Why was Wiener found on the roof of Building 5, on February 2, 2002 and why did it take so long?
This grid map of the World Trade Center site records the location where the remains of Jeffrey Wiener were found.
WTC Damaged Buildings 75 ft by 75 ft Grid. A useful map for charting the distances between structures.
A photograph of Jeffrey and Heidi Wiener, conveniently taken on August 25, 2001
Why does the listing at SourceWatch for Robin Wiener say she
Families of September 11th.
Terror Free Tommorow is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that researches attitudes toward extremism worldwide.
For our Mission Statement, click here. For our latest activities,click here.
ADVISORY BOARD
Lee H. Hamilton Lee Hamilton served as Co-Chair of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States—The 9/11 Commission.
Lee Hamilton is currently the Director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, DC. Prior to becoming Director of the Wilson Center, Lee Hamilton served for thirty-four years as a Congressman from Indiana. During his tenure, he was both Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and chaired the Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East. Lee Hamilton also was Chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran.
John McCain John McCain is the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona.
After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1958, John McCain began his career as a Naval aviator. During the Vietnam War, John McCain’s plane was shot down over North Vietnam, where he spent five and a half years as a POW in Hanoi. In 1982, he was elected to Congress from Arizona, and in 1986 he was elected to the United States Senate. Senator McCain is currently the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He also serves on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and formerly served as Chairman.
William H. Frist Bill Frist served as the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate.
After becoming the first practicing physician elected to the Senate since 1928, Senator Frist led the Senate for three terms on issues of global health care and national security, including international terrorism. In addition to now serving on the Advisory Board of Terror Free Tomorrow, Bill Frist co-chairs Bono's ONE Campaign presidential initiative: ONE Vote '08. He also serves on the Boards of the Hope through Healing Hands Foundation, Africare and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Bill Frist is leading a drive by Save the Children to make the preventable deaths of millions of children in the developing world a priority for all Americans.
Charles S. Robb Chuck Robb served a United States Senator from Virginia from 1989 to 2001.
While in the Senate he became the only member ever to serve simultaneously on all three national security committees (Intelligence, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations). Before becoming a member of Congress he was Lt. Governor of Virginia from 1978 to 1982, and Governor from 1982 to 1986, when he also chaired the Democratic Governors' Association.
WTC Damaged Buildings 75 ft by 75 ft Grid. A useful map for charting the distances between structures.
A photograph of Jeffrey and Heidi Wiener, conveniently taken on August 25, 2001Why does the listing at SourceWatch for Robin Wiener say she
"is currently a Board Member and Treasurer of Families of September 11, the leading organization representing family members of the victims of 9/11.while neglecting to also inform us that
"A lawyer by training, Ms. Wiener was involved in the activities of the 9/11 Commission and in pushing for legislation supporting its recommendations. Her brother, Jeffrey Wiener was at the World Trade Center." And on the Advisory Board of "Terror Free Tomorrow,"
Robin is the President of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) in Washington, D.C. A lawyer by training, she has experience in matters relating to the activities of Congress and knowledge of the legal and political workings of the government. Her brother, Jeffrey Wiener was at the World Trade Center.
Families of September 11th.
Who We Are
Families of September 11, Inc. (FOS11) is a nonprofit organization founded in October 2001 by families of those who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks. Membership is open to anyone affected by the events of September 11, be they family members, survivors, responders, or others as well as those who support our mission. The group has two goals:
- To support families and children by offering updated information on issues of interest, access to resources, relevant articles, and advocacy to raise awareness about the effects of terrorism and public trauma.
- To champion domestic and international policies that respond to the threat of terrorism including support for the 9/11 Commission Recommendations, and to reach out to victims of terror worldwide.
Many of our Board Members are professionals who lost immediate family members in the attacks. The members of our Advisory Board bring expertise and knowledge to our organization in specific areas that ably support our goals.
We are committed to offering current and accurate information, to promoting resiliency and strength, to advocating on behalf of our members and issues of importance to them, and to continuing a dialogue with an expanding group of our families, friends and supporters.
