With the 2996 blog project well under way, I wanted to share my tribute to a true hero. If you go to www.dcroe.com/2996 you can find many blogs with tributes. I hope you'll stop by to read them.
R.I.P J.J.
On Joy & Sorrow
Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."
And he answered:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.
The Prophet
-by Kahlil Gibran
"People have stars, but they aren't the same. For travelers, the stars are guides. For other people, they're nothing but tiny lights. When you look up at the sky at night, since I'll be living on one of them, since I'll be laughing on one of them, for you, it'll be as if all the stars are laughing. You'll have stars that can laugh! And when you're consoled (everyone is eventually consoled), you'll be glad you've known me. You'll always be my friend. You'll feel like laughing with me. And you'll open your windows sometimes just for the fun of it... And your friends will be amazed to see you laughing while you're looking up at the sky. Then you'll tell them, 'Yes, it's the stars. They always make me laugh!"
The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I've been trying to find the right words to truly honor Joao Aguair, but I think no matter what I write, I could never do this man who gave so much the justice he deserves. I do this, however, with great respect for a man with a smile that could light a city, and a heart as pure as gold.
Although I never knew JJ personally, I've learned so much by reading about him. It truly is a great loss that I never had the honor of meeting such a worthy man who was loved, and is now missed by so many.
I recently have been in touch with JJ's sister, Taciana via email, and I must say, she is a very gracious and kind woman. I am so glad I was able to contact her, and I have let her know about the tribute to her brother, and I welcome anything she or her family would like me to add to tell the world about this special man.
Joao Alberto da Fonseca Aguiar Jr. , 30, was an investment banker with Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, which was located on the 89th along with the 85th & 88th floors of the World Trade Center's South tower at the time of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack. He was employed since 1999 at Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, Inc., an asset management firm, where he was an investment banker.
JJ was a resident of Hoboken, but was originally from Monmouth County, New Jersey. He was born in Red Bank and attended Holy Cross School, Little Silver public schools, St. Julian's School in Carcavelos, Portugal, and Rumson-Fair Haven High School. He attended New York's Adelphi University for the first two years of college, then transferred to George Washington University in D.C., where he graduated with a B.B.A. in Finance.
I have learned that Joao was an avid tennis player, and enjoyed horseback riding, and had a love for water sports.
While searching for some information on JJ, I came across this article at the New York Times, and it shows me just how amazing this man really was:
A Knack for Defying Odds
Last year, while sailing off the coast of New Jersey, Joao Aguiar was knocked unconscious by the flying boom of his catamaran and fell into a coma. The prognosis wasn't good, but he emerged from unconsciousness two days later. In two weeks he was out of the hospital. His uncle, Raymond S. Smith, said he was not surprised that his nephew defied the odds.
"J.J. is a strong, athletic guy," he said. "Just like then, I'm sure he'll pull through."
Joao, 30, of Monmouth Beach, N.J., worked for KBW Investments on the 86th floor of the south tower. Raymond said he had learned from co-workers that his nephew made it to the 76th floor.
"He's resourceful, a really smart kid," said Raymond, who raised his nephew after his parents returned to Portugal while Joao was still in high school.
Joao was crazy about horses, and he recently met a woman while riding. He was was planning to move in with his girlfriend, who owns a horse farm in Colts Neck, N.J., Raymond said. "For the first time in his life, he was in love," he said.
He is survived by his parents, Joao and Diane Aguiar, of Sintra, Portugal; two sisters, Monique Aguiar of Chico, California, and Taciana Aguiar of San Francisco; a nephew, Sebastian Brunemeier, of San Francisco; an uncle, Victor Bottrill of Somerset, New Jersey; two cousins, Troy Bottrill of Somerset, New Jersey, and Michael Bottrill of Los Angeles; and a grandfather, George Van Zile Bottrill of Tryon, North Carolina, formerly of Rumson, New Jersey. He was predeceased by his grandmother, Roma Porter Bottrill, in 1989. He is also survived by Lisa Faust Singer, with whom he was planning to spend his life.
I Heard an Angel
by William Blake
I heard an Angel singing
When the day was springing,
"Mercy, Pity, Peace
Is the world's release."
Thus he sung all day
Over the new mown hay,
Till the sun went down
And haycocks looked brown.
I heard a Devil curse
Over the heath and the furze,
"Mercy could be no more,
If there was nobody poor,
And pity no more could be,
If all were as happy as we."
At his curse the sun went down,
And the heavens gave a frown.
Down pour'd the heavy rain
Over the new reap'd grain ...
And Miseries' increase
Is Mercy, Pity, Peace.
I encourage you all to visit a site that is dedicated to JJ. You will find many stories and pictures of a true hero: J.J. Aguiar
R.I.P. J.J.
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