STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
And now let's talk about an anniversary that always leaves your heart and your throat. Ceremonies are taking place now across the country, commemorating victims of the 9/11 Attacks. This morning we're going to hear about two of those victims - Sean Rooney and Karen Juday. Both worked at the World Trade Center, both were remembered at Storycorps. First here's Sean Rooney's widow, the late Beverly Eckert.
BEVERLY ECKERT: Sean had warm, brown eyes and dark, curly hair, and we met when we were only 16, at a high school dance. When he died, we were 50. It's about 9:30 a.m. when he called and he told me he was on the 150th floor, and he'd been trying to find a way out. I think about that last half-hour with Sean all the time. I didn't want that day to end. As terrible as it was, I didn't want to go to sleep because as long as I was awake, it was still a day that I'd shared with Sean. You know, and he kissed me goodbye before leaving for work. I could still say that was just a little while ago, that was only this morning and I just think of myself as living life for both of us now.
RICHARD PECORELLA: Every morning, Karen would drive with me to my office and then she'd take the subway from my office - one stop - to the Trade Center. I worked in Brooklyn, so my window - I could see the twin towers. So I'm doing some work and one of my workers comes in and says, Richard, I just heard that the Trade Center got hit with a plane. I turn around, and I see the building burning. I took my office chair, and I threw it at my window. Then they brought the nurse up. She gave me a bottle of water. I have the bottle of the water, and my hand is trembling so much that it's splashing all over me. I couldn't even hold the bottle in my hand. I miss her eyes; her eyes sparkled to me. One day they were blue; the next day they were green - depending on how light hit them. Karen, I'll always be in love with you, and I will see you again. I will do enough good to make it up there.
INSKEEP: Richard Pecorella remembering his fiancee Karen Juday, at Storycorps. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.