Throwback Journal, San Francisco, CA (2025)

08/14/2025

August 9th
Meredith Lynn Whalen, 23 years old, North Tower 93rd floor

Meredith Lynn Whalen was born on August 9, 1978 to Patricia and Henry Whalen. She had three sisters, Kristen, Deborah, and Kathryn, and one brother, Stephen. She grew up in Canton, MI, and lived in Hoboken, NJ, in adulthood. Meredith attended and graduated from Plymouth Salem High School in 1996 and the University of Michigan in 2000 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business. She was an excelling student, graduating with honors in high school, and a dean’s list student in college. From a young age, Meredith loved riding horses. She had dreams of one day owning a ranch in Kentucky and raise her own horses there. Meredith also loved traveling and had been on four cruises. She was planning to leave for her fifth from Barcelona on September 15th, a 12-night Mediterranean cruise with her mother. But Meredith didn’t need to travel far to enjoy life, as she had fallen in love with New York City, where she worked for Fred Alger Management. Her mother recalled, “It was her dream job. My daughter loved the fast-paced life of the city and enjoyed all it had to offer, from the plays to the parks and museums and the night life.” Meredith spent most of her nights out on the town with friends, just enjoying life. Her ultimate professional dream job was to be a portfolio manager, but she was excelling and loving her position as a research associate at the World Trade Center. She had previously worked for Goldman Sachs in London, but switched to Fred Alger Management because she wanted to work for a smaller firm where she could have more intense and focused training. Meredith was a loving and doting aunt to her three nieces, Katie, Katherine, and Ellie, who she had met for the first time on September 1st. Meredith was very happy in her life. On September 3rd, her mother drove her to the airport as Meredith prepared to return from a visit home to Michigan for Labor Day Weekend.

08/14/2025

August 9th
Monica Goldstein, 25 years old, North Tower 101st floor

Monica Goldstein was born on August 9, 1976 to Cecelia and Sonny Goldstein. She had an older sister, Adrienne. She grew up in Dongan Hills, Staten Island, NY, and lived there in adulthood as well. Monica attended and graduated from New Dorp High School in 1994. Monica was known to be a lively girl who was always smiling and laughing. Her longtime friend, Michelle Boscaino, said, “She was constantly laughing until you were crying.” Monica loved skating at Great Kills Park and shopping at the Staten Island Mall. She had many friends, and her mother remembered her saying, “Monica made everybody feel like her best friend.” But Monica’s very best friend was her sister, Adrienne. The pair were so close that they often finished each other’s sentences, and their mother said “there wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do for each other”. On the night of September 10th, Monica stayed the night at her sister’s apartment after they watched a scary movie together. Monica asked Adrienne if she was scared, to which she replied, “A little”. Monica told her, “I’ll stay with you tonight.” It wasn’t uncommon for Monica to stay over, especially since she loved spending time with her nephews, to whom she was “like a second mother”. Monica was engaged to be married to her sweetheart boyfriend, Michael Rizzo, on September 20, 2002, and she was very excited for the upcoming wedding. Monica was described by her friends and family as sweet, vivacious, warm, and kind, with a beautiful smile and an infectious laugh.

Monica worked as an accounts-payable specialist for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. She had worked for the firm for three years. On the morning of September 11, 2001, Monica was working on the 101st floor when Flight 11 struck the North Tower, leaving her floor and all of Cantor’s offices above the impassable impact zone. Sadly, none of the firm’s attending employees survived the attack, including Monica.

08/14/2025

When FDNY firefighter Daniel Suhr woke up on the morning of September 11, 2001, he had no idea what the day would bring. At approximately 8:46 a.m., a hijacked plane struck the North Tower at the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan, sparking a city-wide emergency response effort to rescue the people inside.

Suhr and the rest of his firehouse headed to the Twin Towers to help pull people from the buildings. He was preparing to enter the South Tower when, at roughly 9:30 a.m., a woman jumped from the building and landed on him. The impact reportedly cracked his forehead in half and broke his nose, eye socket, and his neck. Many of the other firefighters around him tried to resuscitate him rather than rush into the buildings — and while Suhr tragically died from his injuries, becoming the first firefighter to perish in 9/11, his death saved their lives. As soon as Suhr was loaded onto an ambulance, the South Tower collapsed.

