years old and from Chicago, Illinois. (Born: Grosse Pointe, Michigan). Suzanne worked as a management consultant for Keane Consulting Group.

Suzanne had traveled from Chicago to New York for a meeting in Aon's offices on September 11, 2001. She was in a meeting with six Aon insurance executives on the 92nd floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

When the North Tower was hit by American Airlines Flight 11 at 8:46 am, no one in the meeting felt or heard anything in the windowless interior conference room until commotion and screaming outside interrupted their conversation. The group emerged to find people headed for the fire stairs. The air smelled like smoke. The south tower's ventilation system was sucking in smoky air from outside.

Suzanne and her colleagues had just 16½ minutes before United Airlines Flight 175 would tear through the 78th through 84th floors of their building.

According to survivors Suzanne Rose Kondratenko was last seen heading down the stairs from the 92nd floor of the South Tower.

In Memory of Rahma Salie and her unborn child

In Memory of Rahma Salie and her unborn child

Rahma Salie was 28 years old and from Boston, Massachusetts. Rahma was a passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11. Rahma was 7 months pregnant, and traveling with her husband, Michael Theodoridis, 32.

She and her husband, and their unborn baby died on 9/11, when Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. They were Muslim

Rahma's mother, Haleema, said, "I would like everyone to know that she was a Muslim, she is a Muslim and we are victims too, of this tragic incident."

In Memory of Jeanette Louise Lafond-Menichinoi

In Memory of Jeanette Louise Lafond-Menichinoi

Jeanette Louise Lafond-Menichinoi was 49 years old and from New York, N.Y. Jeanette worked for Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc on the 94th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center

Jeanette was also a serious part-time artist who was inspired by the view from her office high in the north tower. Jeanette took photographs of the view from her office, her mother says, and used them in her own landscape paintings.

"The clouds would come right up to her window, and sometimes there were rain clouds, and you could actually see the rainfall. And if you looked above the clouds, it was completely clear. And when the airplanes and helicopters passed by, you could actually see in the compartments." Dina LaFond.

On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc offices spanned the entire impact zone, from floors 93 to 99. No one present in the offices at the time survived the attack, and the firm lost 295 employees and 63 contractors.

In Memory of the Hanson family

In Memory of the Hanson family

On September 11, 2001, Peter Hanson was traveling with his wife, Sue Kim Hanson, and their 2 year old daughter, Christine Lee Hanson, who had never flown on a plane before. The Hanson family were passengers on United Airlines Flight 175, where they were seated in Row 19, in seats C, D, and E.

At 9:00 am Peter Hanson made a phone call to his father:
"It's getting bad, Dad. A stewardess was stabbed. They seem to have knives and Mace. They said they have a bomb. It's getting very bad on the plane. The plane is making jerky movements. I don't think the pilot is flying the plane. I think we are going down. I think they intend to go to Chicago or someplace and fly into a building. Don't worry, Dad. If it happens, it'll be very fast....Oh my God... oh my God, oh my God."

At 9:03 am Flight 175 crashed into the southern facade of South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Christine Lee at two and a half was the youngest victim on 9/11, and she died in her parent's arms.

Recommended 9/11 Reading: We're Not Leaving

We're Not Leaving, 9/11 Responders Tell Their Stories of Courage, Sacrifice and Renewal is a compilation of powerful first person narratives told from the vantage point of World Trade Center disaster workers. Police officers, firefighters, construction workers, and other volunteers at the site.

While the effects of 9/11 on these everyday heroes and heroines are indelible, and in some cases have been devastating, at the heart of their deeply personal stories, their harrowing escapes from the falling Towers, the egregious environment they worked in for months, the alarming health effects they continue to deal with, is their witness to their personal strength and renewal in the ten years since.

These stories, shared by ordinary people who responded to disaster and devastation in extraordinary ways, remind us of America's strength and inspire us to recognize and ultimately believe in our shared values of courage, duty, patriotism, self-sacrifice, and devotion, which guide us in dark times.

