STORIES

We represent a grassroots movement made up of the 9/11 community, which consists of 9/11 survivors, first responders, family members of those lost, and all volunteers and lower Manhattan residents, students and workers who are now suffering fatal illnesses due to their exposure to Ground Zero. The 9/11 community has successfully worked with Congress to override the presidential veto of Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA). Now law, JASTA stripped terrorist nations of immunity. We aim to have the same effect in gaining access to answers that we’ve waited for since 2001 by motivating government agencies to fully unredact and declassify 9/11 documents.


On September 11, 2001, my sister, Sharon Ann Carver, was murdered at the Pentagon by Saudi cowards who had no respect for human life. This loss devastated my family. Sharon was the sweetest person I have ever known. She was kind, generous and loving to everyone. She was always so understanding and giving. She always saw the good in everyone. She loved working at the Pentagon and took great pride in serving her country, but her great love was her family and friends. We miss her deeply and our family will always feel pain for the way she was taken from us. We never got a chance to say goodbye or justice from our government for her murder at the hands of the Saudi Government. We never thought our own government would side with these murderers instead of standing with the 9/11 families and victims.

– Slyvia

I was working in Tower 2 for Chuo Trust and Bank in 1993 during the first World Trade Center bombing; my one thought that day was “thank God, Dad is safe”. He worked in Tower 1 until a couple weeks before that bombing and fortunately was on the other side on lower Manhattan. It took me over 3 hours to walk down the stairs. Fast forward 8 years, and Dad was back at Cantor Fitzgerald in Tower 1. I knew he was dead and had to tell my family. There simply was not enough time for him to get to safety.

I was pregnant with my daughter and my father was over the moon to be a grandfather. Life was good, then it wasn’t. In the few moments after hearing the first plane hit the World Trade Center, I knew my life, my mother’s life, my siblings’ lives and my unborn child’s life had changed. Dad was gone. A 56 year young, father of 4, married to his college sweetheart and future grandfather was annihilated from Earth. Just gone in a few moments.

Our President made promises to us, the victims and family members of 9/11 victims, with regard to disclosure and Saudi Arabia. Time to step up to the plate Mr. President.

– Kristen

On September 11, 2001, I was home with my three young children when the phone rang and my husband Tom frantically told me a plane had hit the building. Within moments, I saw the black smoke billowing out of the North Tower and witnessed what the world was seeing…a violent attack on our nation and the murder of my husband. I pray everyday our country will never experience that kind of fear, pain and suffering ever again. Tom was a vibrant, charismatic, wonderful family man. His children, parents, siblings and everyone that knew him misses him deeply.

– Terry

My younger brother, AG-1 SW Edward T. Earhart, better known as Ed, was serving at the Pentagon with the U.S. Navy.

We had chatted two night before he died. They were renovating the Pentagon. Ed was excited to be getting his own desk and phone. Often you share desks and a phone with shipmates. I teased him telling him he was getting BIG time on me with his own phone.
I called that desk number and his cell phone repeatedly when he didn’t answer and didn’t call to say he was okay. After a couple days I had a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. My brother never liked my parents or his eldest sisters to worry about him. When he drove back and forth from DC to Morehead, Kentucky, he would call to say when he was leaving to come home and when he arrived back to DC, his duty station.

– Andrea

Dear Director Haines,

I am one of the 9/11 family members who signed the 4/14/21 letter to you regarding the 9/11 Community Request for declassification of the April 2016 Review Report of Saudi Government involvement in the 9/11 attacks.

I am writing to you on behalf of my sister, Deborah Kobus and all the 9/11 victims. Deborah was murdered on 9/11/01 as she sat at her desk on the impact floor of Tower Two. She was 36 years old and had her whole life ahead of her.