Board Members
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Donald W. Goodrich, Chairman of the Board, is a partner in the law firm of Donovan & O'Connor in North Adams, MA. One of the founders of FOS11, Don analyzed and recommended improvements to the Victim Compensation Fund as well as various forms of ongoing and potential litigation against organizations whose actions have affected victims' rights. Don helped develop questions for the online 9/11 Grief Survey; was involved in petitioning Congress for legislation in support of the 9/11 Commission; and raised money to build a girls’ school in Afghanistan. His son, Peter Goodrich, was on United Airlines Flight 175.
Paul H. Bea Jr., Secretary, is a government relations advisor specializing in transportation and the maritime sector. In 2006 he formed PHB Public Affairs after serving for over 25 years as Washington Representative of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey in Washington. A native of New Jersey, he started his public sector career as legislative aide for a congressman and governor. In recent years Paul has focused his attention on Federal freight transportation matters including homeland security. He has been appointed to several panels and currently serves on the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council and the Eno Transportation Foundation Board of Advisors.
Nancy Aronson, Treasurer, is an experienced director of advocacy, educational program development and management. Nancy recently retired as a Senior Legislative Representative for AARP in Washington, D.C. She came to AARP as a program consultant for NRTA, a division of AARP that supports retired educators. Previously, Nancy was with the Association for Financial Professionals and George Washington University's Center for Career Education. An experienced public relations and policy director, she also served on the staff of former Representative E.J. Patten. An advisor on the Nuclear Threat Initiative and Safer World Project, Nancy is featured in their public service announcements. Her sister-in-law, Myra, was killed on 9/11.
Timothy P. Barr is the Vice President for Development at St. Joseph's Healthcare System in Paterson, NJ, and Executive Director of the St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center Foundation. Tim’s 20-plus year career in fundraising has focused in the areas of higher education, healthcare, and public television. He serves as a Vice President of the Board of Education and on several township committees in his community, such as the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Tim has also served as Vice-Chair of the board of the Community Pre-K in his town.
David B. Edwards is a Carl W. Vogt ’58 Professor of Anthropology at Williams College and Director of the Williams Afghan Media Project. Prof. Edwards has been conducting research on and writing about Afghanistan for more than 25 years. A graduate of Princeton University (BA, 1975) and the University of Michigan (PhD, 1986), he is also the author of two books on Afghanistan (Before Taliban: Genealogies of the Afghan Jihad, University of California Press, 2002 and Heroes of the Age: Moral Fault Lines on the Afghan Frontier, University of California Press, 1996), along with many articles on Afghan history, religion and culture. Prof. Edwards is also the co-director and producer of the film, Kabul Transit, which was screened in 2006 at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in North Carolina; the Los Angeles Film Festival, where it was a finalist for the Best Documentary award; and in the Independents Nights series at Lincoln Center in New York City. Edwards has received research fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew Mellon Foundation, and the National Science Foundation. He has also been a Fulbright Fellow, and in 2002 was named a Carnegie Scholar by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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Tom Devine, a partner at Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP in Washington, D.C., has more than 25 years experience in aviation law. He assisted Families of September 11, Inc., in seeking changes to the regulations governing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and represented individual families in filing claims with the fund. He currently represents airports in legislative and regulatory matters as well as administrative enforcement proceedings and related cases in the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Tom has also represented airline pilot's unions on federal legislative and regulatory matters concerning aviation safety. Prior to entering private practice, he was Vice President for Legal and Environmental Affairs with the Airports Council International-North America and was an attorney on the Legislative Staff of the FAA Office of Chief Counsel. He also served as General Council to the National Airline Commission.
Julian Ford, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut Health Center. He has developed a Trauma Adaptive Recovery Group Education and Therapy (TARGET) model for adults in treatment for chronic mental illness and addictions. Since November 2001, he has served as the Director of the Center for Trauma Response, Recovery, and Preparedness, which is dedicated to the development of systems of services for communities affected by mass trauma. Julian also serves as a Senior Academic Fellow with the Child Health and Development Institute.
