I look at this picture, and my first thought is that he looks like one of my uncles. He could easily pass for one of my mom’s brothers. His name is Norbert P. Szurkowski, and he was 31 on September 11th, 2001. Eight years ago he was working in the offices of Cantor Fitzgerald hanging wall paper.

A tribute that appeared in the New York Times on December 30, 2001 said,

Norbert Szurkowski, the son of a bicycle racer, was on his first visit to New York when he met Ursula Lesniak. It was 1992 and she was a student at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn. “We just enjoyed seeing each other,” she said. Three years to the day after they met, Mr. Szurkowski — always attentive to such details as proper timing — proposed.

The City Hall wedding two weeks later was a prelude to the festivities in their native country, Poland: three days of visiting and feasting with relatives.

Back home in Bensonhurst, Mr. Szurkowski walked right up and faced his future without the slightest doubt that he would do well. This past year was bearing out his confidence. His wife was graduating from nursing school and pregnant with their second child, and he was about to be promoted to full-fledged mechanic. “This was the year,” Mrs. Szurkowski said, “that we were supposed to get everything back.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Szurkowski, 31, was earning extra money by wallpapering the Cantor Fitzgerald offices. The best part about it was the hours — by shortly after 9 a.m., he was usually out and on his way home. (Source)

Another story, originally on Newsday, but now only found on a Digg archive, said,

The young newlyweds settled in Szurkowski’s house in Bensonhurst, where they began working toward his dream. “Basically, what he wanted was to have a family, to live a normal life,” his wife said. “He just wanted to buy a house, move to New Jersey, go on family vacations, make sure our kids grow up as they’re supposed to.”

By last year, it all seemed to be running on track. Szurkowski, 31, finished his apprenticeship at a wallpapering company; his wife graduated from nursing school. They were enjoying their 3-year-old, Alexandra, and Ursula was pregnant again.

Szurkowski loved his job and spent his free time playing tennis or riding his bike. Alexandra was becoming bilingual, speaking Polish at home and English outside. On camping trips upstate with other Polish families, the men would fish and the women cooked what they caught over an open fire.

“He was happy with what he had,” his wife said. “He just wanted to keep everything the way it was, and make sure it didn’t get any worse.”

But everything got worse on Sept.11. Szurkowski was touching up a wallpapering job at Cantor Fitzgerald, on the 104th floor of Tower One, when the plane hit.

Ursula is scheduled to deliver her baby, already named Claudia, by Caesarean section in May.

Alexandra should be 11 now. Claudia, who has never met her father, seven.

We remember these people, Norbert and the thousands of others, who lost their lives eight years ago today.

As I’ve said before, in the days and weeks following 9/11 most of us vowed, if only to ourselves, to always remember that day. The 2,996 Project is dedicated to that task. We hope that you will take time today to read the tributes and information that bloggers, writers, and others from all over, who are each taking the time to remember those who died as individuals. Individuals who deserve our remembrance.

In 2006 I wrote a tribute to another person who died in the same building, Neil Dollard. The two men were from vastly different backgrounds, with vastly different lives. It’s possible that they had the type of nodding relationship that we have with people we don’t know, but who work near us. Whatever the reality, they both were killed that horrible day. To them, and all the others, we pledge to remember.

NOTE: I am reposting this tribute from 9/11/2006 and re-opening the comments. You can also read this years remembrance of Norbert P. Szurkowski. Other tributes can be found at the 2,996 Project.

Today, on the 5th anniversary of the tragedy of September 11th, 2001, 2,996 bloggers are remembering the victims who died that day. Instead of focusing on the perpetrators we are remembering the individuals who lost their lives that day. The list of those being remembered with links to the blogs writing about them can be found here. Please take time to read as many of these tributes as you can.

This post will remain on top all day with any new posts below.

Neil Dollard

Writing this post has been very difficult. Oh, the information is there, but there is the sense that you can hardly do justice honoring someone you never met. Still, learning from the words that others have written, I do hope that I can give you some idea about who Neil Dollard was.

Reading through dozens of memorial sites, news sources and other online tributes written in the past five years several items stand out.

First the facts. Neil Dollard was 28 years old on September 11th, 2001. He was a bond broker for Cantor Fitzgerald, working in WTC 1, and lived in Hoboken, NJ. But those are just facts.

One thing that struck me immediately was the importance that family and friends had in Neil Dollard’s life. His frequent phone calls to those he cared about is something mentioned in nearly every tribute. Calls to his parents, his other family, his girlfriend Kristen, his co-workers, and his friends were every day occurrences. Often for no reason other than to just say hello.

It is also said that he loved to give gifts and seldom went anywhere empty handed.

He loved good food, loved to cook, loved to eat at great restaurants. And he spent time in the gym.

He took pride in the nice suits that are the uniform of an up and coming bond broker, but his trademark was his baseball cap.

