Remembering Vivian Casalduc

Every single American knows the impact the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 had on this country. We had never been attacked in such a way, leaving us terrified and heartbroken. This year marks the 5th anniversary of, perhaps, the darkest day in American history. Our nation moved on, but the scars of the attacks remain in our hearts. The memories of that horrific day remain in our minds. The sorrow of losing so many loved ones remains in our souls.

In remembrance of September 11th, we set politics aside. We calm our anger toward our attackers. We look inside ourselves, profoundly, and ask whether we have become better people since that day. Most importantly, we refuse to forget about the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed. We realize that we must never let the victims' memories fade away.

This year, 2,996 bloggers decided to honor the people who needlessly died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania. I now have the honor of remembering Vivian Casalduc , an American who died with dignity.

I never had the priviledge of meeting Vivian. Nevertheless, I know who she was and what she did with her life. From a biography published in the New York Times on November 21, 2001...

Vivian Casalduc lived to make her family's eyes light up. Each December, she would bake gingerbread for a giant candy land, where the ground was coated with thick piles of shredded coconut (snow) and the houses were studded with lollipops and licorice. "She would make it the first two days in December and let everybody look at it all month long, and on Christmas morning, she'd let everyone ransack it," said her daughter Angilic Casalduc.

Five small grandchildren spent alternate weekends in her care, and would come home with cotton candy in a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Turns out, Grandma had bought a cotton candy machine.

A Brooklyn native who grew up in housing projects, Ms. Casalduc, 45, married at 16, had three children and divorced. Her job as a microfiche clerk at Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield moved two years ago from Brooklyn to the 28th floor of 1 World Trade Center. Her commute was longer, but the salsa concerts downstairs became a part of her lunchtime routine.

Ms. Casalduc left one prescient lesson, her daughter said: "Do everything the hard way." Why major in one subject when four would do, or take a taxi when public transportation was there? "Do it the easy way," Angilic Casalduc remembered, "and you'll never learn anything, and God forbid, anything happens, she worried we wouldn't know how to survive."

Here are some comments by Vivian Casalduc's friends and family, posted on several online memorials.

Yon-Paul Casalduc

Mommy I miss you,we all miss youand love you thier is not a day that goes buy with out some thing or some one that reminds me of you.i know you would of love to see your new grandson Jon Luis .I owe every thing i got thank you mom for every thing in life you gave me and in death you gave me i love you so much and will never stop.you son

Angel Casalduc

Realy sorry about her tragic death.Is my first time in this page is very hard for me and all Casalduc family in Purto Rico.Angilic,Paul and Yon Paul god bless and her family rest in pease Vivian.www.kingcoler@hotmail.com

Lisa Albergo

I worked with Vivian for quite a few years at EBCBS. She always had a smile on her face and a cheer in her voice when answering the phone. She was always making us laugh and bringing in hilariously funny cakes for special occations. I think of her often and hold the memories of her close to heart. She always had love in her voice when talking about her children and grandchildren. God bless you all.

Carmen

vivian:
I want to extend my sympathy to the casalduc family. I was a friend of her's from the housing projects. We always talked on the way to the train station at smith 9th every morning on our way to work. I will miss her.

Milly Calderon

Vivian, I miss you so much. God you don't know how much I wish that you were here with us. You are always on my mind and in my heart. Merry christmas. I love you so much. Your big sister. Milly

Vivian, you will forever be in our hearts and minds. We are all saddened by your tragic death at the hands of dastard terrorists. I am honored to have gotten the opportunity to remember you on this 5th anniversary of 9/11. Hopefully, we will all learn to become better people as a result of this tragedy. For the tragedy of 9/11 showed us humankind's worst, but also brought-out our best. We salute you Vivian!