Monthly Archives: September 2011

Big Apple Cupcakes with NY Cheesecake Frosting – a 9/11 Frosting for the Cause

Big Apple Cupcakes

This weekend is a somber one for our country, and especially for those of my glorious city.  Time is such a fickle thing – at some points seeming so fleeting and delicate, a paper crane crushed in a child’s ecstatic palm.  Yet a dark night can stretch on for what seems like a year, and goals and dreams can seem so inevitably far away.  Ten years have passed since September 11, 2001, and how the world has changed for so many people.

This post is part of Frosting for the Cause, an online baking event that connects bakers from all over the world with womens cancer charities.  365 days a year, a blogger posts a recipe on the site, as well as shares a story of someone they know who has been affected by cancer.  They then make a small monetary donation to a cancer organization and bring the baked goods to a local cancer shelter.

Because my posting date fell on September 11th and I love my city Paula, the wonderful woman who runs the site, allowed me to stretch the rules of the post a bit and focus it around how 9/11 has caused cancer amongst the first responders who had spent much time around Ground Zero in the months and years following the collapse of the towers.

The Cancer…

Hundreds of first responders – firemen, police officers, medics – died on that day.  But since then that community has seen a large increase in serious chronic illnesses, and not all respiratory illnesses, as you might expect.  Many are developing serious cancers – melanoma and lymphoma specifically.  Hundreds have been diagnosed: in fact, first responders who worked at Ground Zero following the collapse are 19% more likely to develop serious cancers within the first 7 years of repeated exposure to the environment of Ground Zero.

The toxic dust that was in the air for months after the collapse is the cause, though the Environmental Protection Agency won’t conclude that the mixture of non-fibrous materials, asbestos, glass, lead, cadmium and other toxins is the link between.  Asbestos is highly carcinogenic, and a report from HP Environmental, a firm from Virginia, found that the asbestos was so pulvarized it was literally just too small to show up on the EPA’s tests.

Debates have gone back and forth, but the reality for first responders and their families is this: they saved lives by rushing people out of buildings, mining them out from under the rubble, and helping to clean up the wreckage.  And they’re paying for it – both with their own money and their lives.

Roy Chelsen

This is Roy Chelsen.  He was a “Viking” of a firefighter, one so strong that he could hold a blasting hose that would usually take two men to control.  Quiet and somber, he did his job well and love his company, Engine Company 28.  “To say he loved it is an understatement” his son Christopher said.

His company rushed to the first tower and started evacuating civilians at 1 World Trade Center.  But a point came when Roy knew that the second tower would begin falling, and he commanded his colleagues to get the last people they could and evacuate.  They made it to under a nearby bridge as bodies started falling, and when the tower collapsed were able to run to safety.

Many firefighters and civilians credit Chelsen with saving their lives – though he was so humble about his affect that day that few knew of this during his life.

Roy died on January 9, 2001.  1/9/11 – an almost bittersweet set of numbers.  He died of multiple myeloma, a serious blood cancer that requires bone marrow transplants along with a rigorous regimen for treatment.  He had finally received a match and had a stem cell transplant only a month before he died: doctors believe all those who donated blood in hopes of matching with his saved other lives through their donations, and will continue to do so.

As of now first responders do not get their cancer costs covered by the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, a fund that has allotted more than $7 billion in funds over the last ten years and now is working with about $2.8 billion.  While the Zagroba bill (named for James Zagroba, a police detective who died of 9/11 related illness) was signed into law in January to follow up on and in some cases cover medical bills for those suffering from toxicity related to 9/11, there needs to be overwhelming scientific proof in order to get “cancer” put on the list of applicable illnesses.

John Feal doesn’t need scientific proof to know the connection is there: “I’ve been to 54 funerals. 52 of them were 9-11 cancer,” Feal said recently at town hall meeting held by the 9/11 Compensation Fund.  He heads up the Feal Good Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders, and was instrumental in getting the Zagroba bill signed.

While certain other factors obviously play into how and why someone gets cancer – age, genetics, lifestyle – there is little doubt that working through the toxic rubble of Ground Zero has increased the chances for first responders, and that they should get compensated for it.  They’re getting cancers at young ages, and dying from them quickly.

