No, You CANNOT send Cards to "A Recovering Wounded Soldier"

Reposting this  from 2014, because that darn false meme just won't go away.

and also, sadly, it seems that now that the individual Red Cross chapters have taken over, the focus seems to be more on sending cards to V.A. hospitals...which is not a bad thing, but I just wish there was a way to let all those at Walter Reed National Military Medical center know that they are still in the thoughts, hearts , and prayers of many across our nation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No, You CANNOT send Christmas Cards to "A Recovering Wounded Soldier"..so, how Can I send cards?

Sigh, I've already seen it starting, posts on Facebook and around the web suggesting that we send cards to 'A recovering wounded soldier' at 'Water Reed Army Medical center'.

And you CanNot do that,

A. because 'Walter Reed Army Medical Center' no longer Exists.

The Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) of 2005 closed both National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center culminating in the opening of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda on 15 September 2011 with the dedication ceremony occurring on 10 November 2011. 

WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER



and B . You have Never been able to send cards to just "A Recovering Wounded Soldier'.

This is just a fallacious meme that started years ago, and won't seem to disappear, and it's a huge cause of a great many contributions to dead letter piles....all those cards sent over the years to "a recovering wounded soldier' just ended up being discarded, and never benefitted anyone. Cards had to be specifically addressed to a person, or an organization, in order to be delivered.

So..How Can You Send Cards?

In years past, the American Red Cross had a national program called 'Holiday Mail for Heroes'

BUT, this year (2014) that program is changing...there wil No Longer Be a National Address to send Holiday cards to via the Red Cross

However, as you can see here on the

American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes  link,

 Red Cross chapters across the continental U.S. and Red Cross offices on military installations overseas will take complete control of the program.

Moving forward, local Red Cross offices will collect, sort, and distributing the holiday cards using an events-based approach in their local communities.

You can visit the link above to see how to contact your local Red Cross chapter to see if they are participating.

I'm posting this information because I hope if we spread the word we can

SAVE A CARD AND STOP THE FALSE MEME!

Spread the word, won't you? 

Adel Agayby Zakhary

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

2996--Remembering--Adel Agayby Zakhary

 Adel Agayby Zakhary, 50, worked as an accountant for Carr Futures in the north tower of the World Trade Center.

Zakhary was born into a Christian family in Cairo, Egypt and emigrated to the United States in the mid-1980s with his wife, Nagat, and son,George, to escape violence against Coptic Christians.

In North Arlington, N.J., the Zakharys centered their lives on St. Mark's and St. Anthony's Church. Mr. Zakhary studied the Bible, the lives of the saints and books by Bishop David, a friend and church leader.

At home, Zakhary was a true patriarch. He cooked and cleaned, and he transported his children to and fro.

Adel Zakhary would always have dinner ready for his two children,son George and daughter Mariam, when they got home. "He loved to cook," said  George."Cheesecake with strawberries," and "Chicken cordon bleu."  His cheesecake-it's a bit of a family legend. Nephews refuse to eat any other New York-style cheesecake-to this day-after having Zakhary's. Others just don't compare, family members say.

The elder Zakhary,  was able to take care of dinner because for nearly 15 years, he worked nights at the World Trade Center as an accountant for Dean Whitter. He worked night shifts so he could spend more time with his family. His children wondered when he ever found time to sleep. He was a bit of a superman in that sense-he did it all and never tired.

About four months before Sept.11,2001, Adel's schedule changed to daytime hours when he became an employee of Carr Futures following mergers. He was not terribly happy about the change.
 Mr. Zakhary had a sharp side. "He was sarcastic to the point you couldn't tell if he was serious," George said.

But his sister-in-law remembers,"He was always laughing and smiling,"

On Sept. 11, he was on the 92nd floor when the first plane struck. He was on the phone with his wife and then: chaos. They were never able to connect on the phone again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found it so terribly sad, that Mr. Zakhary had left his homeland to escape violence, and it seems that the violence still found him ,17 years after he came to the USA.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends who are missing him today, and every day, and I feel blessed to have had the privilege of learning a bit about him in preparing this tribute.