Donna Gaffney, APRN, BC, DNSc, FAAN, is on the faculty of the International Trauma Studies Program in New York City. She holds a master’s degree from Teachers College in child cognitive development, a doctorate in child mental health from the University of Pennsylvania and was awarded the Prudential Fellowship for Children and The News at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. Dr. Gaffney has long addressed the issues of trauma in the lives of children and families. In an effort to address the issues of trauma and loss among young girls in urban schools she created and administered the AAUW-funded bibliotherapy program, "Growing Heroines," at one of New York City’s largest elementary schools. After the Challenger explosion and the Pan Am 103 crash in Scotland she worked with schools and families. She is currently working with children and families affected by the World Trade Center Terrorist Attacks. As an advisory board member for the Families of September 11 she consults on media and policy issues addressing the needs of children affected by terrorism and loss. Dr. Gaffney is the author of The Seasons of Grief, Helping Children Grow through Loss. She wrote a professional guide to accompany the young adult book, 911: The Book of Help. Dr. Gaffney co-produced the award-winning educational film, Remembering September 11th, A Guide for Schools.
Carol Kellerman, was the Executive Director and CEO of the September 11th Fund, a $500 million charity fund created to help 9/11 victims. Carol previously served as Executive Director for Learning Leaders, the oldest school volunteer program in the country and was also Chief of Staff for New York Senator Charles (Chuck) Schumer when he was in Congress. Her career has included stints as a government and public affairs consultant to corporate and nonprofit organizations as well as varied positions within the New York City government such as: Staff Director of the Mayor's Advisory Task Force on the Homeless, Deputy Commissioner for the City's Department of Finance, and Special Counsel to the Office of Tax Policy and Analysis. She began her professional life as an associate appellate attorney for the Legal Aid Society of New York City.
Carie Lemack, advocated for the creation of the 9/11 Commission and for passage of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. She continues to pursue activities and legislation supporting the Commission's recommendations. A founder of FOS11, she spearheaded a campaign to develop warnings and increase awareness of the effects of the media's use of real-life graphic 9/11 images. Currently running her own national security business, The Camilla Group, LLC, Carie remains focused on working with government, private sector and nonprofit organizations to improve the nation's safety and security, and is leading a project to prevent nuclear terrorism in conjunction with the Nuclear Threat Initiative. Carie has an MBA from Stanford University as well as a Masters degree in public administration from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Her mother, Judy Larocque, was on American Airlines Flight 11.
James Lewis, III, Psy.D., is a clinical neuro-psychologist and nationally certified school psychologist at the Yale School of Medicine, Child Study Center. He is the Chief Operating Officer of the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence. James is a consultant for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Project for New Haven Public Schools and is on the adjunct faculty at the Center for Social, Emotional Education at Columbia University, and the Michigan State University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry.
Paula A. Madrid, Psy.D. is a New York State Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Associate Research Scientist at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. As the director of the Psychosocial Preparedness Division, she runs the Center’s Resiliency Program, a 9/11 program established in November 2001 to provide direct and supportive services to those most impacted by the terrorist attacks. Dr. Madrid is also on the adjunct faculty of the University of Hartford's Graduate School of Professional Psychology. In October of 2005, Dr. Madrid was appointed as the director of Mental Health Services for "Operation Assist", a joint initiative by the Children’s Health Fund and the National Center for Disaster Preparedness to assist victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast. Madrid has published papers and presents nationally and internationally on the impact of underserved populations in disasters, resilience as an essential aspect of disaster preparedness, community preparedness and culturally appropriate psychosocial programs post-disaster.
Stefanie T. Norris, MSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker and the Founder and Executive Director of Willow House, a Chicago-area program providing and developing supportive services for children, teens, families, and communities coping with death and dying. Stefanie’s 20-plus years working in the field of death ultimately led her to concentrate on the unique needs of grieving children and families and to specialized work in the field of bereavement.