In Memory of Molly L. McKenzie

In Memory of Molly L. McKenzie

Molly L. McKenzie was 38 years old and from Dale City, Va. Molly worked at the Pentagon as a civilian budget analyst for the Army. She had worked for the Army for 14 years.

At 9:37 am on September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed into the western side of the Pentagon, killing 125 people working in the building.

Identifying 9/11 Victims 10 Years On



As of August 2011, 1,631 victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks have been identified, while 1,122 (41%) of the victims remained unidentified. The remains are being held in storage in Memorial Park, outside the New York City Medical Examiner's facilities. It is expected that the remains will be moved in 2013 to a repository behind a wall at the 9/11 museum. As of July 2011, a team of scientists at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner continues to try to identify remains, in the hope that improved technology will allow them to identify other victims.

In this video David Common explains how new science is being used to help some families find closure.

In Memory of Samantha Martin Egan and Lisa Erin Egan

In Memory of Samantha Martin Egan

Samantha Martin Egan was 24 years old and from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Born: Brooklyn, New York).

Samantha was killed at the World Trade Center during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks while working at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of the North Tower. She worked with her older sister, Lisa Erin Egan, 31.

In Memory of Lisa Erin Egan

According to The New York Times, their father, David, said he knew that the sisters were together after the plane hit.

Their father said: "They would have been seeking one another immediately. It would have been the first thing in their minds. 'Where is Samantha?' Lisa would have said. 'Where is Lisa?' Samantha would have thought. I know they are together."

The sisters share a memorial at Sea View Cemetery in Mount Sinai. A photograph of the pretty blond sisters, who were from Rocky Point, is displayed on their large headstone, and a poem by their father is written on a brass plaque.

Samantha and Lisa Egan Memorial
A bench before the grave of the Egan sisters

In Memory of Patricia Ann Puma

In Memory of Patricia Ann Puma

Patricia Ann Puma was 33 years old and from Staten Island, New York. Patricia worked for Julien J. Studley Inc. on the 86th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, Patricia was in the same office as James Gartenberg on the 86th floor, well below the bottom of the impact zone on the 93th floor. In several conversations on the telephone, they said that access to the exits was blocked by the collapsed walls and debris. They were unable to escape.

Patricia Ann Puma said, "The wall in the ladies room started to crack, it looked like an earthquake. The noise and debris falling outside the building are frightening."

In Memory of Karen Sue Juday

In Memory of Karen Sue Juday

Karen Sue Juday was 52 years old and from Brooklyn, New York. (Born: Bremen, Indiana). Karen worked as an administrative assistant for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center.

In Memory of James Francis Quinn

In Memory of James Francis Quinn

James Francis Quinn was 23 years old and from New York, N.Y. James worked for Cantor Fitzgerald in the North Tower at the World Trade Center.

In Memory of Vanessa Lang Langer and her unborn child

In Memory of Vanessa Lang Langer and her unborn child

Vanessa Lang Langer was 29 years old and from Yonkers, NY. (Born: Bronx, New York). Vanessa worked for Regus Plc on the 93rd floor in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, Vanessa, who was four months pregnant, escaped from the South Tower. However, her quest for survival had fallen short. She ran as the South Tower collapsed. She did not make it. Her body, and in it the small body of her unborn child, was pulled from the rubble of the fallen tower on September 24th, just ten feet from an alley between Towers IV and V.

Vanessa's husband, Tim, fell into a spiral of alcohol abuse after the death of his wife and unborn child. He died of liver failure in 2005. He was 34.
911Memorial-In Memory of Vanessa Lang Langer and her unborn child

In Memory of Deanna Lynn Galante and her unborn child

In Memory of Deanna Lynn Galante and her unborn child

Deanna Lynn Galante was 32 years old and from Staten Island, N.Y. On September 11, 2001, Deanna was seven months pregnant with her first child and was scheduled to take maternity leave.