Sources:
 Adel Zakhary,North Arlington  NorthJersey.com

In memoriam: Adel Agayby Zakhary  NorthJersey.com

Remember September 11,2001  Adel Agayby Zakhary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mr. Zakhary's Legacy.com Guestbook is  HERE




~~~~~~~~~~~
This post is part of  Project 2996

May We Never Forget.

Hemanth Kumar Puttur

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

2,996....I Remember....Hemanth Kumar Puttur

                 "His memory is our inspiration.His ideals are our concern."

Puttur,Hemanth Kumar   Died in the World Trade Center on September 11,2001  (His age at his death has been listed as either 26 or 28 years old)

From this  Memorial Page comes this Family Tribute:

Mr. P. Hemanth Kumar, the loving son of Shri. P. Ananda and Smt. P. Kusuma from India, was a rare breed of intelligence and commitment. With his simplicity, integrity, honesty, humility, transparency and Godfearing nature, Hemanth rose to become the most dependable and popular ambassador for WIPRO-BANGALORE within a brief span of four years after its takeover. Being "Puritan to the core", Hemanth carved out a niche for himself not only in the family circle but also in the society in general. He served at his best in Wipro and his contract tenure with Marsh Inc., through Wipro, was an era of progress and a saga of success.

(there are several different ways that Hemanth's name is listed online,his surname "Puttur"  is the name of his village in India)

On this   website  is a beautiful tribute written in 2006.......excerpts from the website:

"Hemanth Kumar was the proud son of Shri. P. Ananda and Smt. P. Kusuma of Puttur, a town 30 miles away from Mangalore. ... Hemanth's father says - a few days before the tragedy, Hemanth called home and wanted to take him and his wife to US on holidays. Hemanth's wish was fulfilled, not to join him for a holiday but to pay homage to him."



Hemanth's father Anand, a simple yet humble man is a tailor by profession and owned a small tailoring shop, through which they made their living. His desire was to give all his three children good education. Hemanth was the youngest among sibship of three. He has one sister Seema P and a brother Prashanth Kumar."

"Hemanth did his pre-university education at St. Philomena College after attending Mai de dues, a local school in Puttur. Hemanth knew there was no way his father, who had already incurred debt just to put his two elder children into college, could afford the 'donations' to secure admission to his younger sibling. Hence, it was a vital need and worked extra hard at the pre-university level to ensure he got a merit seat in college. Due to his hard work and determination Hemanth secured first class with distinction and found a seat in the Kauruji Venkatramana Gowda Engineering College in Sullia, about 20 miles away from Puttur. 


After graduation in 1995, he worked for a software firm in the Information Technology Center of Bangalore. He joined Wipro in 1997. His job at Wipro, ended up traveling around the world, handling the robust company's clients in Britain and the US.

Hemanth arrived in New York in July 2001, and was appointed as a Database Manager at Marsh and McLennan. As a highly conscientious and hardworking man, he was in the habit of getting to work well before 8 a.m. - hence, he was at his desk, when American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower at 8:46 a.m

Anand says that Hemanth's loss has left a gaping void in his family's life, which, otherwise, remains unchanged even despite the compensation that they have received ........ He was on his way to a great success and many dreams yet to be fulfilled which remains unfulfilled… Anand's voice breaks off, and his eyes glaze over in grief. 

Hemanth carved out a niche for himself not only in the family circle but also in the society in general. He had a rare quality of intelligence and commitment, with his simplicity, integrity, honesty, humility, transparency and God-fearing nature. 

(There is much more on  the website tribute ,including photos of some beautiful memorial's that Hemanth's family has used their compensation money to erect in his honor )

---------------------------------------

This tribute to one life lost on September 11th is part of the  2,996  blog initiative.

Robert Fazio,Jr

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 09, 2009

Project 2996....I Remember.....Robert Fazio,Jr.

Name : Fazio, Robert
Rank: P.O.Shield #: 6667 NYPD
Command: 013 Pct.
Date of Death: 2001-09-11
Cause of Death: World Trade Center Attack


Police Officer Robert Fazio, 41, was appointed to the NYPD on July 16 1984, and began his career on patrol in Neighborhood Stabilization Unit 18. Prior to becoming a police officer, he worked as an auto mechanic and an electrician. Besides the 13 Precinct, he also worked in Patrol Borough Manhattan South, the Technical Assistance Response Unit(TARU), and the Property Clerk Division. At the time of his death he was enrolled at St. Joseph's College, where he was taking classes related to law enforcement.

At 41, Robert Fazio Jr. was still single. People would ask him when he was going to marry. But the pressure of society's conventions, said his sister, Carole Lovero, could not affect his decisions."He was a happy person, he was happy within himself," she said. "He would have gotten married if he had found the right person, but he was happy doing what he was doing."

What he was doing, outside of his job as a patrolman for the New York Police Department, was working on motorcycles, cars, boats and houses for anybody who needed a hand. "Half my neighbors, he fixed their cars," said Officer Fazio's father, Robert Sr.

Shortly after he got his driver's license, Robert Fazio Jr. could be seen on the weekend in front of the family's house in South Hempstead, on Long Island, hoisting engines in and out of cars with the help of a sturdy tree limb.