He loved Kristin and Kristin loved him. Here is what she had to say two years following his death:

I lost Neil on that horrible day, he was my boyfriend. We lived together and planned to one day get married. He was my best friend and no one can ever replace him. He was genuine and generous. His heart was bigger than life itself. I miss him SO MUCH! Everyday I sit and think what our children would have looked like and what their names would have been and would I ever learn to cook as good as he did. I have to go on with my life but it’s difficult, when the one thing that you lived for is gone. I’m very angry that he was taken away from me for no reason, I never said goodbye!! They say that when you die, your soul and energy are still around, I hope that he can feel how strong my love for him is. I know he is around when I get upset, because as soon as I think about him I stop crying, as if he is rubbing my back and telling me to calm down. I love you Neil!!!!!! I’ll never forget you and the great life that we had together. Kristin

One of the most complete looks at Mr. Dollard’s life is this one:

Staten Island Advance (9/25/2001)
Jill Gardiner Advance staff writer

Neil Dollard was preparing to make a sautéed spinach dish and a homemade tomato sauce the night before the World Trade Center attack.

“He called my aunt and told her to save the tomatoes,” said Megan Fajardo, Neil’s sister. “He was planning on picking them up on Saturday.”

[...]

A bond broker for Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm that occupied some of the highest floors in the building and lost hundreds of its employees, Mr. Dollard was working on the 104th floor of Tower 1 when the first plane hit.

His girl friend, Kristin Ledzion, spoke to him briefly when she called to wake him up before work that morning and he had talked to his family, most of whom were vacationing in Italy, the night before.

He and Ms. Ledzion were scheduled to join them at their home on the Italian Riviera the following week.

“He called on Monday night,” said Mrs. Fajardo. “He was in a good mood. Everyone spoke to him. We were talking about the trip and about how excited he was to come.”

At 28, Mr. Dollard was full of life.

He had a passion for dining in fine Manhattan restaurants and entertaining friends at his home. He was a gourmet cook who liked to try new recipes, and was beginning an impressive wine collection.

To balance his love for food, the 6-foot-1-inch Mr. Dollard spent much of his leisure time exercising at a gym near his home. His build was broad and he always looked healthy.

[...]

Though he hadn’t told anyone, he seemed to be preparing to surprise his girl friend with a kitten. His family found cat food and a book on raising cats in his home.

“He was a very loving son who was very involved in the lives of his family,” said his mother. “He was a fun-loving young man who also had a serious side.” Mr. Dollard survived the 1993 Trade Center bombing, when he walked down all 104 flights, helping a woman who was wearing a cast on her leg.

[...]

Though his family didn’t speak to him after he arrived at work that fateful Tuesday morning, one of his co-workers called home and said he was in the stairwell evacuating the building with Mr. Dollard. There was no other information on his whereabouts.

[...]

In addition to his sister, Megan, and his mother, Helen, Mr. Dollard is survived by his father, Robert; a brother, Peter; two more sisters, Susan Dollard and Anne Zucchi; a half-brother, Michael Dollard, and two half-sisters, Diana and Mary Dollard.

Neil Dollard was taken from his family, friends and co-workers much to soon. He is missed and deserves to be remembered by us all.

2996 Project Posts from my blogroll:
Sister Toldjah — Peter Edward Mardikian
Blue Star Chronicles — Lt. Michael Warchola
Captain’s Quarters — Ysidro Hidalgo-Tejada
Babalu Blog — George C. Merino
Pirate’s Cove — Brooke Alexandra Jackman
Blue Crab Boulevard — Cynthia Giugliano
Right Truth — Lee Adler
The Strata-Sphere — Paul Laszczynski
Michelle Malkin — Giovanna Porras

Not bRight @ Night, that’s tonight at 11:00pm Eastern. I’ll be on WLKF — AM 1430 sometime in the 7:00 hour. I’ll be leaving for the studio in just a few minutes.

I’ll be talking about the 2,996 Project with Seth Mela and the Mayhem in the AM crew. You can listen in via their live stream. Just click on the listen live link.

I’ve got to go!

Tonight on bRight @ Night I’ll be talking to D.C. Roe of the 2,996 Project. Find out about this outstanding effort, and join us by calling (718) 664-9725.

The chat room is open.

I don’t know if this says more about the current administration, or about the forgetful apathy of the American people, but I lean toward the former.

This year, the survivors of those who died at the Pentagon got a casual electronic “e-vite” for the annual wreath-laying at the memorial site as if it were a trite invite to a party, a source tells Inside the Beltway. Survivors were also referred to a recorded telephone announcement rather than a human contact for information.

[...]

“I don’t want to be part of some photo-op, if that’s all this is going to be. Some of us are thinking about not going. The Defense Department was always so sensitive to survivors in the past. We got a printed invitation, and there was a very courteous contact person who helped us along for years. He’s gone, too. I get the feeling DoD doesn’t want to make a big deal about 9/11 anymore. Now, it’s like nothing,” the source says.

“I’m not one for huge deals. I don’t think we need a great big event here. But an e-vite and a recording? People still need to remember. We can’t become complacent.” (My emphasis)

How disrespectful.

