Monday, September 12, 2011

Remembering September 11th

Mark Shulman.

I only met him a few times and I was much much younger.

But here is what is said about him.


Mark Shulman ,"kind of quiet guy who loved sports," said his wife, Lori.

Undeniably, a sports fan, attending Giants and Rangers games as often as possible. But overriding all, a dedication to his daughters, Jamie, 13, and Melissa, 17, in whom he instilled a zest for accomplishment.

A 47-year-old mechanical engineer, Mr. Shulman, a fire protection specialist for Marsh & McClennan on the 100th floor of the World Trade Center.

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on December 24, 2001.


Mark Shulman, 47, loved by all he knew


By day, Mark Shulman was a disaster inspector, fire prevention and risk consultant for Marsh & McLennan in New York. His nights and weekends were spent with his family.


He organized a baseball team for the Knights of Pythias in Old Bridge. He coached the Roadrunners girls soccer team there.


For the past 12 years, he took his wife Lori and daughters Melissa, 17, and Jamie, 12, to Disney World in Florida.


"He loved his family; he loved Disney World," said his mother, Evelyn Shulman of Toms River.


On Tuesday, he was memorialized at a service at Temple Shaari Emeth in Manalapan. Mr. Shulman, 47, has not been seen since the World Trade Center was destroyed by terrorists Sept. 11. He worked on the 100th floor of Tower One.


"He was in the building when it was hit," his mother said.


Though Mr. Shulman loved his job, it wasn't his first priority, Evelyn Shulman said.


"His family always came first," said his mother. "He did everything for his family. I lost a treasure."


Shulman said her son loved everybody, a trait that was noticed by others.


"There were 800 people at the memorial service, and they gave him a tribute I will never forget. Everybody loved him," she said.


Mr. Shulman received an engineering degree from Pratt Institute in New York and worked uptown before being transferred to the World Trade Center 17 years ago.


Born and raised in Brooklyn, Mr. Shulman and his wife moved to Old Bridge 17 years ago.


Besides his wife and daughters, Mr. Shulman is survived by his parents Ira and Evelyn Shulman of Toms River; a brother, Larry of Port Jefferson, N.Y.; and nieces, nephews and other relatives.


You see, Mark was my cousin. And though I don't remember, we are family.

I also have other family, ones that I am especially close to, that live in New York. One family member in particular that was at the World Trade Center that day and countless days to follow, to help and offer support any way she could.

You see I will never forget that day. I will always remember where I was and exactly what I was doing. I will remember that first phone call from my loved ones telling me they were OK. I will remember the photos, the stories and the images.

God bless the victims and their families.

2977

I will always remember.

1 comment:

{amy} said...

Wow! What a tribute to a man who sounds like such a wonderful family man. Hard to believe it has been 10 years.