Deanna worked for Cantor Fitzgerald's eSpeed division as a personal assistant on the 106th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

9/11 Memorial has 500,000 Visitors

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum reached a milestone this week, with half a million visitors from more than 100 countries worldwide since its big opening just over two months ago.

In Memory of Jonathan Eric Briley

In Memory of Jonathan Eric Briley

Jonathan Eric Briley 43 years old and from Mount Vernon, N.Y. Jonathan worked as an audio media specialist at Windows on the World on the 110th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Westchester County 9/11 Memorial in Valhalla, NY
Westchester County 9/11 Memorial in Valhalla, N.Y.

In Memory of Alicia Nicole Titus

In Memory of Alicia Nicole Titus

Alicia Nicole Titus was 28 years old and from San Francisco, California. (Born: Springfield, Ohio). Alicia was a flight attendant for United Airlines Flight 175.

"Some Guinness was spilt on the barroom floor,
When the Pub was shut for the night.
Out of a hole crept a wee brown mouse,
And stood in the pale moonlight.

He lapped the frothy brew from the floor,
Then back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar,
"Bring on the goddamn cat!"

by Alicia N. Titus



Alicia Titus Tribute on Youtube


Losing Alicia: A Father's Journey After 9/11 by John L. Titus
In Losing Alicia, readers not only witness a father's struggle over the murder of his young, vibrant and beautiful daughter, but they walk with him through his agonizing grief after one of the most horrific tragedies in history, September 11, 2001.

In Memory of Jennifer Yen Wong

In Memory of Jennifer Yen Wong

Jennifer Yen Wong was 26 years old and from Whitestone, NY. Jennifer worked for Marsh & McLennan on the 96th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

In Memory of Kathy Nancy Mazza

In Memory of Kathy Nancy Mazza

Captain Kathy Nancy Mazza was 46 years old and from Farmingdale, New York.

Kathy was the first female commanding officer of the Port Authority Police Academy. On September 11, 2001, she joined her colleagues at the World Trade Center. There she shot open a glass panel wall after a revolving door became jammed with debris allowing hundreds to escape the horror that was unfolding inside the building. She was last seen with Lieutenant Robert D. Cirri as they were helping carry a woman down the stairs when the building collapsed.

In February 2002, Kathy and the four other Port Authority Police Officers were found in the rubble of the North Tower. Beside them was the body of the woman still strapped in a rescue chair.

For Remembrance Day 2011 - Melissa Harrington-Hughes 9 11 Telephone Message



We must never forget them

On September 11, 2001, Melissa Harrington-Hughes (31 years old), was in New York for one day to oversee her software firm's merger. Melissa was on the 101st floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Melissa made a tearful call to her husband, Sean Hughes in San Francisco, but missed him as he was asleep. The full message she left said, "Sean it's me, I just wanted to let you know I love you and I'm stuck in this building in New York. A plane hit the building or a bomb went off, they don't know. But there's lots of smoke, and I just wanted you to know I love you always."

In Memory of Betsy Martinez

In Memory of Betsy Martinez

Betsy Martinez was 33 years old and from New York, N.Y. Betsy worked as an accounts manager for Cantor Fitzgerald in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, Betsy was somewhere between the 101st and 105th floors of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the northern facade of Tower. The aircraft, traveling at about 404 knots (465 mph; 748 km/h) and carrying about 10,000 U.S. gallons (38,000 L) of jet fuel, hit between the 93rd and 99th floors.

The damage caused to the North Tower destroyed any means of escape at the impact zone or above it. All stairwells and elevators from the 92nd floor up were rendered impassable, trapping 1,344 people.

Tribute to the Children who lost their lives on 9/11



This is a very emotional tribute video to 9/11's youngest victims. In all, eight children died that day. Five were passengers on American Airlines Flight 77 and three were on United Flight 175.

