CJ A Tribute to Edward (Ted) R. Hennessy
September 7th, 2006 by CJ
A few months ago, I signed up at www.dcroe.com to pay tribute to one of the innocent people killed on 9/11. The goal was to bring together 2,996 bloggers, pair them with an individual killed on that fateful day, and then write a tribute to their life. The name I was given was Ted Hennessy. "We will honor them by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers." I hope I do him justice.
Image from September11victims.com
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Ted Hennessy, 35, from Belmont, Massachusets boarded American Airlines flight 11 at approximately 0730 along with 90 other passengers and crew. Ted was a partner with Emergence Consulting, a consulting firm for medical and life sciences. He was a humorous guy, loved by his friends and colleagues. At one memorial site, a high school friend describes him as a "a wonderful person. He was smart, funny, and full of life." He was a dedicated husband to his wife Melanie Salisbury and loving father to his two kids, Rachel and Matthew.
Sean Hamilton, of the Chicago Tribune, wrote that Ted and Melanie "met 10 years ago when she threw a party in the apartment above his. He strolled upstairs to see what was going on; they were married a year later."
Photo from Kellog School of Management
He was also a musician who played the guitar and saxaphone. His favorite group was The Ramones. He graduated from Belmont High School in Belmont, Mass., and furthered his education at Harvard University in 1988, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then worked to receive his Masters Degree from Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management in 1992.
At 0759 that morning, Flight 11 departed from Boston's Logan Internation Airport. It was en route to Los Angeles. The passengers and crew never realized that they'd never make it to their destination. Heartless, soulless terrorists would shatter the dreams of more than 90 people. Innocent lives, like that of Ted Hennessy, were cut short at exactly 08:46:40, according to the NTSB.
Ted Hennessy did not deserve to die. He was going about his normal day just like everyone else on that Tuesday morning. He was an ordinary guy who never hurt anyone. For that, he paid with his life.
Photo from Payson Road
I truly hope that Ted didn't die in vain. I get frustrated and angered by the people that are getting in our way of finding Ted's killers. Many of our leaders have forgotten the names and faces behind the numbers: 9/11. The President hasn't forgotten. He's dedicated to making sure that we never have a repeat of that event…ever. As a Soldier, I dedicate my life to knowing, finding, capturing, or killing any person trying to kill another innocent American.
Thankfully, I am not alone. In the past five years, more than 400,000 Americans have joined the military to make a difference. They have also vowed to never forget. More than 2,600 of those Americans have paid the ultimate price ensuring our continued peace and freedom. Some would have you believe that by going after those that would do us harm, we are making this country even more unsafe. I disagree.
You did great CJ. I listened to the President today, and he was very eloquent as he spoke of how the ones who were on that plane that went down in PA scored the first victory for America on the War on Terror. Thank you for doing such a great job of remembering Ted and sharing his life with all of us.
As long as people like you are there, we WILL NEVER Forget!!
Thank-you for sharing Edward (Ted) R Hennessy life…my heart is still sad for all the losses we took on 9/11, but I think it is important to remember the people whose lives were taken that day…you did a great job.
I love the pictures. Great job.
Those who think that taking out terrorists makes the world a more dangerous place are ostritches who know not where of they speak.
Wonderful tribute!
I watched the A&E version of United 93 tonight and cried for that and cried as I wrote my tribute. I cannot stop the tears from falling not only for those lost on 9/11, but all those who have given their lives for our freedom. Thank you, CJ and all the others here for their service!
Daphne Ferlinda Elder
Loving, beautiful, happy, proud, strong, intelligent and classy. Just a handful of words that describe a 36-year-old woman whose life was taken on September 11, 2001.
Daphne Ferlinda Elder was all of the above and more. She was also a daughter, a moth…
well done CJ. You did justice to this man's memory and repectfully help us mourn his loss and keep his name alive.
Yes, well done like what haystack said. Ted Hennessy seems like a very good man. Father. Husband. Son. Friend. Not Forgotten.
Thanks for stopping in at my blog, for the encouraging words! You did great, too… it was hard to remember someone you never even met, but so important to do so – I will never forget, an no one else should either.
I will be back to read more of your entries… I'm glad I got this chance to "meet" you!