He had less than three years to go until retirement, his father said, and planned on setting up a motorcycle and car repair shop somewhere near his home in Freeport, N.Y., with a friend from junior high school, Gino Lanza. But though he had no children of his own, he spent as much time as he could baby-sitting for his nephew, Michael Lovero, and friends' children, who nicknamed him the "Tickle Monster."

Fazio was on his regular tour with another 13th Precinct officer, Moira Smith, when they spotted the first plane hitting the towers. Smith called in the information, and then she and Fazio headed back to the nearby precinct to interview witnesses. Within the hour, they were at the site of the World Trade Center, where the two officers were last seen before the buildings collapsed.

To fellow officers, Fazio was an example; he often embraced rookie cops and took the time to teach them the ropes.

PO Fazio is survied by his parents Felicia and Robert; sister Carole; brother-in-law Marc; and nephews Joseph and Michael.




(patch created by a volunteer for the
CubScout Pack 233 Memorial American Flag Quilt)


His sister Carole created a beautiful online memorial for Robert Fazio HERE


and there are memories from family and friends posted here

and in his Legacy.com online guestbook Here

------------------
This post is part of the Project 2,996 blogburst, which was started in 2006 to remember those who lost their lives on September 11,2001.

To the family and friends of Robert Fazio,Jr......... learning about him made me wish I'd had the chance to meet him.

I carry you all now in my thoughts and prayers, and will carry Robert's name in my heart each year on September 11th.





(patch from Barnum Woods Elementary School Quilt)

Catherine Carmen Gorayeb

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2008

2,996.....I Remember....Catherine Carmen Gorayeb

 

2,996...I Remember....Catherine Carmen Gorayeb

 

Name:	Catherine Carmen Gorayeb
Age:	41
Residence:	New York, NY, United States
Occupation:	marketing director, Random Walk Computing
Location:	World Trade Center

 

Link to a photo of Catherine Carmen Gorayeb at  Voices of September 11

 

 

Catherine Carmen Gorayeb ("Cathy") was a working single mother of a beloved daughter, Katie, who was 2 years old at the time Catherine died.

 

From some of the tributes left in her Legacy.com Guestbook 

 

I got a glimpse of this much-loved woman, and I include excerpts below:

 

From one of her brothers:

 

It's hard to find reason in this loss...Cath was just a happy, pretty, smart, single-mom trying to make her way in the busy world of New York...I guess the only thing that I can point to is the way this horrible loss has pulled our family (and I mean our extended family) together...and I know that would have made Cathy very happy.

 

From those who knew her at various times in her life:

 

 

 I will always remember her smile andher efforts to help me when possible. She was happiest when she was leaving the office to pick up her daughter

----------------------------

 

When I think of Cathy, I will always think of a person who made anything and everything possible for herself. Nothing seemed too intimidating.

-----------------------------------------

I knew Catherine as Kate's mom. I worked at the nursery in Battery Park City that Kate attended.  The children at the nursery knew her as Bagel Mom. Every single time she came to pick up Kate, she always had fresh bagels from the bakery. Catherine would come in the door and would enthusiatically proclaim "I am the bagel mom" and would pass out bagels with Kate to all of the children in Kate's classroom. She was very vivacious and had so much energy. Caterine always addressed every child in the room by name before taking Kate home.

 

I also remember one day when we were doing musical and dancing activities with the children. There was a basket full of sunglasses in the classroom and each of the children and teachers were wearing sunglasses. Kate always loved to dance to the song "Put Your Hands Up Baby." Kate was dancing in front of the mirror when her mom came to pick her up. Catherine grabbed a pair of sunglasses and sang and danced with Kate in the mirror. I didn't know Catherine well, but I do know that she loved Kate to pieces and that Kate loved her.

---------------------------------

I want to let you know that it was a great getting to know you in high school. You always had a quick smile for everyone in the hallways. In our senior year I remember hearing that a group of "the cool girls" were going off to St. Lawrence. It sounds like you had a great time and cast your bright light into the world and onto all those around you. It has been quite some time since then. We just had our 25 year Class Reunion. Wish you were there. I want to assure you that we were thinking of you. You are one not easily forgotten

----------------------

I think about Catherine often and am very pleased to have found this tribute site.

Catherine and I worked together at Netscape, and frankly I am obliged to say that she was largely responsible for my first promotion there. At the time, Netscape was the hottest thing in the business world and New York sales office was a hot bed of activity. But the insanity of the "dot com" boom was no match for Catherine. While the VP in charge kept revenues flowing through the door, Catherine ran the operation with relentless energy. Anyone who was there would tell you that not only did Catherine dot all the "i's" and cross all the "t's," she also kept the "sh's" from hitting the fan.

Catherine's energy was not limted to her professional life. I considered her a trusted friend and valued advisor. I know I am not alone.


If I am lucky enough to meet Kate someday I will tell her how much she was and still is loved by her Mom. The most amazing thing about her love for Kate was the energy and joy that would radiate from Catherine's face with just the mention of her name.