Thomas H. Rogér As a founding FOS11 Board Member, Tom has been a committed advocate for 9/11 families; raising awareness and personally supporting initiatives to improve airline security, the Victims Compensation Fund, 9/11 curriculum in schools, the memorial at Ground Zero, and more. He is Vice President of Gilbane Building Company, currently serving as their Program Director for "Kids First", involving the complete reconstruction and/or renovation of all 46 of New Haven, Connecticut's public schools. He has been prominently involved in the memorial process as a member of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's Families Advisory Council, the Memorial and Museum Program Committees, and currently serves on the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation Board of Directors. His 24 year old daughter, Jean Rogér, was a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11.
MaryEllen Salamone, P.T., J.D., is an FOS11 Advisory Board Member and former FOS11 Board President. MaryEllen has been a dedicated advocate for family and children’s issues. She has practiced as a pediatric physical therapist and a special education attorney and previously worked with New Jersey's Office of Education. MaryEllen currently works with schools, organizations and trauma specialists to assess special needs of children affected by 9/11, trauma and loss. She was a member of the New Jersey’s Acting Governor Codey’s Special Council on Emergency Response and Trauma Preparedness, addressing issues affecting adults and children and making recommendations for legislation. In 2006, MaryEllen served as faculty on Mt. Sinai Medical School’s Reaching Children Initiative (RCI) and she is currently serving as committee chair in a learning collaborative jointly sponsored by NICHQ (National Initiative for Childhood Healthcare Quality) and Mt. Sinai’s RCI. She is also an active Board Member of the National School Center for Crisis and Bereavement. Her husband, John Salamone, died at the World Trade Center.
David J. Schonfeld, MD, FAAP, is a developmental- behavioral pediatrician and the Thelma and Jack Rubinstein Professor of Pediatrics, Director of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, and Director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Schonfeld established the School Crisis Response Program in 1991and consulted to the NYC Department of Education (DOE) to help optimize the infrastructure within the system for crisis preparedness and response in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. In 2005, he was awarded funding by the September 11th Children’s Fund and the National Philanthropic Trust to establish a National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement (NCSCB). Dr. Schonfeld has authored articles, book chapters, and a handbook (published by ASCD) on school crisis preparedness, spoken extensively and consulted to school systems on the topic of pediatric bereavement and the mental health needs of children in crisis situations. In addition, Dr. Schonfeld is actively engaged in school-based research involving children’s understanding of and adjustment to serious illness and death and school-based interventions to promote adjustment and risk prevention.
Ron Shindel, Deputy Inspector (NYPD-Retired), was the commanding officer for a select group of investigators who were assigned to the World Trade Center Recovery site on September 13, 2001, until that group was disbanded on January 29, 2002. Positioned at every station of the site, the group worked two shifts around the clock without scheduled days off and was responsible for the verifiable information made available to the public. In 2002, after 21 years with the NYPD, Ron was recruited to the American Stock Exchange as Senior Vice President in charge of Security, Property Management, and Business Continuity. He is currently the Vice President for Public Safety and Quality of Life for the Times Square Management District, a not-for-profit business improvement company providing services to member constituents with a combined annual economic output of $53 Billion. Ron also heads the Times Square Security Council, a group of security professionals within the constituent district with the emphasis on counter-terrorism, safety, and crime reduction. He also works with KKP, a strategic planning firm, where he lectures and advises on national security, law enforcement, and leadership during crisis management to candidates for public office and sitting members of Congress. He graduated first in his class at Hofstra University, summa cum laude, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Elinor L. Stout, has a background in strategic communications with a focus on health care. Elinor is a former reporter and broadcast producer for WGBH in Boston, where she received prestigious national awards for her work. She worked immediately after 9/11 with the American Islamic Congress, a group of moderate Arab leaders speaking out against terrorism. An advisor on the Nuclear Threat Initiative and Safer World Project, Elinor is featured in their public service announcements. Elinor's son, Tim, was at the World Trade Center.
