In memory of Paul -- one of NY's bravest -- running in as others ran out.

I first met Paul when he was one of my freshmen students in English. Quite, shy and a bit of a cut-up at times.

soon sucked him into drama as a techie (sets and lights)

His sister was the one out on stage until (oh lordy that "Grease" cosutme!!!) ---

then came the year we did "The Good Doctor" by Neil Simon which is a series of little scenes.

One scene: "Too Late for Happiness" was about an older man and an older woman who see each other daily in the park -- she while reading sitting on park bench, he while taking a daily constitutional. Each deeply desires to make contact w/ the other in a more meaningful way than conversational pleasantries - but their personal fears prevent it.

requires actors to SING their inner thoughts, speak the pleasantries.

somehow, Paul was talked into playing the old man against his sister as the woman. His first time on stage and he has to act and SING!

He did it heart-breakingly beautifully!

fast forward: he has a child w/ developmental challenges -- and becomes Paul's world.

fast forward: Paul becomes a fireman to support child and family.

fast forward: class reunion -- sat across from him at the dinner -- the love his children, the love of his career shown in his eyes and filled every word he spoke.

fast forward: 9/11

and while it may be "Too Late For Happiness" for Paul here on this earth...yes, as his tribute site says "shine on you crazy diamond" with much happiness in heaven and sweet memories in our hearts.

RIP, Paul -- you are missed.

tribute site: http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/paulgill/index.html

oh doug, i didn't know anyone personally-but just reading what you wrote makes me want to cry--heartbreaking thru & thru--Doug, WHY?? this should have never happened

to the family & friends--my thoughts are with you all

Doug, I did not know anyone personally that died that dreadful day but I get choked up thinking about the people that died and the families of those people. But hearing from someone that knew someone personally makes my heart burst with immense saddness. We must never forget that day and the losses that we had.

I do not know anyone who lost their life but I do always keep the people & their families in my thoughts & prayers. How could anyone ever forget?

My DH is in the AF & a mechanic for the B-52's. SOOO his base was the first one to get deployed. On 9/11 I was on my way to my first day of work at a local church as Director of Childcare. All my people went to one room & held hands & prayed & cried before all the children came for the day. We watched tv in horror. I was outside ushering all the parents & children in the church when I saw Air Force One fly over the church. Scared to death because Pres Bush was going to our AF base. We were all terrified that our city was now a target to these terriosts. A feeling that I couldn't explain. Pres Bush stayed several hours. The base was in a lock down no one coming or going through the gates. All the schools around the base were evacuated & the children sent home. No one knew what could happen. I didn't loose a loved one during this but I did feel the terror of this day. I will never forget that. Dh was deployed for 7 months & 2 of those months we had no idea where he really was. Part of being a AF wife. I commend the military for their bravery during this time. Soldiers come home safe!!!

I am a fireman so I have a big heart for other firemen. To those firemen who lost their lives... your mansions in heaven are many!! You are truely missed!!! You are the true hero's!! God bless your families & God bless the USA~

Doug, I'm so sorry to read about the loss of this fine man, who brought jo into many lives.

I live in Utah, and have never been to New York. I didn't know anyone who died that day, but I will never forget it. I woke that morning and turned on the news, the first plane had already hit. I remember grabbing my kids and just sobbing.
About a year ago my aunt passed away, and at her funeral her son told a story about their trip to New York City. On the last day, they left the hotel and went to the World Trade Center. They sat on a bench between the two towers and looked up in awe. My aunt had cancer, and had been very sick so she knew this would be her last vacation. She said that looking up at the towers made her feel like she was "part of something greater than herself." They flew home later that day.
The next morning she called her son and told him to turn on the TV. It was 9/11. He said they watched those beautiful towers fall, and cried together.
God bless the innocent on those planes, and those who died in the towers. God bless those who ran in when others were running out. Indeed, God bless us all.....

just wanted to re-post and say thank you for putting this on cc. I read every word and have shed many tears. Thanks again Doug.

thanks for the kind words...

If any of you knew someone from that tragedy, how about posting a little tribute to him/her/them in the coming days

I didn't know anyone personally either but my beloved husband is a volunteer firefighter and to him (and I) that day will never be forgotten. To him, he lost 343 brothers and sisters that day. I remember being at work and watching everything unfold on the tv and not really comprehending. My husband called me and the first thing he said was "I'm going to New York!". He wanted so badly to help and do whatever he could but unfortunately wasn't able to go. We also have to remember all those brave men and women from all over that went to help and are now dealing with all kinds of health problems from the horrible conditions that surrounded them. We had a local K9 police officer and his dog travel there to help with recovery. That wonderful animal also paid the ultimate sacrifice when he passed away from an illness onset by what he went through in the days he was there.
I hope everyone can take some time next Monday to say a prayer for those 343 (and all the others lost) and the ones they left behind. It has been 5 years but the pain is still there and I think, will always be, on some level for everyone.
HeatherMari

Thank you Doug for posting this.

My neice's husband was in the second building that went down. He doesn't talk much about it...keeps it inside.

We were worried to death until we finally heard from him.

Also, we had another family crisis on that same day; my mother was in a car accident...luckily she was not seriously hurt. I was outside hanging out laundry when the ambulance went by and I had no clue that she was in the ambulance until one of her friends that was also in the car called to let me know.

My prayers and love go out to all. May Jehovah bless and keep you.

My sister went into labor with her first child on the morning of September 11th, before the planes hit the towers. Soon we all found out about it, and we were so worried for her in the hospital. She lives out West, but we were still praying that everything would be all right. The baby was born that evening, which was and still is a sweet reassurance that life goes on no matter what.