In January 2016, I retired from the FBI New York Office after serving for 35 years. During my career, I have seen the FBI at its finest and at its lowest. In 2005, I reported wrongdoing by executive management in the New York office. The DOJ-OIG and the DOJ-OARM both investigated and confirmed what I witnessed was illegal activity on the part of certain managers. I won my case in 2014, nine years after it was initiated.
During my career, I was assigned (for one year) at the Joint terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in New York. Numerous Special Agents would speak to me about the loss of my sister. They would also express how they felt regarding their assessment that the Saudis were supporting the 9/11 terrorist attack.

In closing, I was taught at a young age that “actions speak louder than words.” We have seen how the Saudis have kill their own citizen in their embassy. I have seen FBI executives care more about their own careers than acknowledge what I told the DOJ -OIG was the truth. I know the FBI will hide behind a State Secret rule even though it has been almost 20 years since this terrible day. The FBI executives’ actions regarding this matter speaks volumes (for 19 years) on how they truly feel about the deaths of 2,977 Americans.

Please have the courage and integrity to support our request for the 2016 report. I know the family members of the 2,977 people that were killed that day will be eternally grateful. I know that my sister’s death will mean something in the fight against terrorism.
Sincerely and Respectfully,

– Robert

Alice Hoagland was a passionate leader in the 9/11 community on airline safety and the mother of 9/11 victim and Flight 93 hero Mark Bingham, who along with the other brave passengers of United Flight 93, stormed the cockpit and fought with terrorists for control of the hijacked aircraft. Although Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, PA, killing all aboard, the efforts of Mark and others heroically prevented the terrorists from striking intended targets in Washington DC. Alice passed away on December 22, 2020.

– Alice

My husband was killed on the 104th floor of the North Tower on 9/11, leaving behind 3 children: a 7 year old and 6 year old twins.

– Lisa

I married the love of my life, Christopher Newton-Carter. We were planning a family together. He was kind and gentle soul. Chris participated in many pilgrimages to Our Lady of Lourdes in France as an usher carrying the sick. He loved working at Sandler O’Neill and Partners, South Tower as Associate Director of Information Technology. He never left the 104th floor on September 11, 2001.


I ask on behalf of Christopher Newton-Carter that you put an end to the U.S. helping protect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabi at the expense of the 9/11 community and all Americans.

– Susan

Thomas J Cahill (our Tommy ), my brother, was 36 working at Cantor on the 104th floor. We believe he was with his best friends and coworkers, Tommy Strada, and others trying to escape. Tommy was a fun, handsome, athletic, charismatic, funny, huge energy kind of person who lit up every room he entered and made everyone feel at ease. Tommy was a wonderful son, brother, uncle, and friend to so many who adored him. Tommy had integrity and character and truly cared about others like our veterans and first responders — before 9/11 . Our family and our extended family and friends all miss him daily in our lives. He will always be with us in spirit, and not a day goes by that we don’t think of him and miss him. Tommy, we know we will see you again in heaven. Until we meet again. Our hearts are broken but our faith sustains us to know we will relink again in the hereafter.

– Kathleen

On the morning of September 11, 2001, my husband, John, left home to venture into work. He always left the house around 5:30 a.m. and would work out before starting his day managing the Interest Rate Options desk at Cantor Fitzgerald. This particular morning, he overslept and left a little bit later. I overheard him calling his buddy saying he would be working out after work, instead of that morning, and then kissed me goodbye. I received a call from John around 8:50 a.m. sounding confused and asked if I had the TV on. He said they had heard a small plane had hit the building and wasn’t sure what was going on. The phone went dead. Since he was a practical joker, I thought he was up to one of his pranks. However, when I turned the television on, I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. I then witnessed the second tower being struck by the second plane and knew our country was under attack. Frantically, I kept hitting redial on my phone, trying to contact John again. I was able to reach him only to hear him say to me, “Michele you are the love of my life and I will love you forever.” I hope he was able to hear me as well. He left behind four young boys. Matthew was 9, Nicholas was 7, Michael was 3, and Paul was almost 3 months old. Today, John lives on through each of them, and he is greatly missed.

