Not In Oscar's Wildest Dreams

 

Yesterday, twenty-five days away from the 21st anniversary of the September 11 attacks that killed thousands, New York City's 9/11 Tribute Museum closed its doors forever.   One might ask how those of us who were alive on that terrible Tuesday morning shall educate those who were not when an invaluable resource such as this gem of a joint is, itself, resigned to history's dustbin.  It is an excellent question.  It is also one to which I do not know the answer. 

The COVID-19 pandemic sealed its fate, apparently.  In 2019, 150,000 people came through its doors.  In 2021, that number plunged precipitously to just 26,000.  Of course, the pandemic is only partially responsible for its demise.  Equally responsible are those in power in New York City and the State of New York who have allowed this to happen to this wonderful little museum, which was created by the September 11th Families Association, a not-for-profit whose mission is beautifully described here.  The Museum's purpose was a laudable one: 

The 9/11 Tribute Museum conveys an understanding of the humanity and community that was both lost and found in the aftermath of 9/11.  Throughout the 9/11 Tribute Museum, visitors are engaged in appreciating the scope and impact of the disaster as well as the enormous outpouring of compassion in response.  By sharing with visitors the authentic experiences of those most affected by the events, exhibits and programs convey the courage, loss, heroism, and grief of those who responded to the tragedy. 

Active recording, preserving and sharing of these experiences are central to the mission of the 9/11 Tribute Museum.  Participation in the Tribute volunteer program has had a documented impact on members of the 9/11 community; promoting an enhanced sense of healing, enhanced compassion and appreciation for their place as history keepers. 

And now, incredibly it is the 9/11 Tribute Museum that is history.  Jennifer Adams-Webb, the Museum's co-founder and CEO of the September 11th Families Association, told the New York Post, "We need the state or the city to step in with other partners to be able to say, 'We value you.  We want to save this organization,' but at this point, we can't continue to dig into a hole." 

Nor should they have had to do so.  

-AK 

Whitney Clark and the Footsteps She Follows

Middlesex Borough September 11 Memorial

as seen on August 16, 2022

Twenty-five days from today marks the 21st anniversary of the September 11 attacks.  Twenty-one years.  

In the case of Whitney Clark, the September 11 attacks occurred a lifetime ago.  Figuratively and literally.  She is the second-born child of Lisa Clark and Thomas R. Clark, born approximately a year and a half after her big brother, Matthew.  She was just seven months young when her dad was murdered on that terrible Tuesday morning twenty-one Septembers ago.  He was a Vice-President at Sandler O'Neill & Partners and he was in his office on the 104th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center.  He was only thirty-seven years old.  

"T.C." - as his friends and family called him - was a proud graduate of the University of Richmond and a member of the Class of 1986.  A history major and a member of Phi Delta Theta, he made an indelible impression on practically every other Spider who knew him.  

And on one who was deprived of the chance to do to.  

Whitney Clark is a senior this year at University of Richmond.  She is a member of the Class of '23.  She is a Spider wth the heart of a lion - a young woman who specifically selected Richmond so that she could follow in her dad's footsteps.  I cannot recommend enough that you set aside the time today necessary to read this profile of her, which was published last year on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. 

Her dad was one of four University of Richmond alumni murdered on September 11.  Each of the four is memorialized in his own bench located on campus in the Gumenick Quadrangle.  

Photo Credit:  University of Richmond

(c) University of Richmond

Life has treated Whitney Clark anything but fairly.  A little girl should not have the father who adored her torn from her when she was just seven months old.  Yet that is precisely what happened.  It happened, of course, not just to Whitney Clark but to far too many children becuase of the acts of those murderous cowards twenty-one years ago.  But rather than descend into a spiral of "woe is me", Whitney Clark has embraced her life and, in the course of doing so, has embraced her father's legacy.  

Methinks that no matter where she goes or what she does, the dad with whom she was given far too little time, is right there with her, watching her as she goes, and smiling.   

-AK 

Hope Floats

A nickel’s worth of insight for the first day of the second half of August as I for one wonder where the hell the summer has gone…

…be careful out there.

-AK

Gorgeous Days

This weekend reinforced my belief that weather has no memory.  The sauna that New Jersey has resembled most of this summer was replaced (for how long of course is anyone’s guess) by back-to-back-to-back simply gorgeous days…

…simply gorgeous. 

-AK

Time Well Spent

Sunrise as seen from the 7th Avenue Beach

Normandy Beach - Friday August 12.

Yesterday, I did something I have not done in a long time.   I took the day off.   I spent the entire day doing absolutely nothing related to work.  Nothing. 

It was glorious.  

Margaret and I spent most of the day with Rob and our two beautiful Colorado granddaughters on the beach in Point Pleasant Beach.  

It was one hell of a day.   

-AK

A Reason to Believe

After slightly more than three weeks, beginning on July 18 when we were assigned out to Judge Rivas, the trial that detonated a hand grenade in the middle of my summer ended on Wednesday.  It was a hard-fought, well-tried case that ended in our clients’ favor.  When it was over, truthfully, I was more relieved than I was elated.  

As someone whose IT skills are, well, laughable I was fortunate that during the protracted period of time that New Jersey courts were trying cases exclusively via Zoom I never had to try one.  Cases are to be tried in the courtroom, live and in person.  Period.   Call me a dinosaur if you wish but I offer no apology.  

It was a pleasure to spend the past several weeks in the company of excellent attorneys, both on my side of the courtroom and on the plaintiffs’ side.  The plaintiffs’ attorney was a classmate of mine at Seton Hall Law School three-plus decades ago.  He is now as he was then, a credit to our profession in terms of his legal skills and, moreover, in terms of his humanity.  We need more attorneys like John.  Hell, we need more people like John.  

It had been close to five years since I had last tried a case and it felt good to get back into the courtroom and back at it.  I am - at best - a decidedly mediocre human being.  The ability to try a case just might be the thing I do best.  Admittedly the list of things I do well is a very, very short one.  

Rhetorical question:  Can a list contain only one item?  Asking for…

…never mind.  

-AK

Sixty-Two

Mom died sixty-two months ago today.  She is missed every day. 

Some days even more than others. 

-AK