Please know that Catherine made a tremendous difference in my life and that when I think about her I am reminded of how important the people we interact with every day really are. I am also reminded of how much energy Catherine was able to summon on any given day. Hopefully, the next time I'm feeling a little over-taxed by life's daily grind, the memory of Catherine's high-octane tenacity or better still, the smile she wore for Kate, will be enough to get me through the day.

------------------------

 

As a "Kathryn" myself, and as someone who was a single mother for many years? The story of Catherine's life touched my heart, and that was why I wished to post a tribute to her this year as part of the  2,996 Project

 

I found, while researching Catherine, that her story continues to touch lives of people who never met her. At  this website  I found several references to a memorial bench with her name in Rhode Island. 

 

I was able to find a link to a picture of that bench, and I leave you with  that link

Yuguang Zheng and Shuyin Yang

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2007

2,996...I Remember...Yuguang Zheng and Shuyin Yang

I cannot write about one,without writing about the other.
A Chinese couple, heading home to Beijing after almost a year of visiting their daughter and son-in-law here in the US. Dying together, as they had been for 35 years of marriage, on American Airlines Flight 77 on September 11,2001.
Yuguang Zheng,65, was a retired chemist, and his wife, Shuyin Yang, was a retired pediatrician. They had one son, Shidong Zheng, of Nagano,Japan and one daughter, Rui Zheng, of Baltimore,MD.
Their daughter wrote a beautiful tribute to them on their Legacy.com page, that you can read in it's entirety here
Click here: Remember: September 11, 2001 - A site presented by Legacy.com

But to excerpt some of it:

"They were very loving and affectionate, although they had quite different hobbies and personalities. The husband loved painting"

I found a picture of one of his paintings


that his daughter had posted on the Washington Post memorial websiteHERE where she said,

“My father started Chinese painting about five years ago. Most of his paintings depict peaceful scenes, accompanied by small living creatures. These features capture my father: quiet, peaceful, but full of vitality.

Rui Zheng, daughter
She also said of her father
"To his children, he was a special father because he made you feel the love from the bottom of his heart, even though he didn’t speak a lot."
About her mother,she said:
" His wife was an active, open-minded and kind lady.She loved to try every thing that was novel to her, even though sometimes it was a little risky. Besides, she liked cooking and was very good at it. Those who had tried her cooking loved her and her food."
On another Washington Post memorial page HERE , I found this picture of a gift her mother had given her daughter and son-in-law

and Rui Zheng said of it:
“My mother gave my husband and me this Bodhisattva Guanyin [a Buddist goddess] after our marriage. The Bodhisattva Guanyin hears the cries of the world and responds with deep care to those in need. Guanyin is also believed to bring happiness, give love and take care of people. That’s how my mother lived her life.”
Rui Zheng, daughter
She also said of her mother
"Definitely, the most important thing about her was that she was a good mother. She listened, accompanied and did her best to comfort her children whenever they felt upset and frustrated even after they grew up."
Rui Zheng's remembrance of her parents continues on to say:
"To both Yuguang and Shuyin, family was the most important thing. They loved each other and their children..........For their family members, the only thing that provides relief is knowing that the devoted couple was together all the time, even at the last minute of their lives.............What they left behind for family members and friends are the loving memories of them. "
Yuguang Zheng and Shuyin Yang (or,as I saw in some postings,Zheng Yuguang and Yang Shuyin) loved deeply, and were deeply loved.
They left behind other loving family members, as I found in this articlehere (from the China Daily) The article mentions Yang Shuyin's older sister, Yang Shuzhen, who is also a doctor, in Changzhou of east China's Jiangsu Province and Yang Shuzhen's daughter, Chen Wei, the niece of Zheng Yuguang and Yang Shuyin.
Chen Wei traveled to the US on behalf of the Chinese members of the families of Yuguang Zheng and Shuyin Yang for a memorial service held at the Pentagon shortly after their deaths.
And, at that service, Rui Zheng took some earth from the Pentagon, which she later buried in a cemetary in Beijing because she "wanted them to rest in peace at home."
Last year, Rui Zheng was invited to be a keynote speaker at the first memorial service held for the foreign victims of 9/11 in Washington. She went, Rui said, because
"It is an opportunity for me to let more people know my parents, who were loved by their families and friends."
--------------
I pray you rest in peace, Yuguang Zheng and Shuyin Yang. And I will now hold your children, family, and friends in my prayers and in my heart,whenever I remember September 11th,2001.

(This post is part of the 2,996 Project which began last year to honor and remember those who lost their lives on 9/11 )
-------------------------
Update: December 2008
Yesterday, I was able to visit the Pentagon Memorial, and touch the benches with your names, and pause to remember each of you.






(although the picture I took did not capture it, your husband's name is listed along with yours, on the plaque over the water......as is the reverse on your husband's memorial bench. So, I was able to remember both of you together, and the memorial had a wonderful sense of peace and calmness about it. )

Gerard ("Jerry") P. Moran,Jr.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2006

2,996.I remember...Gerard(Jerry) P. Moran