One group that does respect those who died on 9/11 are the participants in the 2,996 Project. Please consider joining us and remembering one of those who lost their life that day.

I have the name of the person I will be remembering on 9/11 as part of the 2,996 Project. It is Norbert P. Szurkowski. I haven’t started my research yet, but will be doing that very soon.

While the tributes written are intended to be viewed by everyone, I think that the most intense experience is the one felt by the participating writers. It is quite emotional to find out about the person you are writing about, and to be reminded that these were not simply members of the group we know as the victims of 9/11, but they were unique individuals with their own lives and stories.

I have reached out to the event coordinator, D.C. Roe, and asked him to come on bRight @ Night to discuss the project. More info on that when I hear from him.

Many more people are needed to participate in this year’s remembrance. Please go to the sign up page today. And please help by spreading the word. Write a blog post, email your friends, leave your comments. In the days following 9/11 many of us pledged, if only to ourselves, to always remember the Norbert P. Szurkowski’s and others killed that day. Let’s fulfill that pledge with our participation.

I was honored to participate in the 2,996 project remembering Neil Dollard in 2006. D.C. Roe, who organized the first blogburst, is coordinating the project once again.

There is a new website for the project: http://project2996.wordpress.com/

Please go by and sign up to honor one of the victims of that awful day. I encourage my fellow bloggers to please help spread the word as well.

D.C. Roe’s 2996 site has been overwhelmed with traffic today. I have set up a mirror site here. Please feel free to tell others where they can find a list of those blogging as a part of this fine project.

Other mirror sites:
Mad Momma Jen
My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Fierce Poet
Explicitly Ambiguous
FRAUDfiles Blog
Pet’s Garden
Stix Blog
Ardice

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Nancy Astor: “If I were your wife, I would put poison in your coffee.”
Sir Winston Churchill: “And if I were your husband, I would drink it.”

First — A quick update on the 2,996 project. As of this time, (8:50 AM Eastern) there are 2828 participants in the project. Just 168 more are needed. If you are a blogger, please sign up today. You can see the posts I’ve made on this project here. On September 11th I will be remembering Neil Dollard. This weekend, and over the next two weeks, I will be trying to find out more about Mr. Dollard who died at the World Trade Center.

Blue Crab Boulevard Images Matter – Honest Images Matter Most — “Moeller goes on to describe the history of imagery in wartime. Of course such images are enormously powerful and enormously influential on public opinion. That is why it is vital the images be honest.”

Don Surber Everything proves global warming — “Yup. It sure does. What do you do with the inconvenient fact that glaciers are growing in the Himalayans? Why just pawn it off as further proof of global warming.”

Right Truth (Debbie) Iran’s new phase in the Arak heavy-water reactor — “Iran’s president Ahmadinejad has kept his promise of August 22, 2006 to provide the world with a ‘new nuclear surprise’ in a few days. That day is today. Ahmadinejad announced a ‘new phase’ in nuclear activity at the heavy-water reactor site at Khondab, near Arak. This is a slap in the face to the useless security council at the United Nations, who meets on August 31 to discuss Iran’s nuclear program.”

I’m sure by now that many, if not most, are aware of the 2,996 project. If not, here is a brief overview:

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers
will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.

We will honor them by remembering their lives,
and not by remembering their murderers.

September 11th is just over three weeks away. Yesterday event organizer D.C. Roe announced that the 2000th blogger had signed up to participate. Less than a thousand more bloggers are needed to join in and participate in this amazing tribute.

If you are a blogger I encourage you to join in. If you’ve already signed up, today would be a great day to encourage others. If you haven’t signed up yet, please do so. Now.

You can sign up here.

I will try to add links to those who are blogging about the project today. You can create your own link by creating a post and a trackback to this post.

Again, let’s push this very worthy project to it’s goal. Every victim deserves to be remembered. It’s the least we can do.

Others Blogging:
Curt — Flopping Aces
Scott — Speed of Thought
Beth — My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

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Coffee is good for talent, but genius wants prayer. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy (Beth) 2996 – Tribute to 9/11 Victims — “2996 is a project organized by D.C. Roe, to have 2996 bloggers (!) all posting a tribute to a 9/11 victim (names are assigned) on September 11, 2006–the five-year anniversary. Right now there are 1187 blogs signed up, and there’s just over a month to go.” [I've signed up and urge all bloggers to get involved. I'll have more on this endeavor later today. Jim]

Captain’s Quarters (Ed Morrissey) The True Purpose Of The Cease Fire — “At least one world leader has given an honest assessment of why an immediate cease fire should occur in the Hezbollah-Israeli conflict, now entering its fourth week. Oddly enough — or not — that world leader runs Iran:”

Dr. Sanity (Pat Santy) A CASE OF PREMATURE EVACUATION ? — “Got it? He wants a cease-fire now because he and his other thugs are not quite ready to completely destroy Israel right now. So he’s begging the world, please please get a ceasefire in place so as not to erode all their careful planning.”

Shortened a bit — School orientation this morning — More later.