08/14/2025

August 10th
Peter Teague Milano, 43 years old, North Tower 104th floor

Peter Teague Milano was born on August 10, 1958 and lived in Middletown, NJ. He attended and graduated from Nazareth High School in 1976 and the State University of New York Brockport in 1983. Peter met his sweetheart, Patti Milano, in 1981 at a championship football game in Brooklyn for a league Peter played for. Patti had come to watch, and upon meeting her, Peter told his aunt, “I met the girl I’m going to marry.” Peter and Patti had a sweet and loving marriage, and Peter called her several times a day, even through the busiest days, just to hear her voice. The pair had two children together, Peter Jr., age 16, Jessica, age 13 (at the time of Peter’s passing). Peter was a very dedicated father, never missing a single one of his son’s basketball games or daughter’s dance recitals. He also had special relationships with his nieces, buying them special gifts and taking them to Disney World. Peter was known to be a very thoughtful and considerate guy, often calling in to check on friends and helping whenever needed. Once when taking the commuter ferry, he spotted a young pregnant woman at the end of the line carrying a package, so he carried it for her and escorted her to the front of the line. Peter was described by his friends and family as funny, loving, sincere, and generous.

Peter worked as a corporate bond broker for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. He had worked for the firm for several years and made many good friends at Cantor. He would sometimes bring his kids to his office to visit. On the morning of September 11, 2001, Peter was working on the 104th floor when Flight 11 struck the North Tower, leaving his floor and all of Cantor’s offices above the impassable impact zone. None of the firm’s attending employees survived, including Peter. Though his life was sadly taken on September 11th, the great love, care, and memories made throughout his life will never be forgotten. His vibrant spirit and legacy will live on forever.

08/14/2025

August 10th
Lieutenant Philip Scott Petti, 43 years old, Rescue at the South Tower

Philip Scott Petti was born on August 10, 1958 to Catherine and Antimo Petti in Brooklyn, NY. He had two sisters, Jacqueline and Adrian, and one brother, Thomas. He lived in Midland Beach, Staten Island, NY. Philip married his sweetheart, Eileen Petti, and they had two children together, Philip Jr., age 18, and Lauren, age 16 (at the time of Philip’s passing). Philip was a loving and devoted husband and father. Philip loved sports from a young age, having played football, baseball, softball, ice hockey and golf. He was a big fan of the New York Giants, New York Mets, and New York Rangers teams and gladly volunteered to coach his children’s baseball and soccer teams as they were growing up. After they stopped playing, he coached for the baseball and soccer teams of his church’s school, St. Margaret Mary’s R.C. Church. Philip kept the family’s basement “filled with so much sports equipment that it looked like a locker room” and played on the FDNY’s ice hockey team, a team he’d joined before he had even learned how to skate. Philip also loved rock music, his favorite artists being Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, The Who, Mountain and Dave Mason. Philip held a strong dedication to his Christian faith and to all of his relationships with family and friends. Remembering her son, Philip’s mother, Catherine, said, “He had a wonderful disposition. He accepted whatever life handed him.” His sister, Adrienne, said, “Hugs and humor. When you think of Phil, that’s what you think of.” Philip was also described by his friends and family as humble, easygoing, genuine, and happy, always smiling and laughing.

08/14/2025

August 10th
Christina Donovan Flannery, 26 years old, South Tower 104th floor

Christina Donovan Flannery was born on August 10, 1975 in Middle Village, Queens, NY, where she also grew up and continued to live into adulthood. She had a sister, Kathleen. Christina loved weddings, and one of her favorite hobbies was crashing them to take notes for her own wedding one day. Her best friend, Nicole Lagnese, said, “We used to drive around from church to church on Saturdays to see how other people had done it and get ideas for our own.” Christina met her sweetheart, Brian Flannery, in 1995 on the trading floor of HSBC Bank USA. Brian proposed to Christina in July of 2000 at sunset on Jones Beach at the same spot they had visited on their first date. Christina and Brian were married on June 6, 2001, and honeymooned in Hawaii. In September of 2001, Christina and Brian were waiting to sign a contract on a house on Cranberry Lane in Plainview, Long Island, NY. Brian said, “There was lots of room. A big yard for our dog, Tye. She even loved the name of the street.” Christina was known to be the type of person to make friends easily and talk to everyone. Brian remembered, “She knew the life story of five different people every day. She made everyone feel like she was their best friend.” Christina was described by her friends and family as special, friendly, caring, and kind.

