September 11…..14 years ago

We all remember where we were. We all watched. We all felt the pain. We were all horrified.

Where are we now?

A couple of days ago, I watched a short documentary video about the people that were evacuated from lower Manhattan by boat. It was fascinating. I had never heard that part of the story before.

How is it, that so many years later, we still hear new stories?

This morning, on the news, they covered the first few minutes of the Memorial Ceremony at Ground Zero/World Trade Center Memorial. Just as they were broadcasting the audio from the service, I heard the name……Andrew Anthony Abate. It sounds familiar. Probably because his is one of the first names read every year as family members read the names of those lost in the World Trade Center.

His name may be familiar, but I know nothing about Andrew. So I did what any person in 2015 would do. I googled his name. I want to know more about this man. The name that I seem to hear every year. I know that he is more than a name. He is a son. Maybe a husband. Maybe a father.

So I find his obituary. In reading the tribute, I find out the saddest thing…..he has a brother. Vincent Abate. Vincent and Andrew both worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. On the 105^th floor of Tower 1. A mother lost both of her sons in one day.

This is hard for me as I have 2 sons. I cannot imagine. Andrew was married. I cannot find anything that says Vincent was. They had no children.

I am so sorry for this family. So sorry for their loss. I have seen their pictures on the internet. I now have a face to go with the names. It seems a little more personal to me, this sudden interest in this man.

And then, today I thought……they always cover the beginning of the service. We always hear the As. Some might stay towards the middle. But there were so many people. What is the last name read?

So, as any normal person would do in 2015, I googled.

There he is….Igor Zukelman. He was from Ukraine. He came to New York in 1992. He became a U. S. citizen and was especially proud to save up the money to buy his first car. He had a son. He was on the 97^th floor of one of the buildings. I don’t see much else about him. I am so sorry for his family also…..for his little boy that must be a teen now and surely must miss his dad.

Two more names, faces to add to my memories of that day.

More stories.

I hope that none of us ever forget. I don’t want anyone to take for granted that you have heard “enough” about that day. That you surely have heard all the stories. There cannot possibly be enough time in any day to hear everything from the people that were there.

This is how we remember. This is what I will do in the future. Look for a new story, google a name from the list.

Always being respectful of their lives…..so many lives. I hope they are each remembered today. And every day……every year. By a loved one. By a friend.

Or even by a stranger in Texas that googled their name.