Never Forgotten: Deborah Kobus

Nineteen days from now marks twenty-five years since September 11, 2001. A quarter-century has passed since that terrible Tuesday morning. It is the duty of the living to remember those killed that day. It is the duty of the living to make sure that the stories of their lives continue to echo through the years. It is the duty of the living to ensure those who were murdered that day are never forgotten. 

Deborah Kobus, thirty-six, at the end of the 2000-2001 Colorado ski season, had returned to New York from Aspen where she had worked at the St. Regis Hotel, to help her brother, Robert, care for their mother, who had Alzheimer's Disease. Shortly after she returned to New York, she got a job on Wall Street, as a Vice President at Chuo Mitsui Trust and Banking Company. She was in her office on the 83rd floor of the South Tower when hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 was flown into the building. 

On Labor Day, 2001, Deborah Kobus had become engaged to Alexander Setzler. The couple met in Aspen, Colorado, when she began working at the St. Regis.   

Forever thirty-six. Forever loved. Forever remembered. 

-AK 

Never Forgotten: Paul Joseph Simon

Twenty days from now marks twenty-five years since September 11, 2001. A quarter century has passed since that terrible Tuesday morning. It is the duty of the living to remember those killed that day. It is the duty of the living to make sure that the stories of their lives continue to echo through the years. It is the duty of the living to ensure those who were murdered that day are never forgotten. 

Paul Joseph Simon ran a computer consulting firm, DAU Systems. On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, he was visiting a client, Marsh & McLennan, on the 97th floor of the North Tower when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 was deliberately flown into the building.  He and his wife, Shelley, had been married for thirty-one years at the time of his death. They had been together for forty years, when they were teenagers in the Catskills. They lived in Staten Island, New York, and had a summer home on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, in Beach Haven. 

Forever fifty-four. Forever loved. Forever remembered. 

-AK 

Never Forgotten: Robert Hayes

Twenty-one days from today marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of September 11, 2001. A quarter century has passed since that terrible Tuesday morning. It is the duty of the living to remember those killed that day. It is the duty of the living to make sure that the stories of their lives continue to echo through the years. It is the duty of the living to ensure that those who were murdered that day are never forgotten. 

Robert Hayes was a Massachusetts man. He was born in Medford and at the time of his death, he lived in Amesbury with his wife, Debbie, and their two small children, Robbie and Ryan, who were just four years old and eight months old respectively on the day their father was murdered. He and Debbie met at Logan Airport in 1989.  He had missed his flight and she was the customer services agent for TWA who rebooked him. She said that after he returned from trip, he became a regular caller to her at the ticket counter - and not because he needed to book a flight. 

He worked for the Swiss firm, Netstal Machinery, and on that Tuesday morning a quarter-century ago, he boarded American Airlines Flight 11 at Boston's Logan Airport, bound for a bueiness meeting in Los Angeles.  

Forever thirty-seven. Forever loved. Forever remembered. 

-AK

Never Forgotten: Mirna Duarte

Twenty-three days from today marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of September 11, 2001. A quarter century has passed since that terrible Tuesday morning. It is the duty of the living to remember those killed that day. It is the duty of the living to make sure that the stories of their lives continue to echo through the years. It is the duty of the living to ensure that those who were murdered that day are never forgotten. 

Mirna Duarte, thirty years of age, was a native of Honduras. At the time of her death, she lived in Richmond Hills, Queens. She worked as a consultant at Marsh & McLennan and was in her office in the North Tower of the World Trade Center when the murderous cowards who hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 deliberately crashed it into the building. 

At the time of her death, Mirna Duarte was engaged to be married to her boyfriend, Randy.  Tragically, they were deprived of the opportunity to exchange vows and to live the life they had imagined together. 

Forever thirty. Forever loved. Forever remembered. 

-AK 

Never Forgotten: FDNY Lt. David Halderman

Twenty-three days from today marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of September 11, 2001. A quarter century has passed since that terrible Tuesday morning. It is the duty of the living to remember those killed that day. It is the duty of the living to make sure that the stories of their lives continue to echo through the years. It is the duty of the living to ensure that those who were murdered that day are never forgotten. 

The FDNY was part of David Halderman's DNA.  His father retired following a thirty-year career in the FDNY. His brother, Michael, retired from the FDNY as a Deputy Chief.  Tragically, Lt. Halderman's father died in August 2001, just six days after Lt. Halderman's fortieth birthday.  A nine-year veteran of the FDNY, Lt. Halderman was part of Squad 18 in Manhattan. On September 11, he was one of the valiant first responders who sacrificed his own life so that others could live.  He was one of four siblings.  

When he died on September 11, 2001, FF Halderman was on the list to be promoted to Lieutenant. Following his death, the FDNY honored his life and his legacy by posthumously awarding him the promotion. 

Forever forty. Forever loved. Forever remembered. 

-AK

Never Forgotten: FDNY Firefighter Leon Smith, Jr.

Twenty-four days from today marks twenty-five years since September 11, 2001. A quarter century has passed since that terrible Tuesday morning. It is the duty of the living to remember those killed that day. It is the duty of the living to make sure that the stories of their lives continue to echo through the years. It is the duty of the living to ensure that those who were murdered that day are never forgotten. 

Leon Smith, Jr. was a FDNY firefighter, stationed at Ladder 118 in Brooklyn Heights. He was the "Chauffeur" - the driver. One of the lasting images of September 11, 2001, is the photograph Aaron McLamb took that morning from his apartment window, which captured Ladder 118 racing across the Brooklyn Bridge towards the Twin Towers, both of which were already engulfed in flame and black smoke. Leon Smith, Jr. and all five of his brothers from Ladder 118 who rode with him that morning were killed while saving innocents. 

FF Smith joined the FDNY on February 27, 1982. Among those he loved who had to bid him farewell far too soon were his mother, his wife, and his daughters.   

Forever forty-eight. Forever loved. Forever remembered.  

-AK 

Never Forgotten: Daniel M. Lewin

Twenty-five days from today marks twenty-five years since September 11, 2001. A quarter century has passed since that terrible Tuesday morning. It is the duty of the living to remember those killed that day. It is the duty of the living to make sure that the stories of their lives continue to echo through the years. It is the duty of the living to ensure that those who were murdered that day are never forgotten. 

Daniel M. Lewin, thirty-one years of age, founded Akamai Technologies in 1998 with one of his MIT professors and with one of his fellow MIT students. In less than three years, it had grown into one of the world's top technology companies.  Mr. Lewin lived in the Boston area with his wife Anne and the couple's two sons, Eitan and Itamar. 

Born in Denver, Colorado, he moved to Israel with his parents in 1983. Upon his high school graduation, he served for four years in the Israel Defense Forces, where he rose to the rank of Captain. On the morning of September 11, 2001, he was seated near three of the hijackers in first-class on American Airlines Flight 11. He is widely believed to have been the first victim killed on September 11 - stabbed to death by one of Flight 11's hijackers when he rose up against them and tried to prevent the hijacking.  

Forever thirty-one. Forever loved. Forever remembered.  

-AK