Kit Transue, who serves as the online security consultant for FOS11, is Principal Engineer with AccuRev, Inc. in Lexington, MA. Kit focuses on creating tools to improve the process by which software is created. Prior to his current position, he was Director of Development at Software Emancipation Technology.
Robin Wiener As an early Board member and officer of FOS11, Robin has been a dedicated advocate for families who were directly affected by 9/11. Robin was involved in the activities of the 9/11 Commission and in pushing for legislation supporting its recommendations. She was a member of the Family Steering Committee which worked to advise the 9/11 Commission about the families’ concerns. Robin is the President of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) in Washington, D.C. A lawyer by training, she has experience in matters relating to the activities of Congress and knowledge of the legal and political workings of the government. Her brother, Jeffrey Wiener was at the World Trade Center.
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Anastasia Holmes, MPA, Executive Director, has worked in the nonprofit sector for 14 years. As the executive director of Disaster Psychiatry Outreach from 2002-2007, she led that organization's day-to-day operations, including program development, financial management, fund raising, and marketing. Prior to this position, she held fundraising positions at cultural and social service organizations in New York City. In May 2006 she completed her Masters of Public Administration (MPA) at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, majoring in nonprofit management and finance. Before entering the nonprofit sector, she worked as a writer, editor, and communications consultant. She earned a journalism degree from Boston University in 1990.
Brian Richardson, LCSW, Program Consultant, brings more than 36 years experience to FOS11 and works on children and family issues by developing content and resources for the children’s newsletters and the Children of September 11 webpage. He updates the FOS11 website with information about mental health, Ground Zero health, case management and more. Brian previously served on the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island as the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Coordinator. Prior, he was an Assistant Director of Project Liberty, the FEMA crisis counseling and bereavement program that assisted victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks.
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Families of September 11 (FOS11) represents the families and children of victims, survivors, and others affected by the events of September 11, 2001. Our membership also includes those who have lost relatives in other acts of terrorism and concerned individuals who are interested in advancing the organization’s goals. Our organization seeks to unite its members with the broader public through common goals: to respond to terrorism, prepare to address its effects, and support efforts that may diminish the possibility of future attacks.
Since our inception, more than 2,400 people have joined our organization (FOS11 has a volunteer, opt-in membership policy), including approximately 1,700 family members and 700 individuals who are concerned with our mission. About half of our members reside in the New York tristate area. Our membership is not only growing in terms of affected populations, but it is also expanding geographically as we attract new members from around the world. Members now reside in 48 states, from California to Maine, and in 23 countries ranging from China to South Africa.
To ensure that the organization is broadly representative, FOS11 membership is open and free. We maintain an active dialogue with our members and reach out to them in a variety of ways — through our website, through mailings, and through personal contact. In addition, FOS11 believes that feedback from our members is critical to our success. To that end, FOS11 surveys our membership from time to time through both formal and informal polls. Members are also invited to provide feedback via our email info box, our bulletin board, our chat program, our developing virtual photo album, and through contributions to our monthly e-newsletter.
Terror Free Tommorow is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that researches attitudes toward extremism worldwide.
For our Mission Statement, click here. For our latest activities,click here.
ADVISORY BOARD
Lee H. Hamilton Lee Hamilton served as Co-Chair of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States—The 9/11 Commission.
Lee Hamilton is currently the Director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, DC. Prior to becoming Director of the Wilson Center, Lee Hamilton served for thirty-four years as a Congressman from Indiana. During his tenure, he was both Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and chaired the Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East. Lee Hamilton also was Chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran.
John McCain John McCain is the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona.
After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1958, John McCain began his career as a Naval aviator. During the Vietnam War, John McCain’s plane was shot down over North Vietnam, where he spent five and a half years as a POW in Hanoi. In 1982, he was elected to Congress from Arizona, and in 1986 he was elected to the United States Senate. Senator McCain is currently the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He also serves on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and formerly served as Chairman.
William H. Frist Bill Frist served as the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate.
