Jennieann Maffeo was 40 years old and from Brooklyn, New York. Jennieann worked for UBS PaineWebber.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Jennieann was waiting for a bus near the twin towers. When the first plane hit the North Tower, she was doused with burning jet fuel.
In a second she was naked, dazed, her arms outstretched, her hands swollen and blistered beyond recognition, her eyes blackened and welded shut.
Ronald Clifford, from Cork, was in the South Tower lobby of the Trade Centre's Marriott Hotel when the first plane hit, "I saw this woman come out of the haze, and she couldn't see, she was very badly burned. Her name was Jenniann Maffeo. Over 98 per cent of her body was burned. The zipper on her sweater was welded into her body."
Ronald rushed to help her. Jennieann turned to him, "Sacred heart of Jesus, pray for me. Don't let me die" she said. Ronald read her the Lord's Prayer and stayed with her until rescue workers got her to an ambulance.
Jennieann fought for life for 41 days in a burn unit at Presbyterian Hospital- Cornell Medical Center before passing away on October 22, 2001.
"We had a short miracle," said her sister, Andrea Maffeo. "We were able to be with her. We talked to her, although she couldn't talk to us."
Mr Clifford, survived 9/11, but lost his sister Ruth and niece Juliana, both of whom were on United Airlines Flight 175.
For me, Jeannieann Maffeo personifies all the victims who suffered the attacks on 9/11, an innocent victim in someone else’s war. That morning, she stood at a bus stop below the twin towers and was doused with burning jet fuel. Ms. Maffeo lived 41 days following the initial attack before succumbing to her injuries. Her last days had to be the most painful days of her life.
ReplyDeleteI remember when I heard the news of her death. Just when I could feel a scab forming on my heart indicating some form of healing from that day, Ms. Maffeo’s death was a reminder that the pain from this event will never really go away. Though my pain is insignificant to Ms. Maffeo, it hit me. Hard.
On every anniversary of this heartbreaking disaster, I choose to remember the name of Ms. Jeanniann Maffeo, and honor her short life of 40 years, tragically and unnecessarily taken.
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DeleteAbsolutely beautifully stated
DeleteCouldn't say it better myself.
DeleteI would only add that for those of us hundreds or thousands of miles away, glued to TVs while this happened, we are thankful that New York built the memorial to Sept. 11 victims.
We, who never walked past the site before or after these attacks, need a place to go to feel, to touch, to see and hear what is there now -- the peaceful place where once there was chaos.
Thanks for your words.
I am sure she is in Heaven now
DeleteThankyou Andy for your message. I totally agree "Jeannieann Maffeo personifies all the victims who suffered the attacks on 9/11, an innocent victim in someone else’s war."
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about this poor woman up until this day. Absolutely horrific :( RIP
ReplyDeleteMe too. It is in this blog that I have come to know about them all.
DeleteAmén.
Beautifully said Andy. Nothing more for me to add.
DeletePraise God that she had Mr. Clifford there for her to show her love and compassion during the most tragic events of both of their lives....as well as our country as a whole. Although I never met her, she was a beautiful woman who will never be forgotten. Rest well, dear Jennieann,
ReplyDeleteOf all the 9/11 related stories I've read so far this is the first one I've read where I find it hard not to cry after reading it.
ReplyDeleteSent love!
DeleteIs anyone sure that jet fuel can travel that far downward, a thousand feet before it turns into the raindrop effect? This wouldn't seem possible...
ReplyDeleteAs difficult as it would seem to believe, I had worked with Jennieann when she was employed at NYU. The exact same story was retold by mutual co-workers of ours. She was indeed a very sweet woman. I will never forget her.
DeleteI too worked with Jenniann at NYU in the early 1990s. She was the sweetest, most caring and generous person. My heart still aches at the thought of such horror befalling such a beautiful soul. She is an angel now if ever there was one, because she already was one here on earth. Rest in Peace, Jennie.
DeleteWhat happens that these fuels that loaded the airplanes were more than 80000 liters everyone.
DeleteThat's why when those planes crashed , the jets of gasoline reached the elevator shafts. setting fire to floors 78th, 44th, 22th, and the west lobby (north tower)
God Bless Her
ReplyDeleteThrough all this, and then we had 7/7 etc. Yet society still hasn't learnt. The enemy is still out there and among us. After each atrocity, society says bullshit like unity. Unity with the enemy?! What a laugh! The enemy: middle east. The enemy: pakis. The enemy: terrorists and indeed any criminal. They are not human. Society at large thinks terrorists, criminals, ragheads and all as humans. But all they are, is a sick, filthy, pathetic disease. But, you see, society in general loves this disease, makes excuses for and apologises to this disease, because society is really an overtly liberal, delusional and cowardly pacifistic entity. Society thinks itself as civilised and intelligent, except society is anything but. People wonder how to deal with crime. What solution can there be, society asks? Well, so probes my point; society is as dumb and cowardly as fuck. Solution is simple. Exterminate the disease. Pacifists will not agree with nor understand this concept. Oh no they'd say and weep, oh poor criminals! They're human! And prison and rehab works on criminals! Pulease! The sickening liberal pacifist cowards brigade is why society is shit.
ReplyDeleteWhat a remarkable joyless, hate-filled person you are. All men are created equal by their creator. Maybe you're an atheist, I don't know. You would make a terrific Nazi, and maybe you are. It saddens me that you might regard yourself as conservative. You're not. You just a hateful person. As an ex-military conservative I'd gladly join with the pacifist liberal before even recognizing ... whatever you are.
DeleteWhat an utterly misguided plonker you are mate. You must be in turmoil you poor sod.
DeleteIntense and prolonged hatred has deeply damaged you. Your mindset has no good purpose in this world. Nobody can stop you but the truth is that we’d all be better off if you’d refrain from spreading your radical, extremist way of thinking. Seriously, you’re part of the disease, and not part of the cure. God save us from the cult of personality you belong to.
DeleteYour joy is still before you. Heaven and Jesus await you.
ReplyDelete💗
We Never forget we Always remember. RIP💗
ReplyDeleteRIP.
ReplyDeleteI've just watched a documentary on Disney+, called "9/11, a day in history". I've always been fascinated (not in a joyful way obviously) by these attacks, to a point nobody could understand, and i've watched countless footages of that day and think about it EVERY DAY. To my surprise there are still stuff I haven't seen and i've heard about ms. Maffeo only today after watching it. I couldn't wait to finish all episodes to find out whether she survived or not. Sadly, she's now another name i'll remember from that day not for a good reason.
ReplyDelete