When I signed up for the 2,996 project, I was given the name of Jennifer Fialko. I never met Jennifer and the information below was gathered from the internet and new articles from the days after the tragedy. If you knew Jennifer and I have made any mistakes, please let me know so I can correct any errors. I do this project with utmost respect for all the victims, support personnel, and survivors of the tragedy as well as a deep sorrow for the losses felt by friends and family of the victims. Though I didn't personally know anyone who died that day, I still was so impacted by the events of that day. It was truly a tragedy for the whole nation. Sorry if my writing is somewhat stilted or awkward today. This was a difficult assignment, but one that was healing and needed to be done.
Jennifer got her BA from the University of New Hampshire in 1994. She was in the prime of her live. She was just starting over after finally winning her battle with Hodgkin's disease. She was in a new state of physical, spiritual, and emotional health. She felt that her cancer was a "gift" because it started her journey. She told her family she would live to be 120 and they believed her. She had just found the man she believed to be her soulmate, David.Jennifer had just started a new job at Aon Corp and was working in the South Tower on the 92nd floor when the planes hit. She called David at 8:59 after the first plane hit. She realized she needed to get out of the tower. He told her to call back when she got to the bottom. The second plane hit her tower at 9:03. Nobody ever heard from her again.
You can see more about Jennifer at the links below:
http://cf.newsday.com/911/victimsearch.cfm?id=1863
http://www.legacy.com/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonId=145313
http://www.unitedinmemory.net/quilt.php?quilt=981
https://www.alumni.unh.edu/find/091101.html#fialko
5 comments:
It nearly broke my heart when I read that Jennifer was recovering from Hodgekins... So sad that it should all be taken away so quickly.
thanks Lianna.
sarahp
thank you for a wonderful tribute. mine is at http://jedisue.blogspot.com
I met Jen through a mutual friend the year before "that year" what a fun spunky gal I met who was full of life and loved to laugh. We were going out one night as a group and as we walked through a car park the gate came down on Jen's head and bonked her one, how she laughed at that moment in time, which is how I will always remember her. Fun Jen, so care free!. A year later I watched as the building she was in came down with her in it. Ten years later I still cannot watch the video of that day knowing a gal I really only briefly knew made such an impression on me.
Francis- your story touched me this morning and I'm so glad you could share your memory of Jennifer and her laughing, carefree attitude. She must have been a wonderful person to know. Thanks for helping us all remember the people who are still affected by the tragedy.
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