I remember that 10 years ago I was heavily (a mean heavily) pregnant with Max and Rebecca. That morning I had gotten Jake off to kindergarten on the bus and was coming back from dropping off Nate at preschool and had decided to listen to the radio on the way home. I was confused about the breaking news story, I somehow thought they were referencing an earlier incident with a small plane. It wasn't until I got home and turned on the tv that the enormity of what was happening hit.
I was stunned.
My husband, a state worker soon came home and we sat there watching it all unfold. When it was time to pick up Nate and meet Jake at the bus we tried to keep things as normal as possible for our young sons. At five and nearly three it was all too much for them.
Since then I've participated in Project 2996 by contributing three profiles:
Robert Garvin McCarthy
Martin Boryczewski
William Christopher Sugra
I was out of town this weekend and was unable to do another (the list was still being updated before I left), but I will try to do another.
Showing posts with label project 2996. Show all posts
Showing posts with label project 2996. Show all posts
Monday, September 12, 2011
Saturday, September 11, 2010
William Christopher Sugra
William Christopher Sugra had turned 30 just 36 days before his untimely death on September 11th, 2001.
He was working on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center as a network administrator for Cantor Fitzgerald's eSpeed division. He had spoken with his family just the day before to tell them he had survived a round of layoffs and that he still had his job at Cantor Fitzgerald.
Then he was gone.
He left behind his mother El, his father Bill, his sister Tracy and his girlfriend Suzanne.
From what I have gather he was a kind and loving man that also liked to have a good time. He was hardworking and lived life to the fullest. Friends and family could always count on him.
He was originally from Pennsylvania and graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School. He then went on to Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He joined Theta Chi Fraternity, which has since Bill's death established a merit based memorial scholarship fund in Bill's honor.
He graduated in 1993 with a bachelor in finance and moved back to Allentown. He worked for Productivity Point, Inc. (PPI) until 1999. Bill then had an opportunity to work for Cantor Fitzgerald and he moved to New York City. Bill lived in South Seaport and loved taking advantage of all that New York had to offer.
A memorial fund has been established in Bill's name and its mission from the website is as follows:
Note: for more tributes head on over to Project 2,996. I also did this in 2006 and profiled Robert Garvin McCarthy and again 2009 when I profiled Martin Boryczewski
He was working on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center as a network administrator for Cantor Fitzgerald's eSpeed division. He had spoken with his family just the day before to tell them he had survived a round of layoffs and that he still had his job at Cantor Fitzgerald.
Then he was gone.
He left behind his mother El, his father Bill, his sister Tracy and his girlfriend Suzanne.
From what I have gather he was a kind and loving man that also liked to have a good time. He was hardworking and lived life to the fullest. Friends and family could always count on him.
He was originally from Pennsylvania and graduated from Allentown Central Catholic High School. He then went on to Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He joined Theta Chi Fraternity, which has since Bill's death established a merit based memorial scholarship fund in Bill's honor.
He graduated in 1993 with a bachelor in finance and moved back to Allentown. He worked for Productivity Point, Inc. (PPI) until 1999. Bill then had an opportunity to work for Cantor Fitzgerald and he moved to New York City. Bill lived in South Seaport and loved taking advantage of all that New York had to offer.
A memorial fund has been established in Bill's name and its mission from the website is as follows:
Our MissionThe fund has flourished over the past eight years and has done a great deal of good to the community.
The purpose of this fund is to encourage, support and assist the needy and disadvantaged to improve their lives during times of difficulty, regardless of location, race, religion, or gender.
Note: for more tributes head on over to Project 2,996. I also did this in 2006 and profiled Robert Garvin McCarthy and again 2009 when I profiled Martin Boryczewski
Friday, September 11, 2009
Project 2,996: Martin Boryczewski
Martin Boryczewski would have turned 37 on August 17, 2009.
Marty, as he was known by friends and family, was only 29 when his life came to an abrupt end on September 11th, 2001.
He was 6 foot 2, 180 pounds, with hazel eyes. From what have learned about him he played baseball in college at St. Peters in New Jersey, to the extent that it took him seven years to work through and finish with a degree in financial management. After college he gave himself four years to get out of the minors and into the big show. In that time he played for Class A and AA teams of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. When the four years were up he ultimately ended up at Cantor Fitzgerald.
Sadly, he wasn't even supposed to be in the North Tower that fateful day. He was to head the new office on the Jersey Shore. Originally it was slated to open in July, then Labor Day, only to delayed yet again.
When asked about his future goals, we stated that he wanted to retire at 35 and become a fly fishing guide in Montana. Ideally he would work for seven months, then ski the remaining five. If was still alive today he would have been two years into his retirement.
His friends and family have set up a scholarship foundation in his honor. From the foundation's website:
To support their endeavors an annual golf outing held, this year it is on Sept. 19th at the Black Bear Golf Club in Franklin, NJ. Last year was wildly successful and they were able to make the $3000 yearly commitment to the school.
Here's hoping that Marty's name and the good works done in his honor live on.
Note: for more tributes head on over to Project 2,996. I also did this in 2006 and profiled Robert Garvin McCarthy.
Marty, as he was known by friends and family, was only 29 when his life came to an abrupt end on September 11th, 2001.