In Memory of Ruth Magdaline McCourt

In Memory of Ruth Magdaline McCourt

Ruth Magdaline McCourt was 45 years old and from New London, Connecticut. (Born: Cork, Ireland). Ruth and her daughter Juliana Valentine McCourt (4 years old), were passengers on United Airlines Flight 175. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, at 9:03am, United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the southern facade of the South Tower of the World Trade Center impacting between the 77th and 85th floors.

In the cruellest of twists, Ruth's best friend and Juliana's godmother, Paige Farley-Hackel, had decided to go with them but ended up on a different flight. She was on American Airlines Flight 11, which had crashed into the North Tower minutes earlier.

In Memory of Colleen Ann Barkow

In Memory of Colleen Ann Barkow

Colleen Ann Barkow was 26 years old and from East Windsor, New Jersey. Colleen worked as a facilities director for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

On September 17th, 2001, Colleen's parents received a call from The New York City Medical Examiner's Office to tell them some of Colleen's remains had been found. Their daughter had died of smoke inhalation.

Firemen found her three rings on her body. Her engagement ring, her wedding ring, and her anniversary ring that Danny Barkow had given her in advance of their first wedding anniversary.

"She was a beautiful young woman. She could have been a runway model. She always had a smile for everybody," her father said.

9/11 Victims Remains

An emotionally laden debate over the future resting place of thousands of unidentified remains of Sept. 11 victims is lingering as the attacks' 10th anniversary recedes, with several relatives saying they aren't satisfied with a recent city effort to spread the word about a plan to house the remains in the forthcoming 9/11 museum.

Under pressure from families who oppose the plan, the city outlined it in a letter sent last week to relatives of all the nearly 2,800 people killed at the World Trade Center. The letter came after 17 relatives sued the city to try to get addresses so they could poll the families themselves.

A judge rejected their request last week, but the city, which has maintained that the plans have long been known and families approved them, sent out the letters in hopes of resolving the matter.

"We know how profoundly significant and sensitive this matter is to victims' families," notes the letter from Dr. Charles Hirsch, the city's chief medical examiner, and Joe Daniels, the president of the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum, which counts some victims' relatives as board members.

At the other sites where hijacked planes crashed on Sept. 11, 2001, the placement of unidentified remains has been resolved. Those from the Pentagon, where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed, were buried at Arlington National Cemetery on the first anniversary of the attacks. Three caskets of unidentified remains from the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in a field in Shanksville, Pa., were buried there this September.

To the trade center victims' relatives who sued, the letter doesn't settle their dispute, which reflects years of strife over the search for and handling of victims' remains.

Remains have never been identified for more than 1,100 people killed at the site. With the subterranean museum still under construction, about 9,000 pieces of unidentified remains are now in a weatherproof tent along the East River in Manhattan, near the medical examiners' office.

The current plan calls for moving them in 2013 to a private repository in the museum, according to the letter. The repository would be off limits to the public, behind a wall inscribed with a quote from the Roman poet Virgil: "No day shall erase you from the memory of time."

There would be a private viewing area for families, who wouldn't be charged the museum's potential $20 admission fee and would be allowed to visit after hours, the letter notes.

Regardless, the objecting families feel a museum is no place for their loved ones' remains. They bristle at the prospect of passing a gift shop and tourists on their way to pay respects 70 feet underground. They want the remains to be put in a separate space on the memorial plaza that opened this Sept. 11, seeing that as a more respectful treatment.

"I think that would bring some more reverence to it," says Jim Riches, a retired firefighter who lost his firefighter son Jimmy in the attack.

Riches and others who sued want to survey the full roster of trade center victims' families to gauge opinion, something the city's letter doesn't invite.

"The fact that a letter went out is positive, but it's not adequate because it ignores the most important part, from the (families') perspective, which is the input," said their lawyer, Norman Siegel. His clients are considering appealing the court's denial of their bid for access to the city's full list of 9/11 families' names and addresses, he said.

Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Cynthia Kern said in an Oct. 25 ruling that turning over the list would invade the other families' privacy and that the city's letter "clearly and explicitly informs" them.

The families had said any privacy concerns could be allayed by giving the list only to a retired judge who could send out a survey to the 2,752 trade center victims' next of kin. But the city argued that state public records law would require releasing the list publicly if it were released at all, and that would subject families to unwelcome solicitations.

City lawyer Thaddeus Hackworth said officials were glad the court agreed that releasing the list would compromise the families' privacy.

"The mailing sent by the 9/11 Memorial and the Office of Chief Medical Examiner added to the abundance of information that families already had received regarding the plans," he added in a statement Tuesday.

Memorial officials had no immediate reaction.

Identifying, finding and determining a resting place for remains has been a fraught issue for some victims' families since the 2001 attacks.

After Hirsch stopped trying to make identifications in 2005, saying the effort had reached the limits of DNA technology, the discovery of human remains on a bank tower roof and in a manhole near ground zero a year later outraged families who said the search for their loved ones had been rushed initially. The findings prompted a renewed search that cost the city tens of millions of dollars and uncovered 1,500 pieces of remains.

Meanwhile, some victims' relatives sued the city over its decision to move 1.6 million tons of materials from the trade center site to a landfill, saying the material might contain victims' ashes and should have been given a proper burial. The city said it had searched the material diligently for remains, which the families' disputed. Federal judges sided with the city, and the case came to an end when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear it last year.

3000 Rose Petals



3000 Rose Petals by Magdalena Taber

"Living just around the corner from Boston's Logan International Airport, I am still being reminded of 911 by the airplanes flying low over my head. But it is another memory that prompted me to arrange and perform a touching tribute on the 10th anniversary of the event. From a distance, the images of people jumping out of the windows of the towers appeared so serene... 10 years later, I counted 3000 rose petals and along with other artists friends dispersed them into the ocean. The gentle breeze of a perfect September day carried the petals away, while the airplanes flew so close above us. Full of symbolism, an art video documenting the tribute is now available for sharing on Youtube. Each name of the victims is typed into a heart wrenching mosaic, yet it is not an image of defeat, but resilience and hope." Magdalena Taber.

In Memory of Wendy Alice Rosario Wakeford

In Memory of Wendy Alice Rosario Wakeford

Wendy Alice Rosario Wakeford was 40 years old and from New York, N.Y. Wendy worked as a broker's assistant for Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm that lost the most people in the New York City attacks. Wendy was on the 105th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

In Memory of Christine Johnna Barbuto

In Memory of Christine Johnna Barbuto

Christine Johnna Barbuto was 32 years old and from Brookline, Massachusetts, (Born: Winchester, Massachusetts). Christine was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11.

At 8.46am on September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the northern facade of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Christine Johnna Barbuto Memorial Website

In Memory of Yelena Melnichenko

In Memory of Yelena Melnichenko

Yelena Melnichenko was 28 years old and from Brooklyn, N.Y. (Born: Vilnus, Lithuania). Yelena worked for Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. on the 96th floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

"Your mother, Nina Gavriusina, died on 2008.03.02. Her heart stopped after more than a year of struggle with a brain tumor and two successful surgeries. She loved you so much and died after the loss. You'll be together, and will be waiting for me" Vladimir, father of Yelena.

In Memory of Jill Marie Campbell

In Memory of Jill Marie Campbell

Jill Marie Campbell was 31 years old and from New York, NY. Jill worked as an administrative assistant for Baseline Financial Services on the 78th floor in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, at 9:03am, United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the southern facade of the South Tower of the World Trade Center impacting between the 77th and 85th floors.