Christina worked as a sales associate for Sandler O’Neil & Partners on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center’s South Tower. On the morning of September 11, 2001, Christina was working on the 104th floor of the South Tower when Flight 11 struck the North Tower. She called her husband, Brian, to let him know she was okay. At 9:03 a.m., Christina was working on the 104th floor when Flight 175 struck the South Tower, leaving her floor above its impact zone. She sadly did not survive the attack and Brian never heard from her again. Though her life was unfairly taken on September 11th, Christina’s vibrant spirit lives on forever in love, memory, and legacy. She will never be forgotten.

08/14/2025

On the morning of September 11, 2001, FDNY Battalion Chief Joseph Pfeifer was on a routine call investigating a gas leak in lower Manhattan. Moments later, he looked up and witnessed Flight 11 crash into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Chief Pfeifer was the first chief to respond, and within minutes, he was inside the North Tower lobby establishing the initial command post.

With calm leadership, he began organizing rescue efforts, directing incoming fire units, and sending firefighters up the stairwells to evacuate trapped civilians. Among them was his younger brother, Lieutenant Kevin Pfeifer, who served with Engine 33. Kevin would not survive.

As the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m., Chief Pfeifer quickly gave the order for evacuation. Minutes later, he narrowly escaped the North Tower’s collapse, shielding the filmmaker Jules Naudet—who had been documenting his work—with his own body as debris rained down. Despite the chaos, Chief Pfeifer stayed at Ground Zero, continuing rescue efforts and managing one of the worst disasters in American history.

In the years that followed, Chief Pfeifer became a leading voice in FDNY’s transformation. He created the Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness, guiding the department’s response strategies for future crises. Over a 37-year career, he rose to Assistant Chief and became the FDNY’s first Chief of Counterterrorism and Emergency Preparedness.

He retired in 2018 but returned in 2023 to serve as First Deputy Fire Commissioner, briefly stepping in as Acting Fire Commissioner in 2024. Chief Pfeifer has also taught at Columbia University, helping train future leaders in crisis management and public safety.

He is the author of Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11, a deeply personal account of courage, loss, and the enduring strength of the FDNY.

08/14/2025

August 11th
Laura Angilletta, 23 years old, North Tower 101st floor

Laura Angilletta was born on August 11, 1978 to Dorotea and Carmine Angiletta. She had an older sister, Maria, and a brother, Albert. She lived in South Beach, Staten Island, NY. Laura attended and graduated from Curtis High School and the College of Staten Island in December of 2000 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Before she joined Cantor Fitzgerald, Laura’s first job was at Arrochar Pharmacy. She first started working there at the age of 15, which was younger than the owner typically hired. However, Laura knew him personally from their neighborhood and proved herself to be a diligent worker. She worked at the pharmacy for seven years and made friends with co-workers and customers alike. The owner who had hired her, John Mattera, said, “She was always smiling and pleasant. They all teased her, and she was always laughing.” This held true through all aspects of her life, as Laura was known to be an easygoing and bubbly girl who made friends wherever she went. In her free time, Laura loved shopping, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. She had plans to go out and celebrate with friends on September 12th to celebrate her birthday since they hadn’t been able to in August. Laura was especially infatuated with her newborn nephew, John Gerard. Visiting him had become a nightly ritual for Laura, including the night of September 10th. She spent the night laying with her nephew and watching him fondly. Laura was described by her friends and family as kind-hearted, fun, affectionate, and charismatic, with a beautiful smile and a gleam in her eyes.