After becoming the first practicing physician elected to the Senate since 1928, Senator Frist led the Senate for three terms on issues of global health care and national security, including international terrorism. In addition to now serving on the Advisory Board of Terror Free Tomorrow, Bill Frist co-chairs Bono's ONE Campaign presidential initiative: ONE Vote '08. He also serves on the Boards of the Hope through Healing Hands Foundation, Africare and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Bill Frist is leading a drive by Save the Children to make the preventable deaths of millions of children in the developing world a priority for all Americans.
Charles S. Robb Chuck Robb served a United States Senator from Virginia from 1989 to 2001.
While in the Senate he became the only member ever to serve simultaneously on all three national security committees (Intelligence, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations). Before becoming a member of Congress he was Lt. Governor of Virginia from 1978 to 1982, and Governor from 1982 to 1986, when he also chaired the Democratic Governors' Association.
Thomas H. Kean Tom Kean also served as Co-Chair of the 9/11 Commission.
Tom Kean is the former governor of New Jersey and president of Drew University. Governor Kean served for ten years in the New Jersey Assembly, rising to the positions of majority leader, minority leader and speaker before being elected governor.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Kenneth Ballen Ken Ballen has spent more than 20 years on the frontlines in law enforcement, international relations, intelligence oversight and congressional investigations. As a federal prosecutor, Ken successfully prosecuted international terrorists. Ken also prosecuted major figures in organized crime, international narcotics and one of the first cases in the United States involving illegal financing for Middle Eastern terrorists. Ken served as Counsel to the House Iran-Contra Committee under Chairman Lee Hamilton, where he was a lead investigator responsible for questioning key witnesses during the nationally televised hearings. Among other assignments on Capitol Hill, Ken also served as Chief Counsel to a bi-partisan Senate special investigative committee with Senator John McCain and as Chief Counsel to the House Steering and Policy Committee, where he directed policy initiatives on crime prevention and security, intelligence oversight and select national security matters for the U.S. House of Representatives. Ken received his J.D. with honors in 1980 from Columbia Law School, where he was an Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He is also an honors graduate of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, obtaining a M.A. in International Affairs. He received his B.A.summa cum laude from Tufts University in 1977.
Andi Hutomo Andi Hutomo, an Indonesian citizen, attended Surabaya University in Indonesia, as well as Southeastern University in Washington, DC. Among other assignments in Indonesia, Andi worked for the French Consulate in Surabaya, as well as a reporter for Warta Ubaya. Andi is fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Javanese and English, and is also an experienced computer programmer.
Shirin Farhadi Shirin Farhadi, an Iranian citizen, attended University of Tehran, continuing her studies in the United States at the University of California, Berkeley. Among other assignments in Iran, Shirin was active in various student organizations, as well as writing for a number of print and web publications. Originally from Isfahan, she is fluent in Farsi and English, and is also skilled in IT and Internet protocols. Shirin Farhadi is an assumed name to protect the safety of her family, who still live in Tehran and Isfahan.
Jeff Wiener lost his life in the World Trade Center. Sitting at a desk in a library, deep in the part of the museum visited only by staff, I read through a fat file of paper donated by the Wiener family. There were official documents, reports from the medical examiner’s office detailing the effort to recover his remains, evidence of a long and careful search for information. And then there were stacks of sympathy cards. You could tell that Jeff was someone special, loved by many. The Wiener family donated his things to the museum to create a legacy for a young man who died without having had children of his own. I like the idea that in a hundred years another curator, researcher, or filmmaker may read those same cards and also try not to cry directly on them.