The Donation…

The FealGood Foundation - Click on the logo to donate and for more information

For my monetary donation for Frosting for the Cause, I am proud to donate to John’s efforts at the Feal Good Foundation.  Since his own injury at Ground Zero – 8,000 pounds of steel fell on his foot, causing a partial amputation and years of therapy – he has been a stalwart in teaching others how to advocate for their own rights.  Those who need the help are mostly blue-collar, hard-working, physical people, and John is the perfect spokesman for them.  He is out there, every day, challenging unjust laws and educating politicians, so that first responders who risked their lives to save others and clean up the literal mess that is Ground Zero don’t continue to suffer alone.

Several friends have mentioned that they’d like to contribute to an organization in honor of those lost on September 11th.  If you’d like to join your little Dusty Baker and Frosting for the Cause in supporting the Feal Good Foundation, CLICK HERE or on the image above to donate.

FDNY Ten House

The Cupcakes…

I consulted John as to where my baked goods should go and he responded: “the 10 House next to GZ would be the perfect gesture. They lost so many people that horrible day.” On September 11 2001, they lost a captain, two lieutenants and 3 firefighters.

From their website:

Thanks!
FDNY spacerThe Officers and Members of FDNY Engine Company 10 and FDNY Ladder Company 10 would like to express our sincere thanks to all those that have supported us and continue to show your appreciation.  Words can not adequately express our feelings of gratitude for the tremendous outpouring of support.
FDNY spacerMaybe you contributed in our efforts to support the families of our lost Brothers or maybe you stopped by just to say Hi!  Maybe you waved or smiled as we drove by on the streets.  We join the thousands of other FDNY Firefighters serving New York City from more than 200 Firehouses in saying we are truly grateful to all.
FDNY spacerIn the words of William Shakespeare, “I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks.”

I’m a little in love with any firefighter who can quote Shakespeare, frankly.

Thursday I trekked down with 2 dozen Big Apple Cupcakes to the Ten House, which sits literally next to the gaping hole we call Ground Zero.  It was already packed with tourists, many who wanted to see the inside of the fire house, and the man who answered the door looked calm but slightly exhausted amongst the chaos.  I handed him my package, gave a quick little introduction as to what I was doing, pointed out that my info was in the bag, shook his hand, received a warm smile, and went on my way.  It wasn’t my intention to add any more chaos to the scene, just to drop off something sweet.  They were very sweet and humble in their appreciation.  I am thankful they continue to serve my city, open their house to those who want to see it, and offer them my prayers, thanks and love.

Big Apple Cupcakes

The Recipe…

I’m going to warn you, this is not the quickest recipe to make.  And I can’t even promise that it’s the best cupcake I’ve ever made because I didn’t get to taste them – the batter made 24 exactly, and because they contained dairy and gluten I wasn’t going to risk sampling.  But the parts I could taste were rather delicious, and they looked and felt wonderful.  I made the two batches of 12 only slightly different (the second had a bit less fat and calories in the cake) but in most respect the content was the same.

This is a 5-part recipe:

  1. Make the cupcakes
  2. Make the apple pie filling
  3. Make the cheesecake frosting
  4. Make the fondant apples
  5. Assemble the lot

Vanilla Cupcakes

1. Make the Cupcakes:

Though I’d consulted it often when adapting recipes, I had never directly made a recipe from The Joy of Baking before.  These tested recipes are known for being rather simple and straightforward and foolproof! I chose a basic vanilla cupcake thinking it would best compliment the apple pie filling and cheesecake frosting.  I made the first batch according to plan, and simply replaced the butter with Earth Balance and cut the sugar for the second batch.

Click here for the recipe I used, or have fun with your old favorite.  Just make 24 awesome vanilla cupcakes.

Apple Pie Filling

2. Make the Apple Pie Filling:

I made an easy apple pie filling on the stove top – using just a little maple syrup and apple juice, it was incredibly sweet.  Sauteing it for a while and then letting it cool completely made sure it gelled correctly and that the spices had time to settle a bit.

Big Apple Filling:

  • 3 cups chopped peeled apples (I used one Gala and one Granny Smith)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
  • 1/4 cup apple juice

Place the apples in a medium nonstick pan over medium-low heat.  Add the spices and mix well, then add the maple syrup.  Cook until the mixture is bubbly and the apples begin to soften.  Then add the apple juice and sprinkle on the gelatin.  Let the gelatin sit until it is absorbed, then continue to stir the apples as the liquid boils down and the mixture softens completely.  When golden-colored and almost dry, remove from heat and chill until completely cooled.

