Comments on: Memories from a vanished life

Memories from a vanished life

GaelFC — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:07:25 -0800

Memories from a vanished life Paul Battaglia died in the World Trade Center attacks. His Web page, however, lives on, complete with photos of his now-crumbled office and the view he once had. He also had a Blogger-powered Weblog on the front of his site, the last post of which is on Aug. 23.

By: GaelFC

GaelFC — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:10:14 -0800

And here is his obituary from the NY Times. Their Portraits of Grief series is so simple, yet so powerful.

By: 40 Watt

40 Watt — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:15:21 -0800

That's one of the most jarring and tragic things I've seen lately, for some reason. I need to go outside for a while.

By: KevinSkomsvold

KevinSkomsvold — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:15:39 -0800

Wow. This is sad. This post from August 20th: "I will be posting to this as often as possible and this should make the site "fresher" for all you PB fans out there. Much more is coming...". If only he knew. Damn.

By: feelinglistless

feelinglistless — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:23:18 -0800

I've got a knot in my stomach...aaah...

By: endquote

endquote — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:26:22 -0800

Some thoughts on this sort of thing from back in the day.

By: wenham

wenham — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:32:53 -0800

He was a station manager for WHRW, 90.5 Binghamton, a college radio station. I spent a lot of time there as a panel member on The Mad Trivia Party--which stil airs every tuesday night--during his reign.

By: GaelFC

GaelFC — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:36:07 -0800

If you don't want to break your heart any more, don't read his guestbook, which includes a Christmas post from his mom and dad.

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 12:40:22 -0800

Nor the posts from 9/11: "Hey Paul are you alright? You weren't in there were you?"

By: mmm

mmm — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 13:05:11 -0800

My head is on my desk, the knot that has never really left my stomach this fall is feeling tighter. Did any one else see the article in the NY Times re: Marsh's (his employer) handling of heath insurance.

By: mmm

mmm — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 13:05:48 -0800

make that health insurance

By: fooljay

fooljay — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 13:41:20 -0800

Wow. I've often thought about what would happen with my site if I were to die. *shiver*

By: ftrain

ftrain — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 13:50:43 -0800

From that New York Times article on Marsh, linked above, comes the most damning quote I have ever seen: "Barbara Minervino, 53, whose husband, Louis J. Minervino, was a senior vice president with 21 years at the company, is among them. She takes 22 pills a day for diabetes and other ailments. 'If my husband had a body and I had buried it, he would be rolling over in his grave right now,' she said. 'He would be so angry.'"

By: XiBe

XiBe — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 13:54:53 -0800

Man, those September entries in the guestbook are truly heart-shattering.

By: D

Wed, 26 Dec 2001 14:15:44 -0800

Too powerful for words. 4000 times over. Shattered again.

By: judith

judith — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 14:20:52 -0800

my friend david also worked at marsh, on the 100th floor. it's hard to see these photos.

By: Mack Twain

Mack Twain — Wed, 26 Dec 2001 19:41:17 -0800

I needed to be reminded.

By: matt324

matt324 — Thu, 27 Dec 2001 05:59:59 -0800

I haven't felt as close to a wtc victim as I felt when I read those guestbook entries.

By: grabbingsand

grabbingsand — Thu, 27 Dec 2001 06:43:30 -0800

The guestbook is heartbreaking, yes, but yet so beautiful. An incredibly honest outpouring of not only concern for Paul's whereabouts and grief for his loss, but all this joy in the memory of his life and the people he touched. He was no statesman, no celebrity, yet he was able to positively affect the lives of so many people. And he continues to do so. It makes you consider just how many lives you have affected, just by living your life and being who you are.

By: adampsyche

adampsyche — Thu, 27 Dec 2001 06:49:46 -0800

Ouch. Very ouch. What a grounding experience to see that, let alone the people who knew him. Makes the shit I was mad about this morning much more trivial.

By: perorate

perorate — Thu, 27 Dec 2001 08:36:32 -0800

Ouch again, from his European trip journal: "Check-in went smoothly after I admitted I was "just kidding" when I told them that a Muslim guy hanging around the airport asked me to check some baggage for him."

By: {savg*pncl}

{savg*pncl} — Thu, 27 Dec 2001 19:59:48 -0800

Ironic. Ironic. Ironic.

By: GaelFC

GaelFC — Wed, 02 Jan 2002 11:20:56 -0800

Just a note to say I received the nicest e-mail from Paul's parents, thanking me for posting the original link. They have been touched by everyone who has visited his site and posted such nice things in Paul's guestbook. I admit I was a little wary when I originally posted the link--the last thing I wanted to do was invade the family's privacy--but after reading the wonderful note from his father, I am glad I posted the link.