343

A couple of weeks ago  on my way to work, I stopped behind a black SUV at a red light on the southbound RT112. The SUV had a sticker that reminded me that 9/11 was not far away. The sticker’s background had a drawing of Manhattan skyline including the Twin Towers and its foreground had a firefighter’s helmet with the number 343 on it. The upper left-hand side was written “In Memory of” and on the lower right-hand side, I read “Dad.” With tears in my eyes, I wished there was a way to let the driver of the SUV know that his Dad would not be forgotten. How can I? I can still see, smell and breathe in that smoke vividly in my mind. But of course there was no way for me to share this with the driver of that SUV. And soon he went on his way, and I mine.

That it is highly unlikely that the driver of that black SUV would read this is an understatement. But in the event that any one of the friends and family of those three-hundred forty-three who gave their lives that day happens to read this, I want to assure you. They will not be forgotten.