If you don’t have gelatin on hand (or just prefer not to use it) you can mix a tsp or so of tapioca starch in with some cold apple juice before pouring it over.  It will give you a slightly different texture but will help to pull some of the moisture together.  Or you can just omit completely and use slightly drier apples.

Cheesecake Frosting!

3. Make the Cheesecake Frosting

This frosting is only slightly sweet and laced with cinnamon and nutmeg – too sweet and it would completely overwhelm the cake and pie filling flavors.  It’s super easy to make but does need to be cold in order to pipe clearly and retain its shape.

This was not exactly easy on the warm and humid NYC afternoon during which I was piping away and trekking on the hot subways.  Oh well.

I used a large pastry bag with a large star tip on the end to pipe my frosting.  But if you don’t have a pastry bag set or just hate piping, you can easily just swipe the frosting on with a small spatula.  Or you can cut the corner out of a plastic ziplock bag to pipe it on.

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages of plain Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 heaping tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

  • In the bowl of a standing mixer with the beater attachment (or with a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time, sifting as you go.
  • Once you’ve mixed in all four cups, test the flavor.  If you want it sweeter or with a thicker consistency, add more sugar a 1/4 cup at a time.
  • When at the proper level of sweetness and flavor, add the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Beat to combine.
  • Fill into a large pastry bag and place in refrigerator to chill until ready to frost.

Fondant Apples!

4. Make the Fondant Apples:

I must admit, this was my first time using fondant (gasp!) and boy was it fun.  It brought back to mind my art teaching days, where I made homemade play dough and colored it with my hands.

Fondant!

Instead of making my own fondant, which is an art in its own, I bought some ready-made from Wilton and used my trusty gel colors to get the red and green hues I wanted.

Warning: if you use too much green coloring the majority will end up embedded in your fingernails, making it perfect if you want to audition for Elphaba in Wicked.  Which I don’t particularly but it was fun to think about.

I simply pulled off a good-sized piece of fondant, rolled it flat with a rolling-pin, added about 3 drops of red gel and started working it in with my hands like a happy kindergartener.  I then did the same with the green (Elphaba!).

Working it with the heat of my hands kept it moist so that I could roll the red into balls, shape the bottom with a toothpick and top them with little leaves I had cut out of the green.  Yes, they look like something my kindergarten self could have made – but on top of the cupcakes they made the right impression.

Filling the Cupcakes

5. Assemble the lot!

This is mostly self-explanatory.

I used a tiny espresso spoon to scoop out about a teaspoon size hole in the cupcakes and filled with the cool filling.  Then a swirly piping of frosting and an apple – voila!

Cupcakes ready for hungry firefighters!

Thank you to: Paula at Frosting for the Cause, John at the Feal Good Foundation and the men and women of the FDNY Ten House for allowing me to create this recipe for them.

Thank you for sharing your comments, retweeting this post on twitter, and sharing it with friends.  And please click on Frosting for the Cause so that site gets the traffic it deserves today too!

I’m also stepping in on Frosting for the Cause on Thursday, September 15th for a blogger who had to back out.  My Pink Ribbon Cookies to Cure Cancer and stories about my walking with the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure will be posted then – please check it out!

For more information on how cancer is affecting first responders, the Feal Good Foundation and Frosting for the Cause, please check out the links below.

Please also check out these tributes I wrote on several people we lost on 9/11 as part of Project 2,996:

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A Tribute to 4 Victims of 9/11 from Wilton, CT

My hometown of Wilton, CT

I grew up in the quaint New England town of Wilton, CT, a  45-minute drive from Manhattan. This conservative, sleepy town is known for its incredible school system, competitive sports and respectful community: kids are enrolled in Boy and Girl Scouts, families go to church on Sunday and then to the local diners, kids get bored on weekends and the man-made swimming hole is packed next to the busy soccer fields in the summer.

It is also a town on the major commuter rail into NYC, and many parents make the daily commute.  Which is how our dreamy little town lost four of its members on September 11th.

