Saturday, September 09, 2006

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers
will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.

We will honor them by remembering their lives,
and not by remembering their murderers.




*2996 is a coalition of volunteer bloggers brought together by D.C.Roe's idea to commemorate the lives of those killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. For a complete list of participants, please click HERE* Please Note: due to the volume of traffic the "Participant's list" may not be working. If it's not, come back again later when the volume of people should be down. Most of the people who have left comments have done a tribute themselves. If you click on their name, you will get their site and their tribute.

I found this ALTERNATE 2,996 site because the original site is down at the moment.

Please check this out: BLOGGING CHICKS CARNIVAL It is a carnival all about 9/11.

I Remember … I had dropped my eldest son off at school and returned home. I had turned the tv on to watch something (I can’t remember what now) and to my horror the first plane had hit a tower. I was stunned. Then more stunned when another plane hit the other tower (that I watched live). Then the plane that hit the pentagon. And the plane that went down before it could hit anything. This plane went down due to the heroics of some of the passengers. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A huge lump went into my throat first for the people on the planes, then for the people in the towers. At this time I never dreamed the two towers would come crashing down and killing so many innocent people. Killed by deranged terrorists; with a distorted revenge that only terrorists can understand.

An event that changed the course of history. New phrases came out of this such as: Home Land Security and Ground Zero. New forms of security had to be developed in airports, train stations, subways, etc. Our very way of life has been changed forever…




William J. McGovern
49 Years Old
Smithtown, New York
Chief, 2nd Battalion, New York Fire Department
Confirmed Dead

It is my honor to pay tribute to Willaim J. McGovern, who died as a Hero on September 11, 2001 while doing his job. I'm sure when William McGovern went to work he never dreamed that he would be a witness and a participant to an event of such magnitude. He never dreamed that he would die doing his job in Tower One. He's one of 2,996 people who lost/gave their lives to help others. There were many stories of many people trying to help their fellow man. On that eventful morning he was last scene around the 30th floor of Tower One in the World Trade Center doing his job, trying to save lives.

His wife said her husband must have been one of the first firefighters at the World Trace Center, because the 2nd Battalion, which he led, was stationed only a quarter of a mile away.

From reading what I could find about William McGovern, he was well liked. It has been said that when he walked into a room, everyone knew he was there. He liked to entertain and make sure everyone was having a good time - lots of laughter, lots of jokes.

Trying to save lives at the World Trade Center wasn't the first time he put his life on the line. I'm sure he, like all firefighters, put his life on the line many times. It was recorded in one particular incident when he and another firefighter rushed into a blazing building, crawling on their hands and knees to stay below the smoke and found a brother and sister lying on the floor. The boy wasn't breathing. McGovern and the other firefighter got both children out and resuscitated the 7 year old boy. McGovern was later quoted
as saying, "I'm thankful I could give him a second chance. I saw him come back to life. It's the greatest experience I ever had."

William J. McGovern is a Hero. He put his life on the line to save others and sadly lost it. He leaves behind a wife, a son and daughter. Also, his mother, two sisters and two brothers.

Added 9/11/06; 2:21pm: I just found out that there is a special United In Memory Quilt Project . Each victim has a block on this quilt. To view William J. McGovern's quilt block Click Here .

44 comments:

Pamela said...

good job....
I didn't join because I felt my readership was to small to pay justice.

Now I'm sorry that I didn't
It must have felt good to write about him and make him come to life in our memories.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Lovely Tribute Betty...Reading all these Tributes...it is overwhekmningly sad....but not as sad as it is for those loved ones of all those stricken that day.

michele said...

Thank for the link to the Carnival. I thought the best part of writing the tribute was to put a life to the name. We hear all these names being read each year but there are so many it's almost meaningless. This year when I hear the names, at two of the names (the two victims I wrote about) will have meaning. I will remember them at least.

Anna Venger said...

good job.

Tug said...

VERY nice!!

My tribute is up as well.

Meira{FB} said...

great job! Wonderful tribute.

mines up also.

Malissa said...

thanks for sharing Betty

Anonymous said...

I can't imagine the life of a fire fighter. They knowingly risk their lives to save others. They are truly heroes!

sue @ postcards from paradise falls said...

wonderful tribute.
mine is at http://jedisue.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Very nice Betty. You do the man justice.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful tribute Betty! We will forever be changed by this awesome tribute we had the honor of being a part of.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful tribute Betty! We will forever be changed by this awesome tribute we had the honor of being a part of.

