To everyone around the world who lost friends and loved ones on
September 11, 2001,
our deepest condolences.
To all whose friends and loved ones are engaged in the efforts to keep America safe, our heartfelt wishes for a safe and speedy return to home and hearth.

This past month has been especially difficult for those of us at FoxyLowRider. We lost a number of dear friends and business colleagues. I especially have had a hard time coping with the reality of our loses.

The enemy cannot conquer us with fear.
America will continue to be strong.

The events of September 11, 2001 were so traumatic for me it took me two months to compose and post the simple message above the bar. It has taken another four months to try to put into words the rest of the story.

While I was fortunate in that I did not lose any family members, I did not come through untouched by death. I have not come through lightly. There is a mournful place inside which now holds only fond memories.

Between my husband and I, four aiplanes, nearly a dozen different buildings, and a lonely cornfield in Eastern Pennsylvania, we counted 19 people. Friends, neighbors, fellow commuters and co-workers. All lost in an instant.

Over the years we have done a lot of flying. Mostly on American Airlines. We both recall flights with various pilots and flight attendants. Four familiar names were among the flight crews lost. A United Pilot was a neighbor.

From my Husband's military service there was an admired Navy Admiral, retired, on vacation with his wife.

A young man whose mother has been an elected official of our township for many years, died in the North Tower.

For five years I commuted to the city to work. (My husband made the same commute for eight years.) For three of those years I worked at One Liberty Plaza. Every workday I passed through the World Trade Center South Tower. Two of my train buddies are gone. One person I knew who worked at Windows on The World is gone.

Among my husbands business associates he counted five people from the South Tower and two people from the North Tower, gone.

An associate with whom I worked for two years who went to work in the North Tower, gone.

We have our memories of these people. Fondly we remember a gesture, a remark, a smile. We will always have them with us. In our hearts and in our minds.

Friends from the UK called a few days after the attacks. Making sure we were ok. Ones office had taken up a collection for the victims. I was moved to tears.

Soon we were concerned that our son might have to leave his wife and three small children to go back to the Middle East. He had been with the Army stationed in Germany when they sent him to Saudi Arabia during the Desert Storm conflict. He was undergoing a medical review and it was not likely but, in times of dire trouble one never knows for sure. His medical review completed, he will not go to the Middle East again. They have deferred him from combat duty. One prayer was answered.

God bless all who lost friends, associates and loved ones on this, the most horrible day in America's History.