On that day in 2001 I was a hundred miles further north at the University of Connecticut.  Not being able to donate blood due to an illness but wanting to do something to help, my roommates and I volunteered at the Red Cross, primarily organizing names of those who had called in to report loved ones of theirs that were missing.

Several names came into my possession from my hometown.  It was only several weeks later, at a memorial in the football stadium of my youth, packed with so many familiar faces, that I found out who we had lost.

I still go home weekly to visit my parents and help work the family business.  More so now than in my youth do I appreciate the beauty of our town, especially in contrast to my life in the city.  People are a bit friendlier the air is much clearer, you can see thousands of stars at night, and the picturesque town square still shows children in uniforms between school and games, mothers marketing frantically, families out to eat at the all-locally-run restaurants.  It’s a good town.

So for my final tribute this week to Project 2,996, I’d like to offer a tribute to the four men who we lost on September 11th, 2001:  Edward T. Fergus Jr., Peter Christian Fry, John Iskyan and Edward P. York.

Edward T. Fergus Jr.

Edward T. Fergus Jr

It only seems appropriate that the photo honoring Edward Fergus shows him by the water – he would spend Saturday mornings helping to fix his parents’ boat and then the afternoons on Long Island Sound, fishing with his two children, Tom and Shannon.

Edward worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm who lost one third of their international work force when 658 of their employees perished, having worked on the 101st-105th floors of One World Trade Center, the floors above which the first plane made contact.

His energy on the floor translated well into his family social life, and he was known for rousing his siblings and their children to Connecticut for the annual Oyster Festival in South Norwalk, or to have picnics on their boat, or to go skiing in Vermont in the winter.  He also dedicated himself to helping others through volunteer work, and attended church weekly.

He was survived by his wife, Linda, their children Tom and Shannon, who were 10 and 11 years old at the time of his passing, and a score of siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews, most of whom live in the tri-state area.

Peter Christian Fry

Peter Christian Fry was 36 years old and had two children when he went to work at Euro Brokers Incorporated, the global securities firm of which he was Vice President of Institutional Money Markets at 2 World Trade Center.

Peter was an avid athlete, having played lacrosse in both college (he was an All American lacrosse player at Curry College in Massachusetts) and in the Fairfield County Lacrosse League.

Sadly, I haven’t been able to find too much on Peter.  I know that he went to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, the largest one in our town with a lovely community that I am sure took care of his wife and family after his death.  His extended family still lives in the New York / Connecticut area.  And I did find this lovely note, one of many on 9-11 Victim Memorials, from a cousin of his:

I would like to tell you something that happened to me in while at Bagram AB, Afghanistan. I came across an American Flag in a case that had names written on it. One name popped out to me and it was Peter’s name and I realized it was a Flag with all the 911 victims on it. I have deployed many times to Iraq and Afghanistan and I always go to the flag and look for Peter’s name and remember why I’m there.
A Salute to you Peter and your Family.
Don DeBord TSgt. USAF

The family set up a college fund for Peter’s two daughters. Donations can be sent to Fry CollegeBoundFund, Attn: Joseph Miller III, c/o The New Canaan Group, 100 First Stamford Place  4th Floor West, Stamford, CT 06902.

John Iskyan

John Iskyan, 41, had been working at One World Trade Center for 19 years, straight out of college, and evidently he hated the building.  Back in 1993, he had taken over an hour and a half to vacate the building from its bombing, helping others escape before he finally left.  But he loved the company, Cantor Fitzgerald, for which he had worked his way up to being a partner.  And so he rose at 5am on September 11th, 2001, and took the early commuter train from Wilton so as to be at his desk by 7am, as he had done for 19 years.

Later that afternoon, John died of smoke inhalation.

Somehow he did made it out of the building, so his family was one of few to have a full funeral ceremony for him at Our Lady of  Fatima Church.  They were able to sing to him, to shower his body with love and tears and sweet memories.

John was an avid athlete, enjoying lacrosse and football and skiing.  His brother joked that John was such a loyal Giants fan that he’d let his brother buy him tickets every year.  He was still much in love with his wife, Margaret, so much so that he threw her a surprise birthday party the week before at the Old Town Hall, complete with family, friends, a lot of food and music.  His two children, Peter, 12 and Carolynn, 9, had kept the secret the entire year he planned.

John was known for being a hard worker, easily pulling 12 hour days for his firm. A Long Island native, he grew up with the kind of suburban, playful childhood that he provided for his own children.