In Memory of Karen Susan Navarro

In Memory of Karen Susan Navarro

Karen Susan Navarro was 30 years old and from Oakland Gardens, New York. Karen worked for Carr Futures, Inc. on the 92nd floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Karen worked just as hard at everything she did. She had studied to be a teacher and loved children, but went to work in finance instead. She was an assistant on the foreign exchange trading desk of Carr Futures, a fast-paced job that required a high energy level and suited her personality just fine.

"It was a very demanding job, but she enjoyed the challenge," said her father, Edward. "You have to be young and motivated to work those kinds of hours."

In Memory of Amy Nicole Jarret

In Memory of Amy Nicole Jarret

Amy Nicole Jarret was 28 years old and from North Smithfield, Rhode Island. Amy was a flight attendant on United Airlines 175. At 9:03 a.m on September 11, 2001, Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Her father, Aram Jarret, said his daughter was hopelessly in love with her college boyfriend and that a glittering diamond engagement ring seemed only months away. She was a rabid Notre Dame football fan who would call her dad in tears if the Fighting Irish were losing at halftime.

"She was wonderful," Mr Jarret said.

Roselle - American Hero Dog of the Year

Computer sales manager Michael Hingson was at his desk on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower on the morning of 9/11 when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the other side of the building, 18 floors above. And he lived to tell the tale because of his guide dog, Roselle.

The yellow labrador calmly guided her owner 1,463 steps out of the building and, as debris fell and dust billowed, found a subway station and led them both underground to safety.

Roselle died in June 2011 at the age 13, but her heroism lives on. At a star-studded red carpet event in L.A. on Saturday night the yellow lab was honored as the American Hero Dog of the Year.

Just as they got out of the building on 9/11, the south tower collapsed. "While everyone ran in panic, Roselle remained totally focused on her job," Michael Hingson said, "While debris fell around us, and even hit us, Roselle stayed calm."

Read - Thunder Dog: A Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero

In Memory of Christine Anne Olender

In Memory of Christine Anne Olender

Christine Anne Olender was 39 years old and from New York, N.Y. Christine worked at Windows On The World, where she was the restaurant's assistant general manager.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Christine was hosting the Risk Waters Group for breakfast. At 8:46 am. American Flight 11 impacted the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Christine took immediate control of her area of responsibility after the plane hit. She organized all the breakfast guests and employees on the 106th floor, and made several calls to the Port Authority.

In Memory of Dianne T. Signer and her unborn child

In Memory of Dianne T. Signer and her unborn child

Dianne T. Signer was 32 and from Middle Village, Queens, N.Y. Dianne worked for Fred Alger Management, Inc. on the 93rd floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Dianne is one of 11 pregnancies acknowledged among the nearly 3,000 names inscribed in bronze around the footprints of the Twin Towers.

Pennsylvania commemorates 9/11 victims



Flight 93 National Memorial dedication on September 10th, 2011, the day before the 10th anniversary of the crash of Flight 93

Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton gave impassioned speeches; singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan performed her hits, "In The Arms Of The Angel" and "I Will Remember You", in tribute to the 40 heroic passengers of United Airlines Flight 93.

About Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the route was hijacked by four al-Qaeda terrorists as part of the September 11 attacks. It subsequently crashed into a field near Shanksville in Stonycreek Township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, during an attempt by some of the passengers to regain control.

In Memory of Suria Rachel Emma Clarke

In Memory of Suria Rachel Emma Clarke

Suria Rachel Emma Clarke was 30 years old and from Brooklyn, New York. (Born: Sheffield, England). Suria worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of the North Tower at the World Trade Center.

At 8.30am on September 11, 2001, Suria emailed a friend to fix a lunch date. Sixteen minutes later, the first plane crashed into the North Tower 20 floors below her. There was no escape.

"I knew that somewhere in that was my daughter, but I was there six weeks later, staying in a hotel way up in New York, but you could see the steam and the smoke still rising from there, so the temperature levels down below would have been very, very high. Science just told you. Things went straight down the middle and would have been going down through a gigantic coffee grinder and then been being cooked, really, I suppose." (Suria's father, John).