Nurse honors brother she lost
| • | Hawai'i remembers victims of attacks — Posted at 12:11 p.m. |
| • | State maintains vigilance |
| • | 9-11 left a resilient, but cautious, Hawai'i |
By William Cole and Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writers
The terrorist attacks two years ago that changed the nation and made "homeland security" part of America's consciousness are being remembered today in Hawai'i by, among others, a nurse who lost a brother, a New York City policeman who saved lives, and a Marine who fought in the war on terrorism.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Sept. 11, 2001, suicide attacks killed 3,016 people at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.
Charlotte Keane, an emergency room nurse at Kuakini Medical Center, spent her day off helping to put up a display that pays tribute to those who died at the World Trade Center two years ago, including her brother Richard.
Honolulu emergency room nurse Charlotte Keane hopes that people spend part of today's anniversary thinking about those who died, including her brother Richard Keane, who was at a meeting in the World Trade Center that morning.
Among those who pause to remember today will be New York City patrolman John DiCarlAntonio, who helped thousands get out of the World Trade Center, and Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Tobey, who fought to the outskirts of Baghdad before being wounded by an artillery round. They will speak at a 6 p.m. ceremony at the Marine Corps base at Kane'ohe Bay.
"If you can't make the ceremony, just think about (the terrorist attacks). Remember how you felt that day so it doesn't happen again," Tobey said.
As many as 500 people are expected for the sunset ceremony at the Pacific War Memorial, which is open to the public and intended to honor the victims and heroes of the attacks. The Legislature and Gov. Linda Lingle also are observing moments of silence today in remembrance.
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| Richard Keane was at a meeting in the World Trade Center the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. |
Keane, 46, went to Kuakini Medical Center on her day off yesterday to help set up a memorial to those who died on 9-11, including her brother.
The registered nurse put up photos of "Ricky" Keane from a vacation in Ireland, a family Christmas card he sent out the year before he died, and photos of the Sept. 11 quilts dedicated to those who were lost.
Her brother, an insurance executive with Marsh & McLennan in Hartford, Conn., was at a meeting when the hijacked planes hit. On her most recent New York visit, she found herself buying souvenirs and postcards showing the city's skyline before the attacks and thinking that "when that picture was taken, he was still somewhere on this earth and enjoying life."
For her, the loss of that day is ever-present. "Enjoy what you have," she said. "You just don't know when a plane's going to fall out of the sky."
DiCarlAntonio remembers it all vividly. The 42-year-old New York City police officer, who was invited to take part in today's remembrance at the Marine Corps base along with Tobey, was among the first to respond after the first plane hit the World Trade Center.
Associated Press
"We started pulling people out of the building. We moved thousands of people from that building," he said.
Randy Hart, director of the Kilauea Military Camp, checks the growth of a koa tree that was planted as a knee-high seedling shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. The tree commemorates Outdoor Circle arborist Christine Snyder, who was among the 40 people who died when United Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania field.
When the second plane hit, jet fuel, glass and other debris rained on those below.
"We weren't anticipating the buildings were going to fall, so we continued to move people from the area," DiCarlAntonio recalled. "That's when the first tower, the top started to twist, and that's when I looked at the sergeant and said, 'It's time to get out of here.' "
DiCarlAntonio and others escaped the smothering concrete debris and dust cloud in a nearby building, and then went back to help some more.
Tobey, 19, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in June of 2001 and went to boot camp a year later, became part of that ongoing war against terrorism in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Deployed from Twentynine Palms in California with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Tobey was part of the Marine vanguard pushing its way to Baghdad. On April 7, an artillery round blew up a nearby amphibious assault vehicle, killing two Marines, wounding three others, and breaking both of Tobey's legs.
"I feel the same way about (9-11) now as I did then — it was a cowardly act committed against us, and I was proud to do my part to protect the nation and prevent another (terrorist act)," Tobey said.
Tobey said he accepted the invitation to come to Hawai'i because "I guess I'm an ambassador for all the people still over there in Iraq who can't be here now . . . (The American public) just needs to realize people are still over there fighting and dying — that it's not over," he said.
Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429. Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.