Petty Officer Second Class Gerard (Jerry) P. Moran,Service dates 1979-1984
Born 1962,Baltimore,MD Died Sept.11,2001 Pentagon


(update 2011: in searching for a lost link in the original post , I was saddened to learn that in March 2011, Jerry Moran's wife Joyce 'Joey' Moran passed away. there is a tribute page posted for both of themhere  and a moving tribute from a friend written here . My deepest sympathy to their families and friends, and especially their children ,Shannon and Dane )



From an article in the BaltimoreSun.com the day after the attack on the Pentagon.

Gerard MoranGerard Moran, a Navy contractor, was on the job in the newly renovated section of the Pentagon Tuesday. He is among those unaccounted for in the aftermath.

Moran, 39, of Upper Marlboro, is a video-teleconferencing engineer at the Pentagon, said Joyce Moran, his wife of 17 years. He also is an assistant coach for the St. Mary's-Ryken junior varsity softball team and had worked as a lighting technician for such Hollywood films as Enemy of the State, Random Hearts and Contact. He had served in the Navy for five years, where he was a combat photographer.

Joyce Moran said she learned about the attack on the Pentagon while she was checking her e-mail at the Office of Naval Intelligence in Suitland.

"My son called," she said. "I just told him to be patient. No news is good news."

The Morans, who moved to Maryland six years ago, have a daughter, 16, and a son, 14.

Besides coaching at St. Mary's-Ryken, a Catholic private school in Leonardtown, Moran also has coached its power-lifting team.

Gary Padgett, head coach of the softball team, said he had called Moran last week to promote him to assistant coach on the varsity squad. "I'm just praying that they find him," he said. "I didn't find out until this morning, and he's all I've been thinking about all day."

Joyce Moran said her husband is a gourmet cook who enjoys camping and fishing.

"My husband was always a survivor in everything he did," she said. "If there's a way, he will survive."

-- Edward Lee

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There's more on the Arlington National cemetary website

Their two children -- Shannon, 16, and Dane, 14 -- are accomplished athletes whose teams their father has coached. 
Family and friends describe Moran as a humorist and a humanitarian. When he was not coaching fast-pitch softball, baseball or power lifting, Moran's wife said, he could be found in the kitchen whipping up gourmet meals and experimenting with recipes from his many cookbooks. Some of his favorite ones are for coconut pork, chicken cordon bleu and prime rib. 
He also enjoys relaxing at home with his family and trout fishing with brother Kevin. 
Kevin Moran's daughter was in one of the World Trade Center towers when it was hit on Tuesday. She escaped before it collapsed. 
-- Tracey A. Reeves

Click here: Gerald P. Moran, United States Navy, Retired & Government Employee

and in his Legacy.com Guestbook

I found tributes that said such things as.....

YOU ALWAYS CARRIED YOURSELF AS A GENTLEMAN, AND ALL AROUND GOOD GUY!

and I also discovered he was nicknamed "Elvis".

"I met Gerry on my first day working at the Pentagon and he greeted me with his huge smile, hearty laugh and typical "newbie" speech..."don't touch my stuff". Gerry was a great person who loved his family so much. Elvis, we miss you and always will. "

And this comment was left on another memorial website for Mr. Moran on Sept.10,2006.

"It was truly a pleasure to have met you long ago. A good father and husband, you were admired by many. "

What a wonderful way for him to be remembered after all these years!

-------------------------------------------

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 11,2007

Mr.Moran, I continue to hold your family and friends in my prayers. Learning a little about your life through the 2,996 Project

has made me decide that when the Pentagon Memorial is completed? I would like to one day visit, and find the part of the memorial dedicated to you.

-----------------------------------------------

Update: December 2008

Yesterday, I was able to visit your bench at the Pentagon Memorial.

I said a prayer for you and your family there, and was thankful that I had a quiet and peaceful place to stop and remember you.

John Patrick Salamone

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2006

2,996. I remember....John Patrick Salamone

 John P. Salamone,37,from North Caldwell,NJ who,sadly,was yet another of the many Cantor Fitzgerald employees lost at the World Trade Center,was a great family man and athlete.

 

Click here: John Patrick Salamone, 37, North Caldwell, N.J.

 

From his Legacy.com site, come these remembrances

John Patrick Salamone

 

World Trade Center

Scoring One for Dad
The death of John P. Salamone is hard for his wife and worse for his children. He had three: Alex, 6, Aidan, 4, and Anna 3. "They have their good days and bad days," said his wife, Mary Ellen. "Halloween was awful. John did the trick-or- treating. They missed him. Alex told his teacher that mom tried to make it a happy day for him but he couldn't help but be sad. He missed his dad."

So their mother took them to the hockey game like their father used to do -- she thought that would be nice. Then the boys had to go to the bathroom. They just looked at her. "It was like, 'What do we do now?' "

Mr. Salamone, 37, brokered preferred stocks for Cantor Fitzgerald. "He actually loved his job, loved the guys he worked with. But he didn't love anything more than his kids," she said.

He coached the boys soccer team in West Essex, N.J., as well. And it was hard for the boys to look on the sideline and not see their father there. The league shut down for two weeks in honor of his memory. When play resumed, Alex scored the first goal.

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on November 5, 2001.