Smithsonian's SEPTEMBER 11: BEARING WITNESS TO HISTORY
Missing person material
Tom Kean is the former governor of New Jersey and president of Drew University. Governor Kean served for ten years in the New Jersey Assembly, rising to the positions of majority leader, minority leader and speaker before being elected governor.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Kenneth Ballen Ken Ballen has spent more than 20 years on the frontlines in law enforcement, international relations, intelligence oversight and congressional investigations. As a federal prosecutor, Ken successfully prosecuted international terrorists. Ken also prosecuted major figures in organized crime, international narcotics and one of the first cases in the United States involving illegal financing for Middle Eastern terrorists. Ken served as Counsel to the House Iran-Contra Committee under Chairman Lee Hamilton, where he was a lead investigator responsible for questioning key witnesses during the nationally televised hearings. Among other assignments on Capitol Hill, Ken also served as Chief Counsel to a bi-partisan Senate special investigative committee with Senator John McCain and as Chief Counsel to the House Steering and Policy Committee, where he directed policy initiatives on crime prevention and security, intelligence oversight and select national security matters for the U.S. House of Representatives. Ken received his J.D. with honors in 1980 from Columbia Law School, where he was an Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He is also an honors graduate of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, obtaining a M.A. in International Affairs. He received his B.A.summa cum laude from Tufts University in 1977.
Andi Hutomo Andi Hutomo, an Indonesian citizen, attended Surabaya University in Indonesia, as well as Southeastern University in Washington, DC. Among other assignments in Indonesia, Andi worked for the French Consulate in Surabaya, as well as a reporter for Warta Ubaya. Andi is fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Javanese and English, and is also an experienced computer programmer.
Shirin Farhadi Shirin Farhadi, an Iranian citizen, attended University of Tehran, continuing her studies in the United States at the University of California, Berkeley. Among other assignments in Iran, Shirin was active in various student organizations, as well as writing for a number of print and web publications. Originally from Isfahan, she is fluent in Farsi and English, and is also skilled in IT and Internet protocols. Shirin Farhadi is an assumed name to protect the safety of her family, who still live in Tehran and Isfahan.
Jeff Wiener lost his life in the World Trade Center. Sitting at a desk in a library, deep in the part of the museum visited only by staff, I read through a fat file of paper donated by the Wiener family. There were official documents, reports from the medical examiner’s office detailing the effort to recover his remains, evidence of a long and careful search for information. And then there were stacks of sympathy cards. You could tell that Jeff was someone special, loved by many. The Wiener family donated his things to the museum to create a legacy for a young man who died without having had children of his own. I like the idea that in a hundred years another curator, researcher, or filmmaker may read those same cards and also try not to cry directly on them.
Smithsonian's SEPTEMBER 11: BEARING WITNESS TO HISTORY
Missing person material
Description: This collection of material documents one family’s search for a missing relative.
Context: The attack on the World Trade Center touched not only the occupants of the buildings but their friends and relatives as well. Jeff Wiener worked for Marsh Risk Technologies and had an office on the 96th floor of the north tower—the point of impact for the first hijacked jet.
At the moment of the attack Jeff's parents were driving north on the New Jersey Turnpike from where they could see the towers. They immediately called their daughter, Robin. She drove from Washington, D.C., to New York to join the family in the search for her brother. The morning of the 12th, Robin, Jeff's wife, parents, and other family members began distributing missing person posters, visiting hospitals, contacting police, and checking with relief organizations. Sadly, they never found Jeff alive.
September 1, 2011, Waste Age, Reclaimed Memories, by Allan Gerlat, 12:00pm
Robin Wiener’s seven-year-old daughter, Jennifer, has been asking more questions about Sept. 11 recently. It’s a particularly delicate subject for the president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. Robin’s brother and Jennifer’s uncle, Jeff Wiener, was killed in the World Trade Center attack 10 years ago.
“She always knew she was named after someone special,” Wiener says. “The last couple years she’s asked more questions about how he died. We will try to be as careful with her as possible. But she’ll hear things. We’ll answer her questions. We hope it doesn’t scare her.
“One of my own fears for her is that it involved planes, and I travel a lot.”
Jeff was a 33-year-old manager of Marsh & McLennan’s risk technologies group in 2001. He worked on the 96th floor of the North Tower and was in the direct path of the first hijacked plane.
Wiener’s own feelings about Sept. 11 haven’t changed that much over the years. “I still miss my brother every day,” she says. “I’m incredibly sad that it happened. But I’m also grateful. I’ll always remember him and the great support the industry showed – to me personally and to the country by the work that was done.”