Bonnie B said...

Thank you so much for the beautiful tribute

-tnchick- said...

Our finest. You've honored him well. So sad that so many of "our people" (those who were victims) are not with us today as we celebrate this 5th anniversay.

May his family be at peace today while the anniversary of 9/11 passes.

I'm honoring FDNY's Peter Beilfeld.

Heather said...

He is a hero - thank you for sharing.

I remember Steven Hagis

Kathleen Jennette said...

Thanks Betty for letting me get to know this great hero! He was a hero before he stepped foot in Tower One and remains one for us to remember what we should aspire to be.
Peace

Raggedy said...

Wonderful Tribute!
Thank you.
These are sad and hard to read....
I am honored to be a part of this project.
Mine is posted also...

The 2996 link is down. I have a new link on my site to view the participants.

Bless you…

Mark Base said...

One word, dear Betty - WOW.

Thanks for sharing the story of a true hero. A very inspired and inspiring tribute.

And thanks for visiting my tribute to Ginger!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful tribute! Thanks for coming by and reading mine. It's been a very emotional experience!

Unknown said...

Wonderful tribute. You did a great job honoring a true hero.
I remembered Naomi Leah Solomon.

Anonymous said...

very nice tribute Betty, thanks for the visit.

Canadianna said...

You're right, there have been so many words added to our vocabularies since 9/11 -- most of them not welcome.
Hero was already there - and William McGovern fits to a 'T'.
Thanks for sharing this --and thanks for the memory quilt link. I'm going to check that out right away.

Monica said...

A great tribute. So overwhelming, all these names having stories...having LIVES that were lived and then unfairly taken away.

So many.

Vickie said...

Another wonderful tribute, thank you Betty for taking the time to share William with us.

Ray said...

Finr Job for another one of our finest lost that day. See Eddie Dillard if you wish. Thanks.

Carmen said...

this man was truly a hero. thank you for honoring him.

Karen said...

That was great, Betty, thank you for sharing him with us. Such tragedy and loss on that day, it still brings tears to my eyes.

Thank you for that other link too and for stopping by my blog.

Anonymous said...

9/11 took such a toll on the firefighters. I remember encountering one about two months after 9/11. I was walking to Grand Central station. As I paused at a corner, I noticed a man standing, just looking lost. He looked at me and asked, "Which way is Grand Central. I just got out of a counseling meeting for fire fighers." He looked so tired. I offered to walk him to the station and found a police officer to guide him from there but this still haunts me.

PeppyPilotGirl said...

May Battalion Chief McGovern's soul rest in the beauty of the universe in peace. Beautiful tribute.

I remember Brooke David Rosenbaum.

Meowkaat said...

He looked like the kind of guy you could count on, 100%. Great Tribute.

Jen said...

Ok, this one made me cry. What a loss!

Thanks for stopping by to help remember Anna Williams Allison.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely tribute! Thank you for participating. These people are no longer just a name to us anymore.

Mine's up.

Karmyn R said...

Reading all these tributes today has truly been an amazing experience. Thank you for such a well written piece on a true American hero!

Andrew McAllister said...

Hi Betty,
Thank you so much for visiting my site and for leaving such a nice comment. I appreciate it!

All the best,
Andrew

Cathy said...

Wonderful tribute. Thank you for making this hero known to all.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful tribute. Thanks for the updated link, too.

Kelly Thatcher said...

Thanks, Betty. The firefighters are amazing. It is a privilege to know more about their lives.

(Thanks for the link, too!)

Anonymous said...

That was a very moving tribute Betty. Thank you for sharing it.

My tribute was to Harry Ramos, who died comforting a complete stranger.

Anonymous said...

What a HERO!! He is such a wonderful man to put the lives of others before his own precious self! You must have been proud to write your tribute on him! Bless his soul!

Biddie said...

Thanks for the tribute to this fallen hero. Well done.

Dead man walking said...

A wonderful tribute to a man who constantly put his life on the line for others. Thanks for sharing it!

Jennifer said...

Beautiful tribute, Betty. thank you for sharing this with us and telling us more about William.

Alfred T. Mahan said...

A very moving and well-written tribute to a man who lived with death on the job, and became a hero doing his duty.

I greatly appreciate your visit and comment on my tribute as well, and your updated link. We must never forget.

gordaboo said...

Thank you for sharing your tribute to William McGovern....no longer just a name but a person.

We will never forget.

I remember Lisa Egan