– Michele

I am Tasha Brothers and my father’s name was Henry Timothy Brothers. He was a first responder to hell in transit. He died of lung cancer. I fight so hard for his name to be put on the wall. I fight so hard to win the lawsuit. But I also fight for justice — for all the people that lost a loved one on 9/11. I think about it every day, what happened 9/11. When we think about the stories, it hurts so much. This is the same as everybody else… the pain never goes away … we need justice for not only my family but for all the families that something. … We are Americans just living day by day trying to make it through life … America deserves justice justice for all the families.

– Tasha

My business was on South Street, just south of the Brooklyn Bridge. I was there since I was a kid, family business in the fish market. After the attacks, it was very difficult for me to come in and out of the city. I stayed at my loft, in the building. I was there for 2 months after the attacks, working and helping anyone that needed help. I started developing acid reflux, soon after. That turned into GERD, and now I have Baretts Esophagus. In 2012 I developed laboring to breathe, and by Feb 2013, I was hospitalized, and my entire right lung was removed — and I never smoked. Now I am on a ventilator, every day. I, too, would like answers from our government, as to the roles that other countries played in the attacks.

– Richard

My family lost both my brother, FF Ken Watson from FDNY Engine 214, and my cousin, FF Richie Muldowney from FDNY Ladder 7 in the South Tower of the WTC on 9/11/2001. Both of our families are all involved in the 9/11 Victim Families lawsuit against Saudi Arabia.

– Glenn

My husband is Lt Mike F Lynch Ladder 4 54/4 bat 9. We lost all of the guys working that day. 33 kids in our firehouse lost a Dad. I have 2 boys. They were turning 3 years old and 6 months old. Mike was a fantastic Dad. He came from a large Irish family and he was the baby of 8 kids. He was on the fire department 10 years. My heart is broken and I miss him every day but I know he would have wanted to be there and he did help save lives that morning. I am proud of the man he was and the example he has set for our 2 sons.

– Denise

My wonderful husband Andy was murdered on 9/11/01. He left behind twin 11 year old sons. We now have a company that makes and sells men’s accessories and give a portion back to charity to “pay it forward” for all the help we received after 9/11.

– Lisa

I lost my son, Guy Barzvi. He was 29 years old, working for Cantor Fitzgerald. Lori Barzvi, his younger sister, lost her brother whom she adored. Only 3 years after 9/11, Guy’s father was taken away from us! This was an implacable loss — it has been Lori and me ever since, having to endure all this pain. 20 years later and nothing has changed, we are still grieving!

– Gila

As a N.Y.C. Transit Authority Bus Operator, I myself, along with other bus operators, brought military, police and firemen from various locations to the World Trade Center site. The N.Y.C Transit Authority used the express buses and local buses because the area was closed to all traffic with the exception of official city vehicles. We did this for months on and off until the “pile” was cleaned up. However, the story is not over. The buses, some of which were never actually properly cleaned nor disinfected, became a second source of contamination. In addition to driving buses to and from the WTC site, these very same buses had to be fueled for the next day’s work. I assisted in this operation extensively as I was what the TA calls “shifter qualified.” Essentially, I was being exposed to this terrible toxic mess all day long. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011 for which I underwent a robotic prostatectomy and now have chronic sinusitis and rhinitis. So far, my cancer has not reemerged, but I have some complications resulting from that surgery. The reason I am joining your organization is that I firmly believe that as citizens of this great country we are entitled to the absolute truth concerning what happened leading up to the 9/11 attacks. There seems to be much mystery surrounding the attacks and I really do not understand why. All Americans should know the absolute, unabridged truth regarding the events surrounding this heinous act. I applaud this organization in its relentless efforts to uncover the true story behind these attacks.

– Anthony

In the late 1990’s, I worked with my godfather and uncle Jack at Eurobrokers. Uncle Jack was a great mentor and advocate in my career. I was fortunate to move on to other things, but I lost my godfather and uncle on that horrible day.  God bless you all.

– Casey

My husband, Jeff, died in New York on 9/11. We live in Virginia, and he was working on a part-time project in N.Y.C. He was a volunteer EMT, and he left his safe building and went into harm’s way because of his training and never came home. At the time, we had triplets that were only 6 years old.

