Today is a surreal day as I enter NYC. It is only the 2nd time I have ever worked on 9/11 as I usually take the day off and watch the Memorial Ceremony with loved ones. Due to Labor Day being a week later, I couldn't lose another day of work in one week. The LIRR train was not full this morning and the platforms were pretty empty at all stops. Many people do take today off and I hope one day 9/11 becomes a National Holiday as it deserves a special day forever to be used for mourning and memories. I ride the train with a few really nice ladies and we discussed a little bit of where we were and what we were doing on that day. They, like myself can recall every memory down to what they had for breakfast as it was a day that none of us could ever forget!
It was 14 years ago, but the memories are vivid even today. I didn't know I had lost two people in my own family until I was told that they were missing days later. These were two great men, one of which I grew up with pretty closely as he was a fellow Whitesone, Queens resident like myself. The other was a cousin from my fathers side that joined the Port Authority Police Dept and served NY whole heartedly.
Steven Dennis Cafiero, Jr.
June 12, 1970–September 11, 2001
9/11 Memorial Page
Steven was great at telling humorous jokes/stories and made us all laugh. His mother married my Uncle (2nd marriage, 1st he was married to my mothers sister) and he was over every Easter with us during my pre-teen years. We enjoyed his company and he was such a nice guy. I used to see him all over Whitesone always making someone smile and the ladies LOVED him. I was so heartbroken when I found out he just started working in the Twin Towers three weeks prior to 9/11 and had also just gotten engaged in August. I was in shock to hear that he was still in the building when it went down as he was on a high floor.
I tear up every year thinking about him, as I am doing now typing.
Dominick A. Pezzulo
August 15, 1965–September 11, 2001
9/11 Memorial Page
I didn't really know Dominick, but my grandparents were very fond of him and told me in tears that he went back into the building after getting out to make sure his men were safe. That in itself makes me sad as he passed away being a hero. He knew the dangers of the situation in the Twin Towers, but still wanted to ensure the safety of the men he worked with. I would have loved to have known him better and happy that my grandfather could tell me all the wonderful things about this man and his life.
Today I will be thinking about these two men as well as all of those that lost their lives on 9-11-01. As a New Yorker it will be a day I can never forget and as a human it is a day that WE should all remember.
I am keeping everyone in my prayers. Please do the same as you head to work today.