Remembering 9/11: 10 Year Commemorative Collection

On the 10-year anniversary of September 11, 2001, National Geographic looks back at the tragic events that redefined our nation, revealing emotional stories of loss and the spirit of hope.

The collection includes new programs including: 9/11: Where Were You, Guiliani's 9/11 and Witness: DC 9/11, featuring the powerful, immersive stories of people who were intricately associated with and impacted by the events - from the highest echelons trying to stop the attacks to the ordinary people caught in the middle. Also included in the collection is the acclaimed 3-hour Inside 9/11, the first documentary to provide a comprehensive account of the events to shed light on how 9/11 happened—from the earliest stage of terrorist assembly to the breakdowns in the CIA, the FBI and airport security.

Remembering 9/11: 10-Year Commemorative Collection features powerful footage and first-hand accounts to remember those who were lost, to shed light on how 9/11 happened and to celebrate the spirit of hope.

In Memory of Sita Nermalla Sewnarine

Sita Nermalla Sewnarine was 37 years old and from Brooklyn, New York. (Born: Berbice, Guyana). Sita worked as a disaster recovery agent for Fiduciary Trust Company International on the 97th floor in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.


Sita Nermalla Sewnarine sat at her desk in the WTC.

Sita was a single mother to 5 year old Vicky. Sita tried to give her daughter the best of everything, working long hours in the information technology department of Fiduciary Trust, yet still finding time to take her to ballet and swimming classes, and on vacations to Florida.

"MOMMY! I miss you soooooooo much. I will always LUVVV you for the rest of my life! Victoria (Sita's daughter).

In Memory of Lesley Anne Thomas

Lesley Anne Thomas was 40 years old and from Hoboken, New Jersey. (Born: Summersby, Australia). Lesley worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Lesley's husband retrieved a message on a mobile phone from his wife. In a calm voice, Lesley said the building had been struck by a plane and there was total chaos in the office. She was calling to say she loved him and that she was all right and would see him when it was over.

Lesley's husband rushed to the World Trade Center. He arrived in the vicinity as the building in which his wife worked collapsed. No remains have ever been found of Lesley.

There is a star named Lesley Anne Thomas in the constellation of Centaurus.

In Memory of John Kevin McAvoy

John Kevin McAvoy was 47 years old and from Staten Island, New York. John was a firefighter with New York City Fire Department Ladder Company 3.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, John was in the firehouse in street clothes and off duty when the first plane hit. He and another fireman put on their gear, hailed a cab and went to the World Trade Center by cab.

"He loved his job more than anything," John's wife said. "He listened to the scanner all day long so he wouldn't miss anything. He loved the excitement of the job. He could have retired four years ago, but he wanted to stay on."

In Memory of Jane Louise Simpkin

Jane Louise Simpkin was 36 years old and from Wayland, Massachusetts. (Born: United Kingdom). Jane was a passenger on United Airlines Flight 175.

On September 11, 2001, at 9:03am United Airlines flight 175 struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center, after the plane was hijacked by five terrorists. Jane was sat next to one of the terrorists.

"Her mind was lovable, and strong, and opinionated," said Jane's mother, who is still a Wayland resident. "She was just marvelous."

In Memory of Catherine Fairfax MacRae

Catherine Fairfax MacRae was 23 years old and from New York, NY. Catherine worked as a research analyst for Fred Alger Management, Inc. on the 93rd floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower, impacting between the 93rd and 99th floors.

Catherine's father described his daughter as "bright and beautiful, gentle and kind, the epitome of all that is good in the world."

In Memory of Kathryn L. LaBorie

Kathryn L. LaBorie was 44 years old and from Providence, Rhode Island. (Born: Colorado). Kathryn was the lead flight attendant on United Airlines Flight 175.

On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 175 was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

10 years later, Jessica Rhodes talked about her niece, Kathryn L. LaBorie. She remembered a radiant smile and infinite compassion, and suggested that now, 10 years on, it is time to turn a corner.

"Although she may not ever be found, she will never ever be lost to her family and her friends," Jessica said after she read a segment of the list of the dead at ground zero. "Today we honor her by letting go of the sadness over losing her and embracing the joy of having known her."

In Memory of Jean Hoadley Peterson

Jean Hoadley Peterson was 55 years old and from Spring Lake, N.J. (Born: Evanston, Illinois). Jean was a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93.

On September 11, 2001, Jean and her husband Donald Arthur Peterson, were on their way to a family reunion in Yosemite National Park. They were scheduled to take a later flight but at the airport they changed to Flight 93 because it was less crowded. They sat in seats 14A and 14C.

Jean and Donald were church and community volunteers, and had lived a life of quiet service to alcoholics and addicts, women with crisis pregnancies and residents of impoverished nations.

In terms of coping over the last 10 years, Jean's three daughters issued a joint statement, "We have continued to live our lives in a manner that we believe would make Mom and Don proud. We get together frequently and are a great source of support for each other."

In Memory of Craig Scott Amundson

Craig Scott Amundson was 28 years old and from Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa). Graig was assigned to the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel as a graphic artist.

Craig was on active duty under general Maude as a Specialist working at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Craig is buried in Section 64, Site 4760, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.


(Letter to George Bush from Craig's wife Amber.)

Dear President Bush,

I do not like unnecessary death. I do not want anyone to use my husband's death to perpetuate violence. So, Mr. President, when you say that vengeance is needed so that the victims of 9/11 do not die in vain, could you please exclude Craig Scott Amundson from your list of victims used to justify further attacks? I do not want my children to grow up thinking that the reason so many people died following the Sept. 11 attack was because of their father's death. I want to show them a world where we love and not hate, where we forgive and not seek out vengeance. Please Mr. Bush, help me honor my husband. He drove to the Pentagon with a Visualize World Peace bumper sticker on his car every morning. He raised our children to understand humanity and not fight to get what you want. When we buried my husband, an American flag was laid over his casket. My children believe the American flag represents their dad. Please let that representation be one of love, peace and forgiveness. I am begging you, for the sake of humanity and my children, to stop killing. Please find a nonviolent way to bring justice to the world.

Sincerely, Amber Amundson.
(Amber Amdunson's letter was written on November 24, 2001.)

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

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

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.


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.


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!"


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

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

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

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.

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 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

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

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."

Video of 9/11 10th anniversary memorial at Ground Zero, NYC

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.