Unfortunately I could not find a picture of Edward York, 45.  In a time where the internet runs wild with images and remembrances, it comes as a bit of a shock.  But also a bit of a relief – what is personal to the people who knew him remains personal to them.  He was their friend, their family, their father and husband, and it is their wishes that should be honored in remembering Ed. 

But what I did find was this:

“Ed hosted new employee orientation sessions that featured a dozen or so presenters to groups of about 30 associates and his introductions stopped just short of claiming each presenter could walk on water. Before one such session I asked Ed if he could “tone it down” a little and he promised he would. When my turn to speak came later in the day, Ed simply said “Our next speaker is a man who needs no introduction.” Sheepishly I walked to the podium, but when I arrived the entire group rose, wildly cheering, whistling and applauding. In the back of the room was a broadly smiling Ed, who had put them up to the whole thing beforehand! It was the best practical joke anyone had ever played on me and typical of his sense of humor.”

Greg Pierce, Sandy Hook, Connecticut
Stories and admiration like this abound for Ed, things like “he always brought a smile to everyone’s face” and ‘he had an unconventional way of bringing people together” and “his family was the center of this universe”.
From what I can gather, Ed worked for many years at several firms including MA Hanna and Daymond and Associates before moving on to Cantor Fitzgerald, where he was the Vice President and director of Human Resources.
He is survived by his wife, Kim, and three children. 
And, in closing, here’s a sweet little contribution to Ed’s page and a good reminder to us all.  It’s been an interesting week, writing testimonials for people I’ve never met, making cupcakes for firemen and reflecting on how many millions of people were affected by the actions of a single day.  And I agree with this woman’s testimony:
I never met Ed, but I worked a block away from the WTC, and after 9/11, found his business card outside my office. I framed it with other cards I found there, and after research, found that he had died. His card remains framed, on my desk, as a daily reminder of how precious life is, and that we have to keep our priorities straight. I hope your family has found peace.
Ellen Sundheimer, Middle Island, New York

This tribute was written as part of Project 2996.  I picked the first six names on the list who had not been written yet, and am posting one every day in the week leading up to September 11th, 2011.  To read my initial post on this organization and to donate to The Feel Good Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders affected by serving on September 11th, please CLICK HERE.

A September 11th Tribute to Abdu Malahi

Abdu Malahi, Age 37

 “Abdu saved my life. Because we were told not to evacuate the hotel by management via the intercom system (before the intercom system was destroyed by the second plane crash), Abdu took it upon himself to alert the remaining guests that they must leave. I was waiting in my room when I heard him shouting in the hallway. I opened the door, and he told me I must leave immediately. He escorted me to the stairways before continuing on to save other guests. He is constantly in my thoughts. He is my guardian angel. I love this man whom I only met once. It is still hard for me to comprehend his sacrifice for strangers. Abdu was a very special man, indeed.

–Donn Monroe

We so often hear about the heroes in uniform that were running up stairs to help victims flee while others ran down.  And they, of course, are incredibly worthy of our love and respect.  But we forget, sometimes, those good, good people who helped others as well until their final breaths.

Abdu Malahi was one such man.

Raised in Yemen, Abdu loved music and played keys in a band before becoming the audi0-visual engineer at the Marriott Hotel.

He was known among colleagues as being incredibly polite, and only opening up with his wife and two sons, who he was trying to get visas for so that they could join him from Yemen before the September 11th attacks.  But his formality also garnered him a great deal of respect and he was well liked amongst coworkers and friends.

When the towers were struck, Abdu risked his own life to help save the lives of others.  There is little about this incredibly generous man on the internet, but I am sure that he lives on in the hearts of his family and the many people whose lives he saved by giving up his own.

This tribute was written as part of Project 2996.  I picked the first six names on the list who had not been written yet, and am posting one every day in the week leading up to September 11th, 2011.  To read my initial post on this organization and to donate to The Feel Good Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders affected by serving on September 11th, please CLICK HERE.

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A September 11th Tribute to Abdoulaye Kone

Abdoulaye Kone, Age 37

Abdoulaye Kone was from the Ivory Coast and a father of two who lived in the Bronx.

He went to culinary school in France before immigrating to the U.S., and there he practiced his French along with his native Mandingo.  He also spoke English, German, Spanish and a little Italian.