John Salamone, 37, a song and a danceEach day when he walked in the front door of his North Caldwell home, John Salamone would call out to his 3-year-old daughter, Anna. "Prince Charming is home!"

Anna, the youngest of three, loves playing the role of Cinderella, and her father liked to indulge her fantasies. A playful Mr. Salamone would sing and dance with her around the room.

"He could make my kids smile and laugh like nobody else," said his wife of 10 years, Mary Ellen Salamone. "They just waited for him to come home and play with them. He left business at work."

Mr. Salamone, 37, a preferred stock broker with Cantor Fitzgerald, is among the missing since Sept. 11, when a hijacked aircraft crashed into the World Trade Center. He worked on the 104th floor of Tower One.

Mary Ellen Salamone was not able to speak to her husband the day of the terrorist attacks, but knew that he had tried to call home after reviewing her cell phone bill. The call never went through.

More than 1,000 people came to pay their respects to Mr. Salamone at a Memorial Mass at St. Aloysius Church in Caldwell. The large turnout was a testament to his character, Mary Ellen Salamone said.

"What everybody says about him is that he had an amazing sense of humor. In any situation, he would find the lighter side of it and make you laugh about it," she said.

Sports was a big part of Mr. Salamone's life. He would take his sons -- Alexander, 6, and Aidan, 4 -- to play golf on Sundays at the Essex Fells Country Club, where he was a member. He played soccer in high school and college and, most recently, in town. Mr. Salamone coached his son's Little League team.

He grew up in Fairfield, graduating from West Essex Regional High School. He earned a business administration degree from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, then later graduated with a master's in business administration from Fordham University.

He previously worked at Quick & Reilly in New York, joining Cantor Fitzgerald in 1998.

Mr. Salamone enjoyed nothing so much as spending time with his children, his wife said.

"He would chase after them, catch and tickle them," she said. "He did everything with them -- take them to the park all the time, taught them how to ride their bikes."

In addition to his wife and children, Mr. Salamone is survived by his mother, Madeline Reed of Lewiston, N.Y.; his father, Benedict Salamone of Whippany; a grandmother, Rose Catalano of Niagara Falls, N.Y.; two brothers, Michael Salamone of North Carolina and Thomas Salamone of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.; two sisters, Catherine Sauer of Denville and Michelle Cataline of North Carolina; and eight nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions can be made to an educational account set up for Mr. Salamone's children. Donations may be mailed to Credit Suisse/First Boston, Ref: John Salamone Children Accounts, 80 Sherwood Road, Ridgewood, N.J. 07450.

 

There is much more on him here at the Cantor Fitzgerald Memorial site

Click here: Cantor Families Memorial - John P Salamone

 

And,fittingly for someone who loved sports so much,I found articles about both a soccer tournament at his former university

 

Click here: Oglethorpe University : Athletics : Soccer : John Salamone Tournament

 

And a golf event 

Click here: Recorder Community Newspapers - Salamone golf event planned

 

And there is a memorial foundation established by his family and friends

Click here: Welcome to the Salamone Memorial Foundation

 

that awards scholarships and grants in his memory.

 

------------------------------------------

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 11,2007

 

Mr. Salamone, I was pleased to see that your family and friends continue the Memorial Soccer Game in your honor

Click here: Oglethorpe University : Athletics : Soccer : 2006 Salamone

 

Click here: Oglethorpe University : Athletics : Soccer : John Salamone Tournament

 

and that a scholarship continues in your name.

Click here: John P. Salamone Endowed Scholarship - NextStudent's Scholarship Search Engine

 

I continue to hold your family and friends in my prayers, and to think of your name on this day, because of the  2,996 Project   enabling me to learn a little more about your life.

Jonathan Neff Cappello

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2006

2,996. I remember...Jonathan Neff Cappello

(From the CNN Sept 11 Memorial page)

Name:	Jonathan N. Cappello
Age:	23
Residence:	Garden City, NY, United States
Occupation:	Cantor Fitzgerald
Location:	World Trade Center, Tower 1, 105th floor

 

Who was Jonathan Cappello? I was privileged to receive this remembrance of him from his girlfriend,Dana.

 

What can I say about Jono that hasn’t been said…. I feel in love with him from the moment I met him.  I know we were young, but his first words to me were “My father told my mother and now I’m telling you, I’m going to marry you”

That was Jono, he knew what he wanted and he went after it.  I feel like the moment I accepted he was gone, my world collapsed.  It’s so funny how 24 hours can change your life forever.  11PM on September 10th I was saying goodnight and I love you to my future.  I never spoke to him again. 

Jono was the most amazing person I knew.  I know people say that when someone dies they become immortal, they never did any wrong and they were ‘angelic’ all the time.  Jono was no saint, but he was my savior.  He has the most wonderful family, which made everyone feel as if they were part of it.    Jono, truly had this presence about him which made him stand out from the crowd.  If you were sad, he lifted your spirits; if you were angry he instantly put you in a better mood.  He never wanted anyone he loved even people he didn’t even know want to feel one ounce of pain.  For many months after 9/11 I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t feel.  I was numb.  He carried me out of those times, he put a smile back on my face and made me realize that life is short.  The only thing that matters is what you do here and now, not 10 years down the road. No one is going to care about or remember the list of financial accomplishments you have under your belt.  It’s how you treat people now; the good, the bad, the rich, the poor, the handicapped, the deformed.

