Today, August 18, 2011 continues the journey into discovering and honoring those who “gave their all” although they did not know they were in a “war.” Private companies operating at the World Trade Center, and their employees who were murdered, are today’s subject matter. “Subject matter” sounds really impersonal, totally unintended. The employees were living, breathing human beings. The companies, no matter how many "smart" machines are in their inventories, still depended on these human beings to carry the greater portion of the burden of success.

According to New York Magazine , 60 WTC companies lost employees.  1,402 WTC employees died in Tower One. 614 WTC employees died in Tower Two.  Cantor Fitzgerald  lost 658 employees, the most of any employer, government or private. But, according to this article, three years later, Cantor Fitzgerald was rebuilding and keeping its promises to survivors of its lost employees.  In 2009, this Time Magazine article shows Cantor Fitzgerald is still thriving, despite even the recent recession.  My hope for this company is that, as a corporate entity, it never loses sight of the lessons taught by 9/11 – it is the people.

Let’s take a look at some of those folks, who literally gave their lives in service to their employers. Maria Rose Abad “Literary Escapist,” was an avid reader of books. I could have shared a few books with her. She wanted to become a teacher, but ended up in the financial world. In a way, she did become a teacher, as I did.

Shannon Lewis Adams left his small town home for the big city. They don’t get any bigger than New York. To top it all off, he was high above the clouds, on the 101^st floor of the WTC. You know what? Although his life was cut short, he lived “big” for at least a little while.

I admit it. When I come across a young person, who was killed, I have to fight that old revenge feeling. Terence E. Adderley Jr.  was a mere 22 years old, scion of the Kelly Services family.  Back in the days when one could not find a permanent job, and there was always a temp job to be had, I did a few jobs for Kelly Services. At least his sister did get her birthday gift, selected by his own had, and his apparently impeccable taste.

Sophia B. Addo won the immigration lottery in 1196, and lost her life in the planned destruction of her workplace, the WTC. She appeared to be one of the immigrants who came to the US, determined to produce and give back to this country.  She was earning and learning. Ironically, September 12, 2001, was going to be an important day in her life in the US. She never got to find out if she had earned her G.E.D certificate. I wonder if she did pass.  It doesn’t matter about that earthly exam though.  I pray that she did pass her “entrance exam” into a place that she apparently knew about.

Thomas Edward Galvin is described as follows:

"He'll be remembered as an individual with incredible integrity and just a character beyond reproach," John Galvin said. "He's part of a national tragedy and he's a hero, but to us he's a brother that we lost . . . who can't be replaced."

Amen to that. I will keep repeating. The killers of 9/11 killed men and women of a caliber, character and achievement, that these killers could have never hoped to achieve. I think that I read that the remains of the killers have never been claimed. I don’t have to wonder why.

It appears that Marlyn del Carmen Garcia came in a small package but with a big stick of authority. I liked her handling of that neighborhood guy! She was a valedictorian of her class. So was I. I agree with her sister Ingrid. If she had told me to sit, I would have promptly complied. She certainly turned President Theodore Roosevelt’s “walk softly and carry a big stick,” mantra on its head. I wonder if she would have made her dreams come through. With her determination, I think that she would have.

Abide with Me is the hymn that came to mind as I read and wrote about my fellow citizens, who were separated from their lives by evil men. As I go through these profiles on a daily basis, I feel comforted by the thought that we may have lost these specific souls, but they left legacies, that if we choose to emulate, we can keep alive their spirit of determination and grit.

May God abide with the US, in the months, years, decades and centuries ahead. And – may we not continue to squander His blessings.