Pastry was Abdoulaye’s passion, and that’s why he was in the World Trade Center towers when they collapsed on September 11th.  A skilled pastry chef, he worked at Windows of the World, and perished along with many of his coworkers.

His wife Celestine said that pastry was indeed a passion – he collected his recipes with photographs in large binders.   Incredibly intelligent and well-educated, he had worked his way up to Windows of the World after starting work in the states at a 5 and Dime store.  He had ambitions to open his own business.

On rare days off Kone would spend time with his two children, whom he liked to say he “worked for”.  This family man proudly lived to provide for his family.

Unfortunately not much is to be found on Abdoulaye Kone on the web, but I’m positive he lives on in the hearts of his wife, children, family and dear friends.

This tribute was written as part of Project 2996.  I picked the first six names on the list who had not been written yet, and am posting one every day in the week leading up to September 11th, 2011.  To read my initial post on this organization and to donate to The Feel Good Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders affected by serving on September 11th, please CLICK HERE.

A September 11th Tribute to Aaron Jacobs

Aaron Jacobs, Age 27

On July 26th of this year I turned 30 years old.  While I embraced my coming decade with confidence and peace, I had occasional tremors of fear – the passing of time, goals left unaccomplished, a heart trying to make her way in the world.

On that day, as well, this plaque officially adorned a bench in Central Park for the first time, near Strawberry Fields on the west side, shadowed by elm trees:

Aaron Jacobs was a vivacious 27 year old, a Vice President on the international trading desk of Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm that lost all of the 658 employees that were in the building that day (including Aaron Horowitz, of who I wrote a tribute to yesterday).  Aaron was on one of Cantor Fitzgerald’s floors on the upper levels of One World Trade Center, above where the tower was struck.

A Boston native, his parents had met and married in New York City, and were not surprised that Aaron moved back to New York to find his own way.

While he worked in his incredibly lucrative position, he also was incredibly generous, often volunteering to teach work skills to people on welfare.  Containing an incredibly capacity for joy, he had bacpacked through Europe, taught English in Cozumel, studied abroad in Madrid, climbed a volcano in Greece, and was contemplating Africa for his upcoming honeymoon with fiance Jeannine McAteer.

In one particularly memorable tale, he soothed a seething coworker, who was ranting in a dramatically powerful fashion, by getting down on one knee and singing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'”.  It cracked everyone up, breaking the tension in the room.  That was how he often dealt with pain and anger – by evoking laughter.

Aaron was also in love with the city he called home.  He sought out a wide range of ethnic restaurants, frequented museums and ran regularly through Central Park.  His brother described him as “a secretly silly and tender Wall Streeter”.

Aaron’s fiance remains close with his family, and his parents are comforted having a memorial to visit when they come to NYC – a place where people can sit and rest, read, take in the city and remember the man who loved it so much.

This tribute was written as part of Project 2996.  I picked the first six names on the list who had not been written yet, and am posting one every day in the week leading up to September 11th, 2011.  To read my initial post on this organization and to donate to The Feel Good Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders affected by serving on September 11th, please CLICK HERE.

A September 11th Tribute to Aaron Horowitz

Aaron Horowitz, Age 24

Aaron Horowitz, from what I can gauge from the words said of him from friends and family members, was exactly the kind of person I want in my life more.

An infectiously happy, funny person, Aaron was an institutional bond broker for Cantor Fitzgerald, the company that occupied several of the top floors of One World Trade Center.  On the morning of September 11, 2001, 658 employees of Cantor Fitzgerald (about a third of its global work force) were on the 101st-105th floors, several floors above where the hijacked plane made the initial impact.  Aaron was on the 104th.  He perished along with the entirety of his company, the greatest single loss to a company on that day.

Aaron loved that job, and it suited him well.  He was responsible for entertaining clients, making them feel like the most important, respected, worthy people in the world.  This job was laughably suited for him: he was known to charm waitresses at four star restaurants into arranging a last-minute table for eight, cheering up a sobbing concierge after a bad break up and calling her hours later to make sure she was feeling better, and initiating a hula-hooping contest with a stranger in a toy store.  Or, my favorite, drawing his own masterpiece in the chill of a window right next to a Rembrandt.  He made small moments big, dull moment creative.  He “seized souls”.