Great post, CJ — as usual. It must be difficult writing about the life of someone you've never met. You obviously did your research. I think you did Ted Hennessy proud.
Ted Hennessy and those with him will not be forgotten, thanks in part to you and other bloggers. Beautifully done. Thank you CJ.
What a great tribute! I'll be working on my own tribute on my assigned 9-11 victim, this weekend so that it's ready to be posted. Great job as usual CJ!
Good job, CJ! Thanks for bringing life to the memory of Mr. Ted Hennessy. And for not letting a day go by where you are not actively involved in the protection of this great nation and its people. Thank you again, a million times over, for your service.
I loved this bit of information: Sean Hamilton, of the Chicago Tribune, wrote that Ted and Melanie “met 10 years ago when she threw a party in the apartment above his. He strolled upstairs to see what was going on; they were married a year later.�
God bless his family and those who knew and loved him.
My post is up, when you have the time CJ. I blogged on the son of Ron Gamboa. Ron I knew. His son, I did not. 3 years of life cut short…
That was a WONDERFUL tribute. One of the best I have seen so far. I'm still struggling with mine. I keep crying while I'm trying to get it right! It will be posted later today.
Thanks for stopping by my space. I totally agree with you here. My nephew is in the Army Reserves and spent 1 1/2 years Iraq. He has been back a year, but is still in the Reserves. He's ready to go back if he is called to do so. I asked him how he felt about the possibility of being called back to active duty. His reply was, if they just let me do my job, I'm ready to go today.
Thank you for your kind words. That daughter I struggle with, the other daughter is senior in college who is our sunshine. I pray one day the eldest will be part of it again. From what I've read, it may take about 8 more years before we see that. So we shall see and we will pray.
Thanks again.
Sue
Very nice tribute! Thanks for honouring Ted.
Mine's up.
Thanks CJ. That was wonderful.
- hfs
Beautifully done, CJ.
This is such an important project – for all of us to remember the real people who lost their lives that day – They Have Names, Too!!
I finished mine – one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.
You did a great job on your tribute. THank you.
Wonderful tribute. love all the pics. Just another of the 2,996 stopping by
This was a great tribute, the photo of Ted and his wife and child bought me to tears…
Kelly
You done good, CJ. Thank you. God's blessings on the Hennessy family, and on on all families of 9/11 and the lives they have touched with their deaths. the ripples keep moving outward…
You have written a wonderful tribute to Ted. We will not forget him or his family. I hope they read the heartfelt words you have written. He died too young, too soon. Visit my site to read about Catherine A. Nardella who died at the World Trade Center. She was a lovely young woman who was a credit to her family and her country.
Wonderful tribute to Edward..
Thank you for sharing his story with us..
My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all the other families as the 5th Anniversary of 9/11 approaches.
God bless you,
Hugs,
BrassyLady (2,996 blogger)
You may visit my tribute at:
geocities.com...nColaio.html
My memorial for Thomas Francis Wise, whom I was assigned, is up now. blog.myspace....p;indicate=1
Thank you for participating in this wonderful project to remember all those victims of 9/11. Tomorrow, as we remember on this fifth anniversary, we will think of Ted and everyone else from around the world who lost their lives during this horrendous attack on our great country. Wonderful tribute.
Please invite your readers to visit my site to view my special tribute to Cynthia Wilson who died when WTC Tower 1 fell.
Readers can visit the many tributes written by most commenters here by simply clicking their name or the links in their comments. If you can't find a particular tribute listed here, please let me know and I'll dig it up for you. I'm still going through them all myself and trying to leave comments at each on as I read them.
2996 tribute to victims of 9/11 – Terrence E Adder
Before 9/11 the only view I had of the New York City skyline was from the top floor of my home in New Jersey. On any day I could look out the window and see the upper 30 floors of the World Trade Center.
When both buildings disappeared from view t…
CJ,
Wonderful tribute. Ted, like so many others were simply living their lives and for that their lives were taken. Thank you for this and all you do for our country. God Bless.
WC
Very nice…my tribute is up as well.
You did a great job on Ted's tribute. I was glad to read about him. I especially liked that you said how he and his wife met. What a sweet and special story.