The recycling industry’s response to Sept. 11 wasn’t unique to this disaster, Wiener points out, as it was subsequently a big player both in terms of recovery efforts and financial contributions following disasters such as Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast and this year’s earthquake off Japan. “The industry is very committed to being a good citizen,” she says. “That makes me very proud.”
Wiener’s family continues to be involved in the children’s library they set up at Jeff’s synagogue, and they facilitate an annual student achievement award for community involvement. Daughter Jennifer, who never got to meet her uncle, is now participating in that event. She gets to talk with the other award winners – children too young to remember Sept. 11. “That’s one of the ways we decided to introduce him to her in a more positive way,” Wiener said of the award.
Wiener’s second daughter, Alex, is now two and a half years old. Wiener says they plan the same gentle education about Sept. 11 and its significance to the family as she grows. “We don’t want to forget her,” she says in light of the current focus on Jennifer’s growing awareness.
After a little more reflection, Wiener reiterates a thought she first expressed five years ago. Though the events of Sept. 11 are hard to forget, she says, “it’s what we do with what happened that matters.”
Context: The attack on the World Trade Center touched not only the occupants of the buildings but their friends and relatives as well. Jeff Wiener worked for Marsh Risk Technologies and had an office on the 96th floor of the north tower—the point of impact for the first hijacked jet.
At the moment of the attack Jeff's parents were driving north on the New Jersey Turnpike from where they could see the towers. They immediately called their daughter, Robin. She drove from Washington, D.C., to New York to join the family in the search for her brother. The morning of the 12th, Robin, Jeff's wife, parents, and other family members began distributing missing person posters, visiting hospitals, contacting police, and checking with relief organizations. Sadly, they never found Jeff alive.
September 1, 2011, Waste Age, Reclaimed Memories, by Allan Gerlat, 12:00pm
Robin Wiener’s seven-year-old daughter, Jennifer, has been asking more questions about Sept. 11 recently. It’s a particularly delicate subject for the president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. Robin’s brother and Jennifer’s uncle, Jeff Wiener, was killed in the World Trade Center attack 10 years ago.
“She always knew she was named after someone special,” Wiener says. “The last couple years she’s asked more questions about how he died. We will try to be as careful with her as possible. But she’ll hear things. We’ll answer her questions. We hope it doesn’t scare her.
“One of my own fears for her is that it involved planes, and I travel a lot.”
Jeff was a 33-year-old manager of Marsh & McLennan’s risk technologies group in 2001. He worked on the 96th floor of the North Tower and was in the direct path of the first hijacked plane.
Wiener’s own feelings about Sept. 11 haven’t changed that much over the years. “I still miss my brother every day,” she says. “I’m incredibly sad that it happened. But I’m also grateful. I’ll always remember him and the great support the industry showed – to me personally and to the country by the work that was done.”
The recycling industry’s response to Sept. 11 wasn’t unique to this disaster, Wiener points out, as it was subsequently a big player both in terms of recovery efforts and financial contributions following disasters such as Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast and this year’s earthquake off Japan. “The industry is very committed to being a good citizen,” she says. “That makes me very proud.”
Wiener’s family continues to be involved in the children’s library they set up at Jeff’s synagogue, and they facilitate an annual student achievement award for community involvement. Daughter Jennifer, who never got to meet her uncle, is now participating in that event. She gets to talk with the other award winners – children too young to remember Sept. 11. “That’s one of the ways we decided to introduce him to her in a more positive way,” Wiener said of the award.
Wiener’s second daughter, Alex, is now two and a half years old. Wiener says they plan the same gentle education about Sept. 11 and its significance to the family as she grows. “We don’t want to forget her,” she says in light of the current focus on Jennifer’s growing awareness.
After a little more reflection, Wiener reiterates a thought she first expressed five years ago. Though the events of Sept. 11 are hard to forget, she says, “it’s what we do with what happened that matters.”
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