– Diane

On that Tuesday in September 2001, we got into the car to head over to my aunt’s house that she shared with another aunt and uncle. I expected to see her there and find out more about the commotion on the news, but she wasn’t around. At age 7, I’d never seen pain like that before, but I knew what it meant for us. I don’t know how the adults felt during the period of the unknown — the period when we would wait, and time would pass but we would never find her. I’ve cried for her for 20 years. I don’t remember our last moments together. I don’t know what we said or did. What I do know, and what I keep close to my chest during moments of uncertainty and sadness that I can’t shake, is that she loved me a great deal. I know that she is proud of me. She made all of us, in a huge family, feel like we were most important. My aunt, Sharon, was a woman who woke up early with me to make eggs and read Bernstein Bears. My aunt was a woman who didn’t deserve this fate. Twenty years later, I’ve accepted that I will never smile the same. My family lives on in tribute to her life and what she gave to all of us who loved her during the 38 years we shared. To all who suffered a fathomless loss on September 11, 2001, I stand alongside you in your pain and I hold your hand on the path to healing.

– Tyra

Our son James, age 23, worked for Cantor Fitzgerald. This was his first job after college; the “perfect job,” he said. Because of the earlier attack on the Trade Center, we were convinced there would be another and we tried to talk him out of taking this job. With the naivete of youth and misplaced faith in his government, he felt he would be safe. We must never forget that negligence on the part of many elected officials from both parties, as well as of appointed bureaucrats permitted the terrorists to enter the country illegally. We must also not forget nor forgive the fact that no one in government has ever been held accountable for their despicable dereliction of duty, not even those specifically named in the 9/11 Commission Report. Without accountability there is no justice and no reform.

– Peter and Janice

Lost my husband, Ivelin, on 9/11/01 in the WTC North Tower.

– Gila

Widow of Andrew who was lost from the 92nd Floor of the North Tower.

– Lisa

My brother Edward worked for Fred Alger and was in World Trade Center 1 when he was murdered. He was 33.

– David

I was home on Duane Street the morning of the attack. I heard the first plane, low, loud and close. I heard myself mumble, “Please not this building.” Then I felt a shudder, the whole building shaking. I ran to the front windows where I looked down and across and saw nothing until I looked up and saw a smoking hole in one of the towers and realized that was where the plane had crashed. My story became a minor tale in the context of the horror that had just begun for so many, a horror that changed life on our planet, a horror that destroyed lives and families. My heart goes out to all who suffered one way or another that day and hope that blessings have soothed all to some degree. I am outraged by LIV Golf’s attempt to cover for the 15 Saudis who were in the planes on 9 11 and severely disappointed in the greed of golfers who don’t seem to care that they are doing Saudi’s ugly business.

– Jed

I lost my younger brother Adam. As Vice President of Operations for an international trading firm, he was part of the great American economic engine. His agenda was not politics, religion, or ideology – it was prosperity and freedom. He was light-hearted, determined, smart, and talented.  He was quite the singer, too. He sang at my wedding and never lost a karaoke contest. We miss him every day. I called Adam in his office on 9/11 and shared, what I later realized would be our final conversation. In that two-minute conversation, he told me of the terrible sights he saw from his window watching the North Tower. Over the phone, I heard the commotion of people looking out the window and listened to their all-too-human responses as they watched. I heard the urgency in my brother’s voice. His last words to me were, “I got to go.” I said, “Go home” as we quickly ended our conversation. I never talked to him again. That conversation stays with me. We cannot forget the stories of courage and heroism, the rescuers who ran up the stairs while others ran out. I will never forget the courage my brother Adam showed as he assisted rescuers in leading people to safety. Nor will I forget the terrible price he paid for being an American. We need to keep their memories alive and continue our relentless pursuit of justice and accountability.

– Don A.

My nephew Hector Tirado Jr. was a firefighter who died at the WTC on 9/11. He was very close to his family and was loved by all of us.

– Roberto T.

