Archive for September 10th, 2006
When researching 9/11 casualties, you will find many lists. Some of these lists contain every name. Many are partial lists, highlighting and categorizing names into related groups such as WTC, NYFD, NYPD, Cantor Fitzgerald Employees, etc. Its mind numbing and unless we are looking for a specific name, we don’t read the whole list. The 2,996 Project has taken a list, and made it possible for us to remember each name, searing their life story and those left behind into our hearts and memories forever.
Patrick Byrne is a common name. So common that many of the memorial site comments are from Patrick Byrne or from some who mistook the September 11, 2001 hero as one of their personal friends, relieved that it was not their loved one, but overcome with sorrow for this brave man’s family and friends.
Patrick Byrne, a NYFD Ladder 101 hero, was a playful man and a great athlete. His fellow fire fighters considered him to be the best “bucketeer” ever:
…soaking the newest firefighter in the house with a bucket of water poured down from the roof. “He was ‘king of the bucketeers’,” said Capt. Giordano. “He was excellent at it. He was the best at it. He wouldn’t miss his target.” ~ FallenBrothers.com
NYFD Ladder 101 lost 7 fire fighters when the buildings collapsed:
During high-rise blazes, Station 101 specialized in evacuation. As the crew strapped on their 120 pound packs, with an extra oxygen cylinder, the upper floors of the World Trade towers were ablaze. ~ Artie Fitzpatrick
The fire fighters of NYFD Ladder 101 are obviously very close, with nicknames for everyone:
Station 101 in Brooklyn is just a half-mile from what’s left of the World Trade Center, a quick run through the Brooklyn Tunnel. Lt. Joe Gullicson was the officer in charge when the call came through on the morning of Sept. 11. On board the fire truck with Gullicson were: Sal Calabro, always eating but so hyper he never added weight; “Mr. Fixit,” Tom Kennedy; Joe Maffeo, the gadget guy; strongman Brian Cannizzaro; Patrick Byrne, just back from knee injury; and Terry McShane, a former police sergeant. All seven were lost. ~ Artie Fitzpatrick
There is nothing more that I could possibly say to capture the grief of the loss of Patrick Byrne who gave his life so that others may live.
Patrick Byrne is survived by his mother his father, five brothers, and three sisters. To those that spent time with this man, at least 2,996 weep with you today.
Note: This was a quick tribute. I will continue to add more info as I find it. I have not found any contact information for Patrick Byrne’s family or friends, but if they read this tribute and would like anything added at any time in the future I will do so at their request. Also, anyone that was at the WTC’s that day, please feel free to contact me.
September 10th, 2006
Do you remember your former self?
Do you remember when you felt like you could make a difference in the world?
Do you remember when you felt you had the power to protect those you love?
Do you remember when you could not spell Afghanistan or pronounce Al Qaeda?
Do you remember how you felt before the media and politics were involved?
Do you remember yourself before 9/11?
Do you remember the surge of pride, the one beacon of light that day, the one counter-offensive, amidst the haze of uncertainty?
Do you remember how you felt when you heard that 40 Americans stood in the way of a plot to level America?
Can you imagine for a moment, having the power to take a stand against those that would harm Americans, not on a battlefield, but at work? Joseph DeLuca was granted that power. Those that knew him have no doubt that he used that power to save others, ultimately sacrificing his own life to save America from suffering another devastating blow on a day we could take no more.
2,996 of us have chosen to remember 2,996.
Joseph DeLuca and 39 other ordinary Americans, realizing their death was imminent, decided to stop the plot, literally in its’ tracks. Although in death, Joseph DeLuca is a hero, he was, before that day, an average citizen, living the American Dream.
Joseph DeLuca was born in Newark and lived there for 22 years, graduating from Vailsburg High School. He attended Newark College of Engineering and graduated from Jersey City State College. He also lived in Morristown and Sparta before moving to Ledgewood. A systems business consultant for Warner-Lambert pharmaceuticals in Morris Plains for 23 years, Mr. DeLuca continued with the company after it merged with Pfizer a year ago.
Almost all of comments left at the memorial sites testified to his great sense of humor and many talents:
He could have been an artist, his sister Carol Hughes of Belford explained. A series of cartoons posted on the Morgan Web site shows that side of him. They are good-natured drawings featuring “Raymond the Cat,” a feline who appears to love cars as much as Mr. DeLuca did. During holidays, Mr. DeLuca, 52, sent cards with original sketches to family members and friends, mementos his sister plans to display at his memorial services.
To be continued… there is more to this man’s story.
Note: This was a quick tribute. I will continue to add more info (I have found quite a bit). I have not found any contact information for Joseph DeLuca’s family or friends, but if they read this tribute and would like anything added at any time in the future I will do so at their request. Also, anyone that was at the WTC’s that day, please feel free to contact me.
September 10th, 2006
Click here to get involved and counter-act the latest the spin machine has to offer.
I am appalled that ABC is dramatizing and enhancing the storylines and conversations. They are not portraying fictional characters, they are literally putting words into people that are still alive to use as references. Unlike the West Wing drama series that clearly impersonates various political figures, real names are not used and that helps with the separation between a dramatization and reality.
This rings too much like political propoganda similar to how China reinvents reality into a more acceptable format. I find it repulsive that free speech is being used to twist facts and point fingers. Although Michael Moore delivered personal commentary throughout a “documentary,” he did not misquote anyone AND the government DID get a chance to review and EDIT it’s acurracy. Now don’t get me wrong, I was appalled at Micheal Moore’s ranting while claiming to have produced a “documentary.” It would have been much more effective if he stated the facts without his constant opinions trying to spoon feed his personal conclusions to us.
“The Path to 9/11″ is nothing more than primetime spin machine propoganda. More “post traumatic torture” from the power hungry neocons. Perhaps “The Path to 9/11″ should highlight our civillian responisbilities. How we as civillians continue to sit by and be represented in a global society by those that are only concerned with personal wealth and power. Can you name the last president that truely represented the American idealism of the true majority?
How can we enforce “freedom” on sovereign nations when the “majority” of Americans don’t exercise their rights to free speech, freedom of religion and to vote? “The Path to 9/11″ points the finger at a few key people in the government instead of realizing that 9/11 is a product of every citizens’ ignorance and apathy.
Technorati tags: The Path To 9/11 , September 11 , Clinton , Bush , Vote , Citizen , ABC , Disney
September 10th, 2006
