Title: We Remember: Stories of September 11, 2001 Victims Written by Families
Author: Maureen Crethan Santora
Publisher: Ewings Publishing LLC
ISBN: 979-8-89031-944-9
Pages: 206
Genre: Non-Fiction / Memoir
Reviewed By: Susan Brown
Hollywood Book Reviews
As so many Americans do, I remember exactly where I was when New York’s Twin Towers were attacked by terrorists and subsequently collapsed on September 11, 2001. The first airplane flown by the terrorists hit the North Tower early, about 5:45am West Coast time. I was in the throes of a two-children morning routine, not really listening to the news when the special report announcement came on. I took my children to school and spent the rest of the day transfixed by the continuous reporting.
In all, four attacks happened that day and over 3,000 people died. Victims whose voices were forever silenced. This book, an anthology of narratives compiled by the author, is written by a selection of some of the victims’ loved ones and pays tribute to them, giving voice to lives lost. The author, who lost a son on September 11, has written two other books — one about that day’s events, and one about her son. In this book, Ms. Santora reached out to the survivors of 24 victims. This collection of tributes is written by mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters and expresses their feelings of grief and sense of loss.
Given the genesis of this book, the stories brought up a myriad of emotions for me. It’s not easy to read profiles of those who have passed, particularly in such a tragic way. However, these accounts, while filled with sadness, were just as importantly filled with loving memories of lost sons, daughters and siblings. Accompanying each profile was a selection of black and white photographs from that person’s life – smiling as children, joyous at celebrations, ecstatic on vacation, determined at work, calm and happy at family gatherings. The words and pictures provide a glimpse into the all-too-short lifetimes of these 24 “ordinary folks who were going to work to support their families. The rescue workers were simply doing their jobs,” writes the author.
Just as impassioned as the author’s words were those of the family members who participated in this collection with comments like:
“The spirit of all who perished on September 11th will never die because of the strong legacy each of them left.” — Mother
“Jonathan died doing what he loved so deeply, being a New York City firefighter.” — Mother
“He took a piece of my heart and left me with a treasure of memories.” — Mother
“I would advise all fathers, don’t be squeamish about giving your songs a hug and telling them that you love them.” — Father
“It is our family’s hope that our country will never forget what happened that day and will continue to work to make sure that such a tragedy can never happen again.” — Sister
“Dreams died, and ordinary people became heroes.” — Mother
“My big brother is not lost, he is everywhere I go. And every time I see a truck thunder by and hear the sirens sound, I hold him that much closer to my heart.” — Sister
These beautiful remembrances represent just a small number of the words written about the two dozen souls in this book. It is time well spent to read the entire book. Readers are given a window into the profound emotional turmoil that accompanies such an unimaginable loss. More than 20 years have passed since that horrible day in September and I am inspired by these words from the author’s dedication, “May we never forget them and hold their memories in our hearts forever.”
Maureen Crethan Santora’s book is powerful, making it clear that this book is not only a tribute, but also a call to remember and honor the victims and heroes of 9/11. We Remember: Stories of September 11, 2001 Victims Written by Families is a moving and emotional book that honors the memory of those who were lost and celebrates the courage of those who responded.