We must remember. We must not forget.
I wrote about Laura Gilly.
Every one of them was a person who was loved. They deserved to live their lives to the fullest.
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You did a wonderful job CJ. My post is up. I think this a great way to honor those that were murdered and I'm pride to be a part of 2,996.
Great tribute. Thank you.
CJ,
Your dediction to Ted was wonderful.
I have been sitting here for 2 hours looking at all of the dedications and I haven't stopped crying. I have read at least 10 that were people who I knew personally.
I think this was a great way not only to make sure nobody forgets but to bring a face to each name.
Ted was a classmate of mine at Kellogg. I googled his name tonight to see what I could find as a way of remembering him.
Thanks for the nice tribute. You did a good job of capturing who he was. He was smart, kind and talented. Ted was dependable and best of all, he was very, very funny. He had a great sense of humor. He was also a great musician. I have fond memories of Ted playing in a band while we were in business school, in particular, playing a graduation party at the Mark II.
He died way too young.
I remember Ted at Belmont High School. He was always smiling, with friends and full of life. Since graduation, as with most people, our lives go on and we grow new roots. Though we may grow apart, our roots ALWAYS go back to the one's who shaped us and shared our experiences as we came of age. Ted's roots were deep, with his family and his business. I remember hearing of his wifes' reaction, screaming on the street in front of their house and in shock when the police arrived at the news on 9/11. I only hope that her pain will find a manageable place in her life and that the sacrifice of Ted's life will bring about a better world for his childrens and their children.
BHS 1984
Davis Grier "Deeg" Sezna, Jr.
How does a parent deal with a loss of a child and how in world could they get through the loss of another child? This is what Davis and Gail Sezna of Delaware had to deal with, in just a 14 month span. Their first loss came in July of 2000 when their …
Wonderful tribute. I honored Manuel Mojica, Jr.
~fellow 2,996er, Erin
Wow. Thank you. And Thank You.
seekingwoman.blogspot.com
Very wonderful tribute….its hard reading all these stories, but I love how we've all come together…thanks for your wonderful story…
I honored Vincent Cangelosi
[...] Edward ""Ted"" R. Hennesey (Flight 11) A Soldier's Perspective [...]
Thanks for this. I was one of Ted's hundreds of friends from college, and I appreciate you keeping his memory fresh. I think you captured him very well (although his wit was a little more wicked, if I remember correctly)…
It's tough to stand out at Harvard. Ted stood out– smart as hell, fearless, and very very funny. It's no surprise that he was as successful as he was.
Someday, I hope I can tell Matthew and Rachel how special their Dad was.
Thanks for telling his story.
Adrian Blake
I, too, was a friend of Ted's at Harvard. Along with Adrian Blake (above) and others, it was my pleasure to work with him on the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. Ted was many things — smart and funny among them. Notice that all the pictures above show Ted smiling? That was not posing! Ted was always smiling and always making others smile. That smile in fact is what I constantly recall in my mind's eye when I think about Ted. That smile and his clarinet. One time during rehearsal, he had me totally cracking up for hours just going on about all the actors — he called them "zany madcaps and wacky pranksters." They were that, and so was Ted. That was 20 years ago and I remember his phrase and the ound of his voice like it was yesterday. Yes, the humor could be wicked, but never hurtful. That was Ted. I shall not forget. Gary Alexander
Thanks for telling us about him. My tribute is to Jeffrey Giordano. He was a fire fighter from Ladder 3 in Manhattan.
Nicely done. I was a junior and senior high school classmate of Ted's, an acquaintance… The bloggers above are right. Ted smiled. And laughed. And danced. I cannot remenber a time when he didn't.
His kids need to know that.
[...] Edward (Ted) R. Hennessy will be honored by CJ [...]
Ted was a classmate of mine at Kellogg. I spent 9/11/01 glued to the TV, pouring through alumni directories to try to grasp who that I knew might be at risk. There were many. Ted didn't even surface as a potential, since he didn't work at the Towers. Later I learned that of the 200 potential victims I knew, only Ted died.
Ted was one too many.
I cannot thank you enough for your tribute.
Another September 11. I still remember.
Ted was in my thoughts today. So was his family.
Once again, and still: I remember.