(As I do every year on 9/11 I am promoting this story I wrote on the first 9/11 that Red Mass Group was in existence. Brian every day that goes by you are sorely missed, by me, by my classmates at Franco American SchoolBy those of us who graduated with you at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, by those you touched for so many years as the happy gas pump jockey at your dad's gas station, by your mother, father and brother Tim, and most importantly by your lovely wife Allison. We all remember and all fully believe that you are at peace with our creator. Until we meet again at the Pearly Gates Brian. - promoted by Rob "EaBo Clipper" Eno)
In Massachusetts there are thousands upon thousands of people that knew a victim in the 9/11 attacks. I'm no different. On 9/12 I picked up the Lowell Sun at the Real Estate office that I worked at the time and almost fell to the floor when I saw a picture of my grade school and college friend Brian Kinney, you see he was on the United Air Lines Flight that flew into WTC 1 on 9/11/01.
What amazes me about the 9/11 attacks are all the good people that died that day. It's true what Billy Joel says in Brian's case, "only the good die young". Brian lived his life every day bringing joy to other people. It was this way from when we were in grade school at the Franco American in Lowell and when we went to College together at UMass Lowell. Brian always had a kind word to say to everybody.
Brian's dad owns Kinney's service station in Lowell. Brian started helping out at that station when we were in 3rd grade. He was always there after school doing his homework and washing a window here and there. While he was in college he was always there as well. Working long hours to help his dad out while balancing school work. I used to bring my beat up college mobiles it seemed every week to the garage to get fixed. We often joked that I was paying his college fund. Through his work at the gas station he was known to a great many people in Lowell as a friendly face to cheer you up.
After college even though he had a very good job at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Brian was at the gas station every Saturday Morning helping out his dad. Because that's the person that Brian was. About two weeks before 9/11 we were talking about how we never hung out anymore and that I should stop by his house for a cookout. Well I never got to go to that cookout.
There are multiple thousands of Brians and multiple thousands of stories like this. I just wanted to share my one.
In Massachusetts there are thousands upon thousands of people that knew a victim in the 9/11 attacks. I'm no different. On 9/12 I picked up the Lowell Sun at the Real Estate office that I worked at the time and almost fell to the floor when I saw a picture of my grade school and college friend Brian Kinney, you see he was on the United Air Lines Flight that flew into WTC 1 on 9/11/01.