I know that Jono is also shining down on our troops and doing everything in his power to help protect them.  He always said that he would without question fight for our country and he always thought New York City was the greatest place in the world.

I love him now as much as the day I met him.  He owns a part of my heart and will continue to watch out for his family, my family and myself.   

 He will remain forever young.

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If you're wondering why he was called 'Jono"? From Newsday.com, in this account of his memorial service, his personality seems to shine through in his family's words.

From Newsday.com:

Jonathan Neff Cappello On His Birthday, Family Says GoodbyeSeptember 27, 2001
For the Cappello family, Sept. 29 always has been a day of celebration, the day its youngest member, Jonathan Neff Cappello, was born.
This year, it is also the day his family will bid him a final goodbye, but there is no remorse, said his mother, Claudia.
"I truly believe he is telling me, 'I began my life, and I'm ending this part of life ,'" said Claudia Cappello. "I feel wonderful and blessed. It was a privilege to have been his parent."
While some continue to hold out hope, Claudia and Robert Cappello decided last week to hold a memorial service for their son who was lost in the World Trade Center attack.
Jonathan Cappello, 23, had just started training on the international bond desk at Cantor Fitzgerald after traveling the country in a Winne- bago and doing carpentry work.
Cappello, a graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut, was a paradox, said his father, Robert Cappello. "Jon was as tough as they come, but as gentle and caring as they come," he said, describing his son as Frank Sinatra in a world of Vic Damones.
Earning the nickname "Jono" as a child - from his parents constantly screaming "Jon, no!" in response to his childhood mischief - Jon, said the Cappellos, was certainly no angel.
But the child who once lacquered the bathroom with red nail polish in anger, was the same child who always chose his handicapped neighbor first for the team in ball games and made sure a blind student sitting next to him in school always knew what was written on the blackboard.
He grew into a man who once gave a shoeless vagabond his brand new gym shoes and regularly took food from his mother's cabinet to give to the homeless.
"Jon found worth in everybody," said Claudia Cappello. The youngest of her three sons, Jon, she said, "had wisdom beyond his years."
From an early age, Jon had a remarkable understanding of life and spirituality. He carried a poem about God's love in his wallet since he was 12, told his mother long ago that he was not afraid to die, because when it's time to go, it's time to go, and kept every note she ever wrote to him wedged between the pages of his first Communion Bible.
"He didn't just drink at life, he gulped it down," said his close friend, Catherine Kelleher, in a letter to the Cappello family.
Jon Cappello sang off-key at the top of his lungs, loved all sports (but hated the Yankees) and found joy in music ranging from rock, to blues, to his favorite, Frank Sinatra.
He was "a Peter Pan who refused to grow up, yet would surprise you with his maturity," Kelleher wrote.
Jon charmed adults and children alike, leaving an impression on everyone he met. In the days since the tragedy, his parents have hosted a cornucopia of friends, co-workers and complete strangers who all want to share how Jon touched their lives.
"When Jon said, 'I love you,' he screamed it," Claudia Cappello said. "He wanted so much out of life, I don't know why. Maybe he just knew."
The Cappello Family has established the Jonathan Neff Cappello Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 7659, Garden City, N.Y. 11530, to provide financial assistance to a Garden City resident planning to attend Fairfield University.--Nedra Rhone(Newsday)
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I found tributes on the web to him from someone who had known him long ago and had lost touch with him
Thursday, September 13, 2001

Jonathan Cappello was actually a friend of mine for years. We started out at St. Joes together, and both moved to Stratford Elementary at the same time...I vividly remember playing with He-man, GI Joe, and WWF Figures in his house and Back Yard. He was Usually "Rowdy Rowdy Piper" and I was "Andre the Giant." He and his Family took me out to dinner when we moved to London because he was going to miss me a whole lot. I ate Spaghetti and he told me the Joke about the polish guy and the kid with no ear lobes that evening. He was a really nice guy to me when I moved back. We were never good friends again but we had some classes together and I remember lots of laughs. He was in My 12th grade Calc Class. I saw him Christmas 99 at a Bar In GC...He And I talked about how we had nothing to do after graduation and eventually wished each other luck. I intended the Luck to be of the good Variety. This news is very sad to me and makes this hellish event all the more real. Jon has been missing since the Attack on the WTC and is presumed dead.

 

http://girlleastlikely.blogspot.com/2001/09/jonathan-cappello-was-actually-friend.html

 

Wednesday, September 11, 2002

 

I would like to take a moment to remember my old friend Jonathan Cappello who died on this day last year. He was not my brother, or my son, he was my best friend in 4th grade and I had almost completely lost touch with him. I was so relieved to hear that everyone in my family was alive that day...that, was difficult information to obtain from way down here in NC, but when Jono's name was casually mentioned amongst some others in a foward from my sister I was shocked. I guess I justed wanted to say that I still think about him and to let his family and close friends that I still hold on to my childhood memories.

 

