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Jeffrey Wiener
Jeffrey and Heidi Wiener became engaged at F.A.O. Schwarz, in front of the big clock. The couple had first gone to the toy store on an early date, when they were living in Philadelphia, where they met. "We were taking the elevator down and he told me he knew that someday we would bring our kids there," Mrs. Wiener recalled.A few years later, when they were visiting New York because Mr. Wiener was running in the New York City marathon, he took her to F.A.O. Schwarz again, and asked her to marry him. "I laughed and I cried and I hugged him and somewhere in there I said `yes,’ " she said. "And then we went for a carriage ride in Central Park." Mr. Wiener, 33, could be serious and studious -- he had degrees in aerospace engineering and business from Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and New York University -- but he never forgot how to have fun. He grew up in Trumbull, Conn., and was manager of the risk-technologies group at Marsh & McLennan. For Mr. Wiener and his wife, another favorite spot was just a few blocks from F.A.O Schwarz -- the Central Park Zoo. "He used to say that if he ever won the lottery, he would spent time working at the zoo or an aquarium," she said. "He loved animals."
Copyright (c) 2001 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted by permission.
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| I have never met Jeff, yet his memory lives on through one of his cats, who now lives with me. Jeff had named this cat "Mr. Baggins." While I renamed this cat "Simon," his past is forever remembered, in the copies of the adoption papers and vet records.
I had lost a cousin and several good friends in the WTC on 9/11. Worst: I was on 6th Ave at E 26th St when I saw the fireball burst out of the South Tower. That image replayed through nightmares that woke me for months. Adopting Simon - or rather, allowing him to adopt me - was my action to make something positive out of 9/11 while keeping alive the memory of those who perished, including a fellow animal-loving person I have never met.
This cat has an incredible personality and the most captivating green eyes. I'm lucky this cat is in my life. I hope it is reassuring to Heidi and Jeff's family to know that one of his cats continues to thrive, and that this cat's owner is helping to keep Jeff's memory alive. |
| AD Stoltz, 8/18/2008 2:45:00 PM |
| I was just sitting here bored at work typing names of old friends into Google. I typed Jeff’s name in and was shocked and saddened to see that he was killed on September 11. I knew Jeff in high school. Jeff was super smart, but also very down to earth and very devoted. We used to tease him for being so devoted to his parents, I remember teasing him for painting their deck instead of hanging out with his friends. Jeff loved music, I think he played guitar, and at one point during high school he decided to join the marching band. He picked up the trumpet, and within a few months was about as good as many of us were after playing for many years. When he left Trumbull for Princeton, we kept in touch. His exposure to “college life” served as a window into college life for me (I was still a high school senior). When he came back to Trumbull on breaks, he was always super excited about all the stuff he was learning, and all the fun he was having. Jeff was sort of my older, smarter friend - I really looked up to him. My heart is heavy now. David Tamber Syracuse, NY October 29, 2003 |
| David Tamber, 10/29/2003 4:15:05 PM |
| Jeff was one of the greatest managers I have ever had the pleasure to work with. Anytime there was an issue that needed addressing, he handled it with style. It was just a few short years that I had the pleasure of working with Jeff -- Those years will never be forgotton, and neither will he. |
| Jonathon Glashan, 9/11/2003 11:48:50 AM |
| It's hard for me to believe this is real. I know 9/11 happened, but I'm still compelled to come back and check on those people I knew who died. I think subconsciously I have a fear that one day this site will be gone. My WTC ID (which I have carried with me every day since 9/11) and this site are among the few things that I have that directly connect me to that fateful day. I'm glad to see that others have been by recently. I hope this site never goes away. Jeff was my manager. He hired me. Truthfully I didn't think he was a great manager and I didn't love my job, but he was one of the nicest people I've ever met. In at 7, out at 7 he was one of the hardest workers in the group. He didn't miss work for anything... until his cat got sick. He ran out of a client meeting in the middle of the day to be with his wife and ailing cat. We joked about it at the time because making fun of your boss is part of office life, but that was just a small example of how caring he was. When it came to work, he always put people first. We always had room to deal with our personal issues first. I have no idea why I'm here in the middle of May writing this, but I guess that's what is bound to happen. For those of us who lived through the trauma, no matter how far we move past it, we will always have a piece of 9/11 inside of us that could spring up on us at any time. I've never wished more for any one thing in my life not to have happend. I have no ending - these are just my thoughts at the moment. Thomas |
| Thomas Baiter, 5/6/2003 5:23:04 PM |
| I never met a man who was able to be the best friend of so many. When Jeff died, I lost my best friend, my left arm, and my moral compass when I was lost. Jeff worked for me at Marsh, but he was so much more than my direct report, he was my best friend. I love you Jeff, and I miss you every day. Bob |
| Bob Henderson, 3/11/2003 11:25:03 PM |
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