9/11 In Passing

This photo of Beverly Eckert has stuck with me since it started circulating after her tragic death in a Buffalo plane crash three days ago.

The picture was taken May 24th, 2002, and shows Eckert holding a photo of her husband, Sean Rooney, who died in the attack on the World Trade Center. Eckert went on to become one of the Sept. 11 widow-activists and a co-chair of the family committee which helped establish the 9/11 Commission.

Knowing that Beverly — connecting with us in such a felt and open way — has become a victim of tragedy, our tendency is to embrace the image of her in the same way she embraces her husband’s. One can’t do so, however, without the recognition that 9/11 itself — so emotionally piercing just yesterday, becoming the turning-point of our world — is now fading into the life-cycle.

Looking back:

Beverly Eckert with Obama on Feb 6th (Daylife)

(image: AP)