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

We honor them by remembering their lives,
and not by dwelling on the tragic way in which they died.

I was given the opportunity to honor Jayesh Shah. Jayesh was a native of Bombay India, who came to the US when he was six. He graduated from Tulsa with a degree in Petro Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science. His worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 103rd floor in Tower One. The most oft quoted comment left by those that knew him is that of remembering his smile and is often described as having a playful, fun spirit. He was married for 12 years to his wife Jyothi, and had 3 kids - 10-year- old, Nikita (who he coached in soccer), and his other children, Sonia, 8, and Kevin, 6.

Jayesh was a active family man, putting his family first. He cared first and formost for his children's education, both academically and in life as evidenced by his involvement in his daughter's extracurricular activities. He was happy to pursue pleasures like dressing up like a mummy while on a camping trip - going from door to door - never discouraged by the sound of doors slamming in his face. His attitude was "'You can't just sleep away a camping trip. Let's have some fun."

While I've not had the honor of meeting his wife and children, I did find this while searching the net:

Dear Daddy, I miss you. It has been 3 months now and I pray for you to be at peace everyday. I miss you coaching me in Soccer, baseball, and swimming. I miss you at dinner and when it will first snow. I wish you were with us when we went to see the Harry Potter movie. And I miss you in many more ways. I Love you.
Nikita Shah, daughter

I've never met this man, nor anyone in his family. But I feel a deep sense of loss for his wife, children, brothers and other relatives. I feel for his wife and children who will not see him at the dinner table or at the soccer field. I feel for his daughters and son who will not have her father watch them run and sing and graduate from school.

It's been 5 years. But I and millions of other Americans will never forget. I will never forget this man who was a stranger to me before this day. This man I've spent time in the last few weeks reading about. I don't understand, and never will understand why this fine young man had to die so young. However, after reading what I have, I know we can not mourn that such a man died, but rather thank God that such a man lived.



I also want to credit these sites for info on Mr. Shah:
Newsday
CNN
Sept 11.
Sept11Victims