I can remember a few events prior to 2001 that caused me to become a news junkie for a few days or hours. The first was watching the LAPD chase a white Bronco. It was 1994 and I was 7 years old. It's a very brief, but notable memory. The week that both Princess Diana and Mother Teresa died was another. I remember watching Princess Di's funeral and feeling like I had lost my princess. These events affected me, but September 11, 2001 was on another level. I was older, it happened on my soil, in my state, and presented a very real threat. I was in my 9th grade AP Biology class when they made the announcement over the school's PA system. By then I think both towers had been hit. When we finally went home, I watched all the news coverage I could. Like a lot of us did. But until a few days ago, I had no real connection to the tragedy. I had no face to connect to the names read every year. As I was working to add one of my Ancestry DNA matches to my tree, I discovered that this particular match had a sister who was working at 2 World Trade Center on the 89th floor that fateful day. Her name was Mary Lou Hague and she is my 6th cousin. When I watch the documentaries or hear the names being read aloud, I know that I don't just share a human bond but a familial one, however distant, with at least one of the souls taken from us that day.
Born: 7 Oct 1974 in Parkersburg, West Virginia
Died: 11 Sep 2001 in Manhattan, New York
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Died: 11 Sep 2001 in Manhattan, New York
CNN 9/11 Memorial
NY Times Profile
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9/11 Memorial Blog Post
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods 9/11 Memorial
Genealogical Connection
Mary Lou and I share 5th great-grandparents, Adam Deem and Catherine Foughty. Adam Deem was born 10 Jan 1757 in Hagerstown, Maryland to Johannes Adam Diehm and Anna Christine Laudenclos. He married Catherine Foughty, daughter of Philip Foughty. She was born c. 1761 in Lewis, West Virginia and died c. 1850 near Goose Creek in West Virginia.
Mary Lou and I share 5th great-grandparents, Adam Deem and Catherine Foughty. Adam Deem was born 10 Jan 1757 in Hagerstown, Maryland to Johannes Adam Diehm and Anna Christine Laudenclos. He married Catherine Foughty, daughter of Philip Foughty. She was born c. 1761 in Lewis, West Virginia and died c. 1850 near Goose Creek in West Virginia.