The thing I find that helps me best connect back is putting myself in the shoes of the people who found themselves in the Twin Towers that day. Or in the Pentagon. Or on one of the hijacked airplanes. What did they experience? What must have gone through their minds as they realized what was happening to them? What would I have done if it were me? These are impossible questions to answer, yet through this storytelling in my head, I am able to change the abstract numbers 9/11 into its meaning on a human level.
This is why, when I found out about the 2,996 Project last week from Carol of planningblog, I knew I had to participate. The project consists of tributes to honor each victim of 9/11, each created by a different blogger and posted on September 11th. I was randomly assigned to write about Amy O’Doherty, who lost her life in the World Trade Center. When I first clicked on the site to get more information about her, I gasped because in the picture above, she looks almost like me. Another “there but for the grace of God go I” moment.
I had to do a lot of searching to find information about Amy, but here is her story:
Amy O’Doherty grew up in Pelham, NY, and attended St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York, graduating in 2000. A professor there who had her in four classes said of her:
She was a true pleasure to have in class: always doing every homework, carrying class discussions (especially in Money and Banking!), and such a hard worker.
After graduating, she moved to New York City into her first apartment and worked for Cantor Fitzgerald, an international securities firm with offices on floors 101-105 of the north tower of the World Trade Center.
A profile in the New York Times read:
To Amy O’Doherty, in her first job and apartment, Manhattan’s streets emanated excitement and its air, promise — of new friends and smart conversations over steaks at Morton’s, and of unlimited success. Of what Geraldine Davie, her mother, called “the largeness of life.” Ms. O’Doherty, 23, loved her job as a broker’s assistant at Cantor Fitzgerald. “Financing, trading, bonds,” said Liz Gallello, a childhood friend. “She wanted to take it – the career, the city woman lifestyle – as far as far it could go.”She was delighted with her five-story walk-up — so small, said Ms. Davie, that “Lilliputians should live in it.” She filled it with dozens of framed photos of friends from Pelham, N.Y., where she grew up, and from camp, college and work.
“She was soaking up that great New York style,” said Ms. Davie. “Picking up that New York language. She didn’t know it but she was living her bliss.”
On September 11, 2001, Amy managed to place a call to her mother in the moments after the crash. But she and a thousand more of her colleagues were never heard from again.
Amy was clearly loved by many. I will leave you with this heartfelt poem written in her memory by her friend Diane Huggins:
Just as the sunflowers you loved you were bright and cheery in every way,
You loved your colleges and your job that was well displayed.
You had a kind, generous heart that never strayed.
You felt life should be savored not just lived from day to day.
A master disciplinarian with both gentleness and firmness conveyed.
You were always smiling and laughing just a beautiful person surveyed.
You had a great sense of humor, upbeat so full of fun and play.
You implanted heart prints on many hearts that love will never stray.
Shopping for yourself and your mother was always a great thrill and okay.
If mom Geraldine wanted something you indulged her without delay.
You were happy when mom accepted your gifts, they were like beautiful bouquets.
You were and forever are her precious daughter, a true gift of love so to say.
Beloved sister to Maura you shared a close friendship so fine,
you continue to guide her with your spirit of love that is very well defined.
Loving daughter to James he misses the times you intertwined,
He sees your love living on in each twinkling star that brightly shines.
There is a beautiful star in Heaven that to him alone has been assigned.
You live on in your family forever dwelling in their hearts and minds.
you’re their guardian angel and their greatest hero and gift divine.
We must never forget. I rented United 93 to watch tonight. Let the hurt begin.
Technorati Tags: 9/11, 911, September 11, 2996, united 93
Nedra helps nonprofits and public agencies create positive change on health and social issues through social marketing and transmedia storytelling strategies at Weinreich Communications since founding the company in 1995. She helps organizations make a difference for the populations they serve by strategically designing programs that draw on state-of-the-art behavior change techniques, digital media approaches and the power of stories. 
Nedra, this post in Amy’s honour is simply beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. I can stop them spilling over now, a little trick I’ve had to learn in the last 5 years. Very best wishes to you and my thoughts are with Amy’s family and friends as it still must hurt awfully.
Very nicely done. You did such a nice tribute.
Another life brought to an end too soon. Thank you for helping us remember that day and putting a personal touch on her name.
Remember Donald Delapenha
i didnt know her but today at school we could get a braclet and each braclet had names of people that had died during 9/11 i had hers and i just want her family to know that even people that didnt know her still morn her loss and prayed for her today
I remember Amy O’Doherty. Thank you.
This is a beautiful piece. I think it is wonderful to openly discuss 9/11 like this, even though it is painful.
It just makes me want to slow down. I think I will.
Thank you for writing such a moving tribute to my sister last year.
I just stumbled upon this article and I’m not sure I could have said any of it better myself.
She was a beautiful girl with such promise and her life was cut much too short on that horrible day.
My mom and I miss her each and every day.
Anonymous (I assume you are sister Maura mentioned in the poem),
Thank you for your comment. My heart goes out to you and your family. May Amy’s memory be for a blessing.
Just came across this because I was thinking about Amy. Amy and I were two girls in the predominately male-dominated Finance classes at Saint Bonaventure. She was quite a spitfire. I remember going to Chicago on a Finance trip to the Chicago stock exchange, and Amy was about 20 minutes late meeting the group in the morning. Her response to the professor? “I am a grown woman and I am here now so let’s get on with it!” She was always smiling and sweet and I think about her all the time.
Thanks for adding your memories of Amy here. What a loss.
I am one of Amy’s many friends, and I miss her. I miss the lightness in our lives before we lost her. Thank you for writing this beautiful tribute.
Amy is in my thoughts today as we remember the tragedy that happened 6 years ago today. My heart goes out to you Amy’s family today as we remember the joy and happiness she brought to so many and we feel the sadness that took that away.
I met Amy at our cousin’s christening (the Mahoney’s) the summer of 2001 and she was an energetic, young woman who loved the kids. I am so sorry I didn’t get a chance to know her.
How beautiful. I was randomly searching for Amy today. I saw something last night on the History channel about 9/11 conspiracy theories. The hurt and anger came back to me. Before Amy went to St. B, she attended her freshmen year at Sacred Heart. She lived across the hall from me. Her best friends at Sacred Heart were my sorority sisters and especially her roommate Katy. Kappa Phi and I never forget her. Especially the day we got our tongues pierced together. I wrote an essay about Amy and that experience in grad school. I share that essay to this day with my high students in Creative Essay. Know that her memory will never be forgotten.
Thank you all for sharing your memories and thoughts here.
It makes me so happy to see so many people remembering Amy. Although I was not extremely close with Amy, I remember her fondly from our days at St. Bonaventure together. I think about her every time I hear anything about 9/11 or the Twin Towers. She will always be with the people that cared for her, and with everyone she cared for as well.