08/14/2025

August 11th
Timothy Patrick Soulas, 35 years old, North Tower 105th floor

Timothy Patrick Soulas was born in August 11, 1966 and lived in Basking Ridge, NJ. He had three brothers, Rick, Stephen, and Daniel, and one sister, Michelle. Timothy attended and graduated from Cardinal O’Hara High School in 1984 and Drexel University in 1989 with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. He married his high school sweetheart, Katy Toulas, and they had five children together, Timothy Jr., age 11, Andrew, age 9, Christopher, age 7, Matthew, age 5, and Nicole, age 1 (at the time of Timothy’s passing). Timothy was a dedicated father and coached all of his children’s sports, including T-ball, football, ice hockey, and roller hockey. The family enjoyed summers in Ocean City, where they’d play volleyball and swim in the ocean. Every night, Timothy would tell his wife, “I love you, I love the children.” Timothy and Katy had recently added a chocolate Labrador puppy to their family, which Katy had gotten for Timothy as a present for his 35th birthday. Katy brought the dog to a football game and asked someone else to hold the leash, and Timothy looked at the dog saying, “Isn’t it beautiful?” Katy agreed and told him to pick a name, since it was his dog. He first thought she was joking, but she told him, “He really is yours.” They named the dog Boomer. Timothy and Katy were also expecting another addition in March of 2002, when their sixth child together was due to be born.

Timothy worked as director of foreign currency for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. He excelled at Cantor and made many friends there. On the morning of September 11, 2001, Timothy was working on the 105th floor when Flight 11 struck the North Tower, leaving his floor and all of Cantor’s offices above the impassable impact zone. Sadly, none of the firm’s attending employees survived, including Timothy. Timothy’s life was taken on September 11th, but the love, accomplishments, and special memories made while he was here can never be taken. His vibrant spirit and legacy will live on forever.

08/14/2025

August 11th
David Shufee Lee, 37 years old, South Tower 94th floor

David Shufee Lee was born on August 11, 1964 and lived in West Orange, NJ. He married his sweetheart, Angela Lee, and the pair had a loving and close relationship together. David’s colleague and friend, Bill Yun, said, “I sat next to David Lee for five enjoyable years during his time at Fiduciary Trust. During those ensuing five years, I came to know David beyond just a professional capacity. He enjoyed life to the fullest and saw the good in all things and in everybody, David was quick-witted with a great sense of a humor, even if it was at his own expense. I never heard him complain about work or travel, only his golf game, which was his passion. But his true love was his wife and family, and in Angela. David told me he had met his perfect match. I attended their wedding and saw, indeed, it was truly perfect in many ways.” David and Angela were at an exciting time in their lives as Angela was three months pregnant with their first child and David was elated to be a father. Angela said, “He was so excited about the baby that he actually bought almost the whole collection of Warner Brothers Beanie Babies. He tried to talk to the fetus. He would say: ‘Hello! Can you hear me? I love you.’” David had come up with two names for the baby, one for a boy and one for a girl. After September 11th, it was revealed that their baby was a boy. David was looking forward to taking time off to help Angela with the baby after it was born. Angela said, “He wanted to give our children what we didn’t have as children. You know, the Chinese generational thing.

08/14/2025

Boats arrive at Manhattan’s Battery to rescue nearly 500,000 people from the devastation wrought by the 9/11 attacks.

The rescue effort started minutes after the first plane struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. and ended nine hours later.

The 9/11 boat lift, the largest water evacuation in history and one of the uplifiting episodes of that terrible day when terrorists flew two passenger jets into the iconic Twin Towers. About 150 commercial vessels of various types, such as tugboats, ferries, and charter boats, would transport an estimated 500,000 people out of the disaster zone of lower Manhattan to safety in New Jersey and Brooklyn.

Thousands lost their lives in the tragedy of 9/11. Trapped in the burning towers of the World Trade Center, there would be no escape when the two tall buildings collapsed at the tip of lower Manhattan. May all the victims rest in peace and in God’s hands 🙏🕊️💕

08/14/2025

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Assistant FDNY Chief Gerard “Jerry” A. Barbara. 🤍🕊️

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