I was born in NYC and have memories of being up in the Twin Towers.

Thanks for the post, Doug.

In memory of my neighbor Jacqueline who perished in the Twin Towers on 9/11. My prayers go out to my daughter's former classmates who lost their parents. I thank God that no life was lost at Church Street Post Office. I have quite a few friends who worked there--not a soul lost, but they are still traumatized. They were caught up in the dust cloud and saw people jumping out of windows to their death.
I thank God that my mother was ill that day, it was her habit to shop in the WTC complex each morning. Thank God that I went to work early that day, my subway train #1 travels directly underneath the WTC and was badly damaged. It took over a year to get that train back in service and even now it bypasses the WTC stop. Right now I work directly across from Ground Zero. There is a photographic exhibit there now, President Bush and the First Lady will be at the site Sunday, and there is a big memorial planned on Monday. We were all advised to visibly wear our job i.d.'s since we will be stopped at various checkpoints. I'm grateful to be alive and grateful that none of my family members perished.

God Bless America!!

sweetsuccess Wow! What an incredible story. Your family has truely been blessed~ My thoughts & prayers will be with you & your family & everyone else involved in some way. Keep the faith!! Monday will be a hard do for the USA. Hopefully everyone will come together again!!

Doug - Your friend sounds amazing and even though these words sound empty, I am sorry...for you and for him and his family. I did not know anyone who was lost on September 11th but I think of "them" often and it gives my heart a painful jolt each time I see old T.V. shows or pictures with the New York skyline as it was.

I cannot for the life of me believe it has been almost 5 years.... it feels like it was just yesterday.

Doug,

Thanks for posting this tribute. I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. I did not know anyone who was killed that day, but my brother was living and working in Washington DC. I was very concerned because I was working and could not try to get in touch with him.

As a police dispatcher in Memphis Tn, I had begun work on the police radio covering the downtown area of our city. I had to get cars in place to shut down traffic around all of the government buildings. It was pretty chaotic for a while. I didn't actually see what happened until later in the day because I was not able to leave my post. Then, when I finally got a break and went outside to call my Dad to check on my brother, I was locked out of the building because of a bomb threat in our building. Thankfully my brother was fine and I, of course, was allowed back in the building once it was cleared.

I have shed many a tear over that day, for the lives lost and for those who lost loved ones. I still sob every time I see something on television, but cannot help but watch it.

We must forever remember that day, not only for the tragedy that befell our nation, but for the heroism exihibited by our police, fire and military forces, as well as ordinary citizens who performed so many heroic acts to help save others. It is proof that we will perservere!!

God Bless America!!!
Cindy

Doug and sweetsuccess--
Many prayers to both of you as the anniversary approaches. I gt teary-eyed everytime I think about it.

I hve a friend (well, 2 friends--TC, that's you) that are firefigthers and I can see them doing the same thing--only thinking of saving others despite the danger. A solemn day for all tomorrow I am sure.

Sweetsuccess-- I have a home health patient whose son worked across the street from the towers. He, too, said the hardest thing to accept was seeing people jump. He doesn't talk about it too much.

I was in Yellowstone Nat'l Park on that day, woke in a Mammoth Springs Hotel and the only TV was in the lobby. I had heard on the radio while showering about the events taking place. I was so weird being in such a beautiful, peaceful place knowing the chaos that was going on.

My prayers to many as September 11th approaches.

TC--

After our DOS yesterday, I'm sorry I didn't ask more about your DH. That was quite a day 5 years ago. On the following Sunday, our church had aMuslim-turned-Christian guest pastor at our church. He was from the Dallas Seminary. We had been working on getting him to come to our church as a guest speaker since before summer of 2001.

Everything was set-up for that Sunday and we thought we would have to cancel. His life was threatened because of the past. Death threats plagued him right after 9/11. We could not even advertise that he was coming and worried that if the word did get out that our very church would be targeted.

His sermon ended up being his testimony to Christianity and the difference between Christians, Muslims and the Extreme Muslims/Jihads
It was so moving--not a dry-eye in our church. Many people came to Christ the week of 9/11 but sad to say, once the fear was gone, so were they. Hopefully and prayerfully, they will return.

In memory of the police officers and firefighters that risked all in service.
In memory of all the children that are growing up without a father, mother.
In memory of the wives and husbands that struggle to go on.
In memory of all the civilians that perished.
In memory of all the families that are dealing with loss on this day and every other day.

Forgive me, but I hope the dead terrorists met with sharp toothed haggish shrews instead of vestal virgins in their afterlives.

Doug ... thanks for sharing the story of your friend. He sounds like an amazing guy.

I got married less than a month after 9/11/01. I have lots of family in NYC, and several of them weren't able to come to the wedding because they had friends/loved ones who were directly involved (or sadly, lost) in the WTC attack. It is still hard to believe that it happened. I've been glued to the tributes/coverage that have been on TV for the last few days, and it is just so sad. I saw the movie "World Trade Center" in the theaters over the weekend, and I have to say that it was very well done. Of course, I cried like a baby throughout it, but I thought it was a movie that everyone should see (if they are ready).

requiat pax...

paul
and all the brave and innocent souls lost that day.

you may be gone but you are NOT forgotten.

I have a friend I was in the Marines with that was in Intellegance and was posted in the Pentagon. I haven't heard from her since then. I don't have the heart to even see the list of names from the Pentagon. I don't want to know. I prefer not too.

My aunt worked at the Pentagon. The plane crashed in the area where her office was. It was so scary, we couldn't get in touch with her. Fortunately, she wasn't at work that day, she had retired- which we knew was happening, but not when.

Doug, I must say that you have a way with words. That was beautiful.