A Tribute To David Barkway

TWIT was invited to participate in a tribute to the 2,996 people that died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Today all across America, 2,996 bloggers will each post a tribute to one of those victims in their blog.  I'm very honored to write about David Barkway.

David Michael Barkway had turned 34 just three days before 9/11.  One article I read about him said he was "tragically in an incredibly unfortunate place at  an incredibly inopportune time." Yes, that's true, but he was at Tower One of the World Trade Center that morning doing his job; doing his life's work and supporting his family; doing what he needed to do.  Barkway was a managing director of BMO Nesbitt Burns, the Bank of Montreal's investment firm.  He was on the 105th floor at Cantor Fitzgerald, a Wall Street bond dealer when the first plane struck the tower. 

At 9:00 the morning of 9/11, ten minutes after the first plane hit the building, David sent a message to his office on his Blackberry telling them he was fine.  Fifteen minutes later, he sent another note, asking for help.  That was the last that anyone heard from David. His office sent a reply but it was kicked back as undeliverable. 

David's wife Cindy had accompanied him on this business trip to New York City.  When the first plane hit Tower One, Cindy was in a cab on her way to SoHo to do some shopping.  She heard about the attack, and went back to the hotel to see if David had come back or had left message.  She left a note for him at the hotel, and went back out, hoping to find him.  David and Cindy had been married just four years, and had a two year old son, Jamie.  At the time of the 9/11 attacks, Cindy was five-months pregnant, and gave birth to David Michael in January.  Friends and relatives said that they'd never seen David happier than when when he was with their son Jamie.  They said he loved being a father, and was ecstatic over having a second child. 

If we'd had the chance to meet, I think I would have liked to hang out with David and his family.  I read that David's focus was on his family first, and then his career.  He enjoyed an occasional fine cigar, and would have a pint of Guinness every now and then.  Family and friends say that David was a practical joker.  In the office, he would often play pranks.  His colleagues said that when they would come back from lunch,  they would often find a flashing message on their computer that was impossible to delete.

Today and in the past few days, a lot has been said in the media about the heroes from 9/11. I believe that every one of the 2,996 people that lost their lives that day were heroes, including David Barkway. True, they might not have been one of the firefighters or police or rescue workers that died in the line of duty that day, but they are heroes nonetheless.  They were people going about their daily lives, taking care of their families or themselves.  The the majority of the victims were people that had gone to work that morning - doing what they were supposed to do.  They, like David Barkway, were just taking care of business like they alway did.  Those that were on the four planes were either going somewhere for business or pleasure or were going home.  They, too, were taking care of business. All of the victims were taking care of business the way they had been trained and taught.  Five years later after the attacks, we still take care of business, but we will never forget that day.