He was 6 foot 2, 180 pounds, with hazel eyes. From what have learned about him he played baseball in college at St. Peters in New Jersey, to the extent that it took him seven years to work through and finish with a degree in financial management. After college he gave himself four years to get out of the minors and into the big show. In that time he played for Class A and AA teams of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. When the four years were up he ultimately ended up at Cantor Fitzgerald.
Sadly, he wasn't even supposed to be in the North Tower that fateful day. He was to head the new office on the Jersey Shore. Originally it was slated to open in July, then Labor Day, only to delayed yet again.
When asked about his future goals, we stated that he wanted to retire at 35 and become a fly fishing guide in Montana. Ideally he would work for seven months, then ski the remaining five. If was still alive today he would have been two years into his retirement.
His friends and family have set up a scholarship foundation in his honor. From the foundation's website:
The Friends and Family of Martin Boryczewski Scholarship is awarded to a member of the junior class at Morris Catholic High School. Established in memory of Martin Boryczewski, a 1990 graduate of Morris Catholic, this scholarship is awarded to a student who has actively and consistently demonstrated the true Crusader Spirit of “character, community and commitment.”
This is a two-year scholarship that provides for $3,000 of the recipient's tuition for junior and senior years.
The scholarship will be awarded to a junior student as selected by the Morris Catholic administration and based upon the following criteria:
- The student should be an honor student, but not necessarily the highest-ranking student in the class.
- The student must be involved in various activities -- a participant in school, community, and athletic and/or extra-curricular activities.
- The student should possess leadership qualities and be of high moral character and sportsmanship.
To support their endeavors an annual golf outing held, this year it is on Sept. 19th at the Black Bear Golf Club in Franklin, NJ. Last year was wildly successful and they were able to make the $3000 yearly commitment to the school.
Here's hoping that Marty's name and the good works done in his honor live on.
Note: for more tributes head on over to Project 2,996. I also did this in 2006 and profiled Robert Garvin McCarthy.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Robert Garvin McCarthy
On the fifth anniversary of tragic day I’m devoting this space to the remembrance of Robert Garvin McCarthy.
I was given this name when I signed up at 2,996: A Tribute to the Victims of 9/11. Each and every victim, from The Twin Towers, to The Pentagon and the lonely field in Pennsylvania is listed. The workers going about their day and those trapped onboard the four jets. Each person has at least one blogger volunteer to write about them on the fifth anniversary of their untimely death.
Robert was just 33 and a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was at work on a perfectly ordinary day. Sixteen days previously his wife Annie had just given birth to their son Shane, their first and sadly only child. They had been married for a little over two years when Robert’s life was so suddenly cut short. Their seventh anniversary would have been this past August 21st.
I wondered what he would have come up with to top what he done after dating Annie for five years. He sent six dozen roses to the salon where she worked: a dozen for each year and a dozen for her co-workers.
When Annie interviewed a year after 9/11 she said the following about her then one year old son:
"It's just so sad. It's always sad when I look at Shane. I look at him and I'm sad because he looks just like Rob, but that also makes me grateful to have him every day."
"He's a happy baby, a friendly baby, a crazy baby," she said. "He's a little daredevil, and he looks just like Rob with green eyes and light hair."
Shane will never get to play catch with his dad or share in his father’s jokes. He is not the only child who was robbed of a parent five years ago.
Robert’s sister, Mary Jean O'Leary, remembered on one memorial web page how he was always laughing when he was little. She suffered a double blow that day, not only did she lose her brother but her own husband as well.
It is said on the memorial pages I could find of him that he loved life and as one friend, Jon Fullick, wrote "You lived out loud and I love you for it."
I wished he had been able to live out loud for a while longer.
I was given this name when I signed up at 2,996: A Tribute to the Victims of 9/11. Each and every victim, from The Twin Towers, to The Pentagon and the lonely field in Pennsylvania is listed. The workers going about their day and those trapped onboard the four jets. Each person has at least one blogger volunteer to write about them on the fifth anniversary of their untimely death.
Robert was just 33 and a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He was at work on a perfectly ordinary day. Sixteen days previously his wife Annie had just given birth to their son Shane, their first and sadly only child. They had been married for a little over two years when Robert’s life was so suddenly cut short. Their seventh anniversary would have been this past August 21st.
I wondered what he would have come up with to top what he done after dating Annie for five years. He sent six dozen roses to the salon where she worked: a dozen for each year and a dozen for her co-workers.
When Annie interviewed a year after 9/11 she said the following about her then one year old son:
"It's just so sad. It's always sad when I look at Shane. I look at him and I'm sad because he looks just like Rob, but that also makes me grateful to have him every day."
"He's a happy baby, a friendly baby, a crazy baby," she said. "He's a little daredevil, and he looks just like Rob with green eyes and light hair."
Shane will never get to play catch with his dad or share in his father’s jokes. He is not the only child who was robbed of a parent five years ago.
Robert’s sister, Mary Jean O'Leary, remembered on one memorial web page how he was always laughing when he was little. She suffered a double blow that day, not only did she lose her brother but her own husband as well.
It is said on the memorial pages I could find of him that he loved life and as one friend, Jon Fullick, wrote "You lived out loud and I love you for it."
I wished he had been able to live out loud for a while longer.
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