A former college adviser said, “I always knew Aaron would thrive in a career in which success was built on one’s trustworthiness, likability and good communication. He had a zest for life that provides me with some comfort. Aaron truly enjoyed his time here, and made the most of every minute and opportunity.”

Aaron’s friends and family celebrated that zest for life, that love and happiness he resonated and his ability to make friends with anyone.  But they obviously mourned the brevity of his life, a life that was seemingly coming together perfectly.  This respectful, friendly, warmhearted man had a beautiful future in front of him.

This year Aaron would have been 34.  It’s heartbreaking to think about how many more lives he could have touched, the family he could have started, the work he could have accomplished.  Reading about him across the web I’m sitting here, tearing a bit for this man I never knew.  This happy, infectious, energetic, respectful, hardworking man.

His college roommate relayed this at his memorial service:

“It’s funny how God seems to take people when they are on top of their game and on top of the world, because that’s exactly where Aaron was. He truly lived an amazing life for a 24-year-old. He accomplished more in his time than most people do in a lifetime.”

And please see the comments below for a reflection from Jon, someone who knew Aaron since they were 17.  I am so thankful he shared.

 

This tribute was written as part of Project 2996.  I picked the first six names on the list who had not been written yet, and am posting one every day in the week leading up to September 11th, 2011.  To read my initial post on this organization and to donate to The Feel Good Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders affected by serving on September 11th, please CLICK HERE.

For more information on Aaron Horowitz:

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A September 11th Tribute to A. Todd Rancke

A. Todd Rancke, Dec. 23rd 1959 - Sept. 11 2001

To read friends and family members describe Todd Rancke, it’s no surprise that it was joked he would be the future mayor of his hometown of Summit, New Jersey.  The father of three was on the 104th floor of the second tower on September 11th, 2001.  He had called his wife at 8:45am upon getting to his office at Sandler O’Neill and Partners, as he did daily, to wish her and his children a good day when the first tower was struck.  That phone call was the last they heard of him.

While he apparently had plenty of time to make it to safety, those close to him speculate that he stayed behind to help others – that was just the kind of person he was.  He was so well loved in his town, seemingly knowing almost everyone and attending the same church weekly he had since childhood.

Todd met his future wife Debbie when he was attending Duke University and she a nearby Carolina college.  A brother of Phi Delta Theta, Todd was intelligent, warm and full of life.  They got married years later in the chapel at Duke, were huge supporters of Duke basketball, and were part of a community there that miss him very much.

Todd’s love and devotion to his family, his excitement for life, his strong family values and his belief in the good in people permeate through memorials and articles that followed after his death.  Many friends remark how jovial he was, always able to make someone laugh at themselves in the most friendly of ways.  He raised his children to work hard and embrace athletics.  He was the all-American boy.

After the towers collapsed and Todd was missing, family and friends searched the island for him, going to makeshift morgues and hospitals.  But as the hours and days stretched on, they knew they had lost him.  This warm, loving man touched so many, and I’m sure the goodness and peace he brought to others will be remembered in his wife, his children, and those who love him.

This tribute was written for a collection of tributes on Project 2996.  To read my initial post on this organization and to donate to The Feel Good Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders affected by serving on September 11th, please CLICK HERE.

Several articles and online memorial links are below, and if you’d like to contribute to the A. Todd Rancke Memorial Fund, you can do so by writing the  Hilltop Community Bank, P. O. Box 800, Summit, N.J., 07902-0800.

Remembering 9/11 with Tributes, Donations and Food.

View of Manhattan on September 11th, 2001

I am in love with my city.  I moved here in August of 2003.  On September 11th, 2001, I was in college in Connecticut, about 130 miles away.  I remember very clearly walking into the living room to see my stunned roommates staring at the television.  It didn’t take long for us to realize the significance of what was happening, or the fact that our world was changing drastically in that moment.  After some phone calls to our friends in the city, evacuating buildings and migrating on foot north, we drove to campus in quiet reflection and sat in the empty Catholic church, praying together.

My two roommates were and still are two of my dearest friends.  Because we each had severe childhood illnesses that progressed into chronic illnesses as adults, none of us were allowed to give blood.  So we volunteered at the Red Cross, organizing names of those from Connecticut who were reported missing.  Our state lost hundreds on that day, four from my hometown.  One of whose name I reported missing, to hear it read weeks later in memorandum.

