From "10 Years Later -- The Journey From 9-11" in the September issue of Townhall Magazine:
In the 10 years since the morning of 9-11, thousands of Americans across the United States have lived without loved ones killed in the attacks and are still coping with a profound and irrevocable sense of loss.
Jane Pollicino, a housewife and mother of two from New York, is one courageous American living without her devoted husband. On Sept. 11, his life was cut short when he was unable to escape from the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Steve, who was a family man dedicated to his wife and two children, grew up in Hicksville, N.Y., and was a graduate of Long Island University at the C.W. Post campus. After graduation, he opened his own business and later entered the world of finance, where he was employed at Cantor Fitzgerald.
Since his passing, the Pollicino family has faced immeasurable hardships. But, as Jane explains, the love and support from other 9-11 families have been enormously helpful--especially during the most difficult stages of her bereavement.
"One advantage of having a loss like this--with the enormity of the lives that were lost--was that there were a lot of groups formed with a structure where we could meet," she says. "They were so specific to the needs of family members that people who lost spouses were different from people who lost children. I'm most comfortable when I'm with the 9-11 families and thank God for these support groups."
As a nation, the annual commemoration of Sept. 11, 2001, will remain in Americans' public memory for all time. Yet, for those Americans who lost loved ones, anguish is not something that diminishes with age.
"This is not something that happened 10 years ago and is done and over. It's not something all of us can move away from," she said.
Through the turmoil, however, her spirit is strong and her message is simple: never take anything for granted.
"I want people to appreciate what they have," she says. "I'm envious of those who can walk around and still have that innocence. I don't want to take that away, but I want them to be more aware."
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