Twenty five years later, the events of September 11, 2001 still carry a weight that is difficult to put into words. Among the 2,977 people who lost their lives that day were people who called Colorado home, grew up here, went to school here, or built connections to communities across our state.
Their stories remind us that September 11 was not something that happened far away. It reached families and communities right here in Colorado.
Maclovio “Joe” Lopez Jr. grew up in Pueblo before eventually building a life with his wife and children in California. The 41 year old construction worker was aboard Flight 175 when it was hijacked and flown into the South Tower.
Alok Mehta graduated from Colorado State University in 2000 and volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Collins. He was pursuing his MBA and interning with Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center when he was killed.
The Falkenberg Family had deep Denver roots. Charles Falkenberg and Leslie Whittington both graduated from Denver’s East High School and were traveling with their daughters, Zoe, 8, and Dana, 3, aboard Flight 77 when it was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon.
Nina Patrice Bell was a University of Colorado Boulder graduate who had recently moved to Manhattan and started a new job with Marsh & McLennan. The 39 year old was killed at the World Trade Center as she was beginning a new chapter in her life.
Captain Jason M. Dahl was a 43 year old United Airlines captain who lived in Littleton with his wife and teenage son. He was the captain of Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers.
Kathryn LaBorie was raised in Colorado Springs, graduated from Mitchell High School and attended UCCS before later studying at the University of Denver. The 42 year old United Airlines flight attendant was working aboard Flight 175 when it struck the South Tower.
Christopher Faughnan moved to Colorado as a teenager, attended Arvada High School and graduated from the University of Colorado. The 38 year old father of three was working on the 104th floor of the North Tower when it was attacked.
Kathleen “Kit” Faragher was a 33 year old Denver resident who worked for Janus Capital and was attending a conference at the World Trade Center. She was on the 106th floor of the North Tower when Flight 11 struck, and her legacy continues today through a foundation that helps Colorado students pursue their education.
Today we remember their names, their families, and the lives they were living before September 11 became part of their stories. Twenty five years later, Colorado remembers.