Eight years after moving here, I am in love with New York City even more so than I was growing up outside of it and looking in, dazzled.  I love it more than I did those first few years when everything was bright and new and exciting.  The neighborhoods here all have personal meaning and memory.  Stores, cafes, museums, parks, street corners – I have a personal relationship with so many of them.  After having moved away for a year for work, I came back last year even that much more in love with the city I call home.

So when it worked out that my contribution to Frosting for the Cause fell on September 11th, I started musing on this anniversary early on.  Frosting for the Cause is a website where a blogger from the U.S. or Canada daily tells the story of someone, usually a woman, who was affected by cancer.  They make a recipe and bring the physical goods to a local cancer charity, and then make a monetary donation to the Canadian or American Cancer Society.

Paula, the organizer of the site, was generous in allowing me to give my post a little twist.

Ground Zero

This coming Sunday, September 11th,  I’ll be posting my tribute primarily honoring the first responders have suffered from cancers they developed after spending time in the toxic dust cloud of lower Manhattan following the tragedy.  343 Firemen and paramedics and 23 NYPD officers died that day.  But in the past ten years 45 police officers have died of 9/11 related cancers, as well as many firemen.  Hundreds are facing cancer now, at young ages.  First responders who spent time at Ground Zero were 19% more likely to develop cancers in the 7 years post 9/11 than their underexposed colleagues.  And for the most part, their health care is not covered by the government.

Enter the organization to which I will be making my monetary contribution, The FealGood Foundation.

John Feal was a construction demolition expert who was called to Ground Zero with his team to help make order out of the chaos.  On day 5 of the cleanup, 8,000 pounds of twisted steel collapsed and fell on his foot.  After 10 months of a partial amputation, therapy and the chaos that was battling insurance companies, medical facilities and politicians, John started the FealGood Foundation, an advocacy group for first responders.

From their website:

The primary mission of the FealGood Foundation, a non-profit organization, is to spread awareness and educate the public about the catastrophic health effects on 9/11 first responders, as well as to provide assistance to relieve these great heroes of the financial burdens placed on them over the last [ten] years.

A secondary goal of the Foundation is to create a network of advocacy on 9/11 healthcare issues. We not only advocate for Ground Zero workers, but show others how they can advocate for themselves and help others through grassroots activism.

I met John several months ago when helping a friend interview him for an SBS Dateline piece on what Osama bin Laden’s death meant to New Yorkers and the victims of September 11th.  I was impressed that, after his accident, this tough-looking guy from Long Island brought himself back to health by nourishing and strengthening his body naturally and without the assistance of painkillers (many first responders injured now also have problems with long-term pain medication).  And then turned his life over to advocate for the health of others.

I am proud to make my monetary donation, as small as it is, to this organization.

I’ll then be bringing my food donation (Big Apple Cupcakes with NY Cheesecake Frosting) to a firehouse near Ground Zero that John got me in contact with.

Upon telling a few friends of this blogging adventure, they immediately responded that they’d like to donate as well, and suggested I breach this topic before my post next Sunday.

To donation to the FealGood Foundation,

CLICK HERE.

An unrelated website got passed to me from my friend Elle at Bromography.  The blog Project 2996 was looking for bloggers to write online tributes to those who died in NYC, Pennsylvania and Washington DC because of the attacks.  So every day this week leading up to Sunday I’ll be posting a small tribute to one of the too many names on their list.

I am so fortunate that I did not lose any friends on September 11th.  And like many New Yorkers (and Americans in general), I’m appalled at how the events that occurred on that day affected our political system and our engagement in war. 

So my reflection this week will mostly be in thanks.  Thanks for the city that is still standing strongly and for the people who live here – the glorious New Yorkers that infuriate and inspire.  Thanks for the city that has given me hundreds upon hundreds of breathlessly beautiful moments, whether I’m walking my dog up by the Cloisters, on the back of a friend’s bike as he peddles me through a downpour in Brooklyn, linked arm and arm with friends on warm Manhattan nights, trampling through the falling snow on the way home from a film in the village, or meandering through the Union Square Market and its bounty of deliciousness.  New York is part of my being. 

Thanks, New York.  I love ya.

Taken in October, 2006.

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