Click here: distraction: 09/01/2002 - 09/30/2002

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And a tribute from someone who had never met him

 

9.12.2004

 

Good news is though, I have found something really worthwhile to post. Its somber if you miss the real meaning, which is to have a great time - JONO Style. Now, while many of you don't know who Johnathan was, your in luck - he was unknown to me till I met his family and close friends.

So you probably thinking just getting to the point Krackhead. Well, the point is John died three years ago in NYC along with many other people. Fortunately, Jono's family keeps his spirit alive and circulating by staying true to the kid. They gave out baseball hats - an article of clothing that John (Or me for that matter) always wore at a previous fundraiser. They talk about him and it makes me wish I knew him only to see if I was cool enough to hang out with him.

http://www.krackheademt.com/2004/09/apologies.html

 

 

And his family and friends return year after year to post on his tribute site on Legacy.com  http://www.legacy.com/Guestbook.asp?PersonID=111539

 

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I came away from all my research wishing that I,too,could have known him. I am extremely grateful that I received his name to honor for the  2,996 tribute . I now will especially hold in my heart on Sept.11 someone I would otherwise have never known about or met, but whose joy for life and love for others still resounds down the years as his legacy.

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This was part of the 2,996 tribute project, if you would like to see other tributes, you can click on the link here  http://www.dcroe.com/2996/?page_id=2

 

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UPDATE  September 11, 2007

 

Jono, I can't think of this day now, without thinking of you. Researching and learning about the life of someone I never met has continued to touch my heart. I spent the past year receiving notifications whenever someone signed your guestbook

 

Click here: Guest Book - Jonathan N. Cappello

 

and it both saddens me, and yet warms my heart for you, to see the very many people who still love,miss, and remember you . Dana said you touched so many lives, and that continues to be true,even of people who never met you.

 

I finally found a picture of the plaque that has your name, at the

 Garden City High School Arboretum  (number 23 on the map)

and I like to think that seeing that plaque by the Kashmiri Cypress

will lead future students to ask "Who was Jono?" in the years to come, and hear your story.
I continue to hold your family and friends, and especially Dana,who loved and continues to love you so much, in my prayers.

Rick Rescorla

(Originally posted as a Wednesday Hero on April 24,2007 )

    Col. Cyril Richard "Rick" Rescorla 68 years old from New York City, New York 16th Air Assault Brigade, Parachute Regiment (England) Platoon Leader of 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) (U.S.) September 11, 2001       Col. Rick Rescorla is a multiple time hero. In 1957 he enlisted in the British Army and began training as a paratrooper with The Parachute Regiment of the 16th Air Assault Brigade. He went on to serve with an intelligence unit in Cyprus, a paramilitary police inspector in the Northern Rhodesia Police (now the Zambia Police Service).   When his military career ended in England he joined the Metropolitan Police Service in London. But he found the paperwork too boring and quite at the behest of a friend who encouraged him to join the United State Army. Which he did.   In 1963, Rescorla enlisted, with his friend, in the United States Army. After he completed basic training he attended officer training school and was assigned as a platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).    He was shipped to Vietnam and participated in the Battle of la Drang. While in Vietnam, he was given the nickname "Hard Core" by his men for his bravery in battle.   In 1968, Resorla became a U.S. citizen and continued his service in the Army Reserves until 1990 when he retired.    In 1985 he joined a financial services firm, located in the World Trade Center, as security director. In 1993, when the WTC was bombed, Rescorla was instrumental in evacuating people from the building. Afterwards, he enacted a policy in which all employees of the firm practiced evacuation drills every three months.   September 11, 2001. Rick Rescorla was supposed to be on vacation getting ready for his daughters wedding. Instead he was at work covering a shift for one of his deputies so that he could go on vacation. When American Airlines Flight 11 hit Tower 1, Rescorla ignored officials advice to stay put and opted instead to put his evacuation drills to use.    While evacuating the 3,800 employees of his firm in Towers 2 and 5 he kept reminding them "be proud to be an American ...everyone will be talking about you tomorrow" and sang God Bless America over his bullhorn.    When Flight 175 struck Tower 2, Rescorla had already evacuated most of the employees from his firm as well as many others from other floors. He then went back in, despite being told he needed to evacuate himself. The last known words anyone heard him say were, "As soon as I make sure everyone else is out".   Tower 2 collapsed with Rick Rescorla last seen heading to the 10th floor looking for more people to help.   As a result of his actions that day, all but six employees of his firm made it out alive. One of those being him and three others being his deputies who followed him into Tower 2, Wesley Mercer, Jorge Velazquez, and Godwin Forde.  

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

 We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived