Reflecting 25 years and one day from a “day of days.” Those of us around on September 11, 2001, have vivid memories of that day. For me, I’ll never forget three calls.
The first call was from Soup, a former teammate of mine from CompuServe. He called me out of his mind. He had left Boston over the weekend because he’s, well, Soup. He left early to over prepare for the big event coming up on Tuesday. The rest of the executive team left on that fateful American Airlines flight 11. Soup was supposed to be on that flight with them. He had survivors trauma. He called. I listened. There were no words…
Second call was from Snuch. He had been walking to the WTC and watched the first flight impact the North Tower. He turned around immediately and found the nearest rental car facility. He would get the last car they had. As he tried to exit Manhattan, windows down, he shouted to shocked pedestrians he was heading to Pittsburgh and would take anybody needing a ride. In a matter of minutes his car will filled to the rim.
Call number three came from my former assistant and MVGC membership director, Sandi Karnes. She called and told me she had gotten a call from NYC that morning. A new member was playing his first round at MVGC. Was supposed to be a special day celebrating with friends. Instead, Sandi drove a golf cart out to the second hole and asked him to hop in. He was the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald. They would lose 700+ associates that day. Worst impact, I believe, of any one company. Devasting. The CEO would spend the next week making phone calls from one of the MVGC villas to each family who had lost a loved one working for Cantor. At the end of his grueling week one of the Club’s teammates would drive him back home.
Three calls I’ll never forget. So, friends, never forget 9/11. Never. Instead, number your days. Take them one at a time. You and I do not have infinite time to get to the most important moments. Make today count. Remember, we’re all hanging by a thread. Carpe Diem. Damn.
Live hard. Love ❤️ harder. Much harder…
That’s me teaching Vivi about soccer watching my favorite soccer team – OSU womens. And, that’s the 3PP gang after a core workout I put together for them. You can tell they loved it…
BUILT TO LEAD 
Pablo rented a box truck with supplies and drove to the Pentagon.
Danny Lewin, was the co-founder of Akamai, Soup’s Company. Danny was on Flight AA 11. Danny was with the Israeli Defense Force. He was fluent in Farsi. He was in first class. Danny understood what was going down and tried to stop the hijackers. They slit his throat. They wrote about Danny, the book is titled, ‘The first to Die’.
Akamai was my first account because of Soup and Quinner. I was supposed to fly to Boston on 9/12. I was to start training their sales team. Never happened.
Life is fragile. You’re here and then you’re not.
God help me to live my life, one day at a time. Slow down Grumdelagrum. Slow way the f**^ down.
Not surprised that these people reached out to you.
What would I say about you at your memorial service? What would others say? What would you stay?
I’d say, Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
James Grummer * *cell – 386.795.0052
Grumdelagrum thanks for your “and.” What a stud that Danny. Never forget…