My husband of 28 years, Alan Friedlander, was killed on 9/11 in the South Tower. I am enraged and disappointed that U.S. golfers have aligned themselves with the Saudis, clearly to reap monetary benefits. Even after 20 years, the Saudis have escaped any ramifications for their actions. Mr. Mickelson’s comments about his “sympathy and empathy” for the families of 9/11 victims are nonsense. He does not understand the anguish of the husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, siblings, children, and friends who suffered because of the Saudis’ participation and assistance in the murders of our loved ones. The golfers who have chosen to deal with the Saudis have put their financial gain over honesty, decency, and respect for the 2,966 victims who were innocently killed on 9/11.

– Helen

My husband lost his father, Simon Weiser, on 9/11. Simon was on the 64th floor of the North Tower. I am joining the group on behalf of my mother-in-law, Rema Weiser, and my husband, Anatoly Weiser. I am attaching a photo of Rema and Simon.

– Marina W.

I was employed by Verizon and worked at the 140 West Street office, directly across from the North Tower. I was able to get to Ground Zero on 9/12, the day after the terror attacks. I worked with my crew for over 50 days straight – 12-hour shifts – to help restore communications for downtown NYC. I stayed there for four years, even though my building suffered $400 million in damages after the towers collapsed. I will never forget the NYPD carrying flag-draped stretchers covering the remains of those murdered in the attack. I recently attended the funeral of a fellow 9/11 worker who died of esophageal cancer, caused by exposure to the toxic air we breathed for weeks after the attack. I was and remain outraged by the attack, and our government’s refusal to hold Saudi Arabia accountable!

– Don B.

My beautiful, amazing and much-loved wife, Wendy R. Faulkner was in the South Tower on 9/11/01 for a one-day meeting and never came home to our two daughters and me. Her remains were never found. She simply was brutally murdered and disappeared. We miss her every day.

– L. Faulkner

My brother Edward T. Earhart was stationed at the Pentagon in January 2001. The Navy had moved many of its people to the newly renovated section of the Pentagon just shortly before 9/11. On 9/11, Edward was working at the Pentagon on his day off and perished that fateful day. The 9/11 victims and victims’ families deserve justice for this terrorist attack.

– A. Horton

Spouse of 9/11 disabled first responder. Active in 9/11 related issues since 2001. We relocated in 2008. Yes, it has been too long for truth to be revealed. Thank you for all that you do.

– Sylvia

My husband, Paul, was a vice president at eSpeed/Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor of the North Tower. He was 29. We were high school sweethearts, married and living the “American dream” in Glen Rock, NJ, with our two-year-old daughter Sarah and I was six months pregnant with our son when the towers fell. I spoke with Paul after the plane hit (more than once), and understanding that he would not be coming home, his only concern was for us. He was dying, and he only wanted us to be ok. I was able to tell him we loved him and I would “take care of everything,” and I have worked to this day to do just that. His love for me and his children was and will always be the guiding light in my life. My son was born on December 20, 2001, and I named him Paul Andrew Acquaviva (Jr) after the father he never met or would know. We have lived our lives, and they are good lives, but there is always (for me) a tinge of darkness and sadness with all that we do and experience as he is not here with us. He has missed every single thing since that horrible day in September. The unfairness of when and how he died still haunts me often. It is always with me. He was simply the best human being I have ever known. I was lucky to have had that love. I keep him in my heart always and try to let his life define him and not his death. Our children have always been the light and the joy in my life. They each embody him: my daughter’s intelligence, beauty and moral/ethical code, and my son looks just like him and has his father’s sense of humor and charm (and is really smart, too!). When my children smile and laugh, Paul is shining through. My deepest sorrow is that my husband did not get any time with his son. My greatest sadness is that my son did not get any time with his father. Not a day goes by that I do not think of my husband, miss him and wish he was here. How our lives would have been different. How we would have been as a whole family is a loss interwoven into our daily lives. I treasure our children and let them be the healing and deep love for my heart. Then, now and always. Paul will always be missed, always be loved and will never be forgotten.

– Courtney

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