Monday, September 11, 2006

9/11: A Tribute to Wade Brian Green

As part of the 2996 Bloggers Tribute to the Victims of 9/11, I dedicate this post to the memory of Wade Brian Green, 42, of Westbury, NY.
Wade left behind his wife, Roxanne, and daughter, Danielle. His parents are Thomas & Wilhelmina Green, and brothers & sister are Anthony, Barry, and Alicia.
Wade was an employee of Thomson Financial Services. He didn't work in the World Trade Center. He was there that day setting up computers for a conference at Windows on the World.
Wade's nickname was the "Gentle Giant". In reading about him, one consistent thread running through the comments of those who knew him was his contagious smile and his kind spirit from the time he was a boy.
In a New York Times article, Wade's mother, Wilhelmina, said he "was a mischievous rascal until his sister, Alicia, was born. One night he stayed up with me when I was feeding the baby and he said, `Mommy, did you have to do that with me, too?"' She said, "When Wade realized how much care an infant required, he decided he would be my helper."
A kindness that he had all the days of his life.
He would always greet his neighbors when he was out tending to his yard. One winter, he shoveled snow from the driveway of a pregnant neighbor. Friends and classmates of the Oyster Bay High School Class of 1976 said he would do do anything for you. Some of the wonderful memories they have of Wade are his animals, particularly his ducks, farming, his dune buggy, riding his motorcycle around the neighborhood, his pool, shoveling snow, measuring his hair loss (funny!), playing baseball at the Allegretti's, playing tuba in the OBHS band, late nights and good old fashion fun.
But most of all his kindness, sense of humor, laughter, and smile.
He told his neighbor about how much he enjoyed reading bedtime stories to his Danielle, and that she was the biggest part of his life. Danielle, you can take great comfort in knowing how much your daddy loved you. He will always be with you in your heart. He would want you to grow in beauty not only physically, but intellectually and spiritually. That will be your greatest tribute. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, dear child.
I never met Wade Brian Green. Yet today, he is my hero.
God bless you.

31 comments:

Jodi said...

Geege...

This is such a nice idea... I went to the website and signed up. I will be posting my tribute on Monday.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

Miss Chris said...

What a wonderful tribute. Please stop by and read about Debra Paris who also lost her life that day.

Katherine said...

Beautiful! I love that you were able to find out his nickname. It really seems to fit him when you look at his picture. My tribute is up.

Carl said...

Ginger, nice post.

I like the blog, too! :-)

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Ginger

What a wonderful essay for such a wonderful man. I know his family would be very honored by your words.

Auntie Lyn said...

Ginger, I can't think of a better person to have as a hero than this 'gentle giant' of a man. Your tribute to Wade is so heartfelt, I feel as if I know him and his family. I will hold Wade's family and friends in my thoughts and prayers.
Rest in Peace Wade,
Blessings,
Auntie Lyn

AFSister said...

This is beautiful, Ginger. You really found out a lot about Wade. It sounds like he is sorely missed by everyone who knew him.

Anonymous said...

That was wonderful.

Motherkitty said...

Ginger, thank you for visiting my site and for your lovely comments on my tribute post.

Your description of Wade Green makes me wish I had a friend and neighbor just like him. What a loss this world has suffered. The more I read others' tributes, the more my heart aches. Thank you for this beautiful post and for participating in this project.

I invite everyone to my site to read my tribute to Cynthia Wilson.

Zephra said...

You made me cry. Great tribute.

I was honored with Todd Beamer's tribute.

Anonymous said...

That is a beautiful tribute. I am so glad that someone thought to organize this project. What a wonderful way to honor all the men and women who lost their lives that terrible day.

-tnchick- said...

Hello fellow middle TN'ean. =) I'm just 30 miles North of Downtown!

You've complied a very nice tribute. He is honoroed. May he never be forgotten.

I honor Petey, please take time to read about him, too.

Anonymous said...

Very nice tribute. Thank you for honouring Wade.

Mine is up.

lisa said...

Great tribute. Thanks for participating.

The Baby's Momma said...

Wonderful tribute and rememberance...

Blessings,
~ ~ Justice

In Memory of Edward Phillip York

Wendy said...

What a lovely tribute!
I'm sure Wade would be honored.
How sad that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I am commemorating the life of Suzanne Geraty at my site.

Ginger said...

I am honored to have gotten an e-mail from Wade's dad, Tom. He said he would forward the link to Wade's wife, Roxanne. I hope she will feel that I have done him justice.

Keep the families of the 9/11 victims in your thoughts and prayers...I am sure this is so difficult to have to relive this horrible day every year, and especially this 5 year anniversary.

Anonymous said...

What a heartfelt tribute. Let us not forget those who died and the families left to live life without them. We shall remember the day the world cried. We shall remember a day that the whole world mourned together. We shall remember September 11th as more than just a number thanks to the 9/11 tribute started by D.Challener Roe.

earlcapps said...

Excellent job on your tribute.

Thanks for remembering, so that we might not forget what was done to us, and so those responsible know we haven't forgotten either.

bernie said...

beautiful tribute to a wonderful person.

Kristin said...

What a beautiful post... I feel the same way, through my tribute to Clarin Shellie Schwartz, I feel as though I go to know her.

This is such a profound experience... to put faces and personal stories to people who were just a number to us yesterday.

Thank You.

Rayne said...

It is truly amazing 'meeting' all of these people. My view of the world is changing. So many wonderful and kind souls, so much loss.
My tribute is to Robert J. DeAngelis.

Cindy Swanson said...

Wonderful tribute, Ginger...thanks!

My tribute to Jean Peterson is up on my blog.

Anonymous said...

Your Tribute has me remembering Wade B. Green this morning, (the 11th) just as if I know him from back in the Good Old Days, (the LAST DAY of the Good Old Days being 9-10-01)! We will never forget him and all the others! We won't forget YOU who caused this Sad day, either!

Becky said...

It's amazing how much you can really tell by a person's picture. As soon as I saw Wade's photo, I immediately thought of the warm qualities you described. I have a post up for Scott Davidson today.

Margie said...

Thanks for this wonderful tribute to a wonderful person!
May his memory always be a blessing!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for again another great tribute. I've read about so many awesome people. I wish I would have known this gentle giant. If only.....

Anonymous said...

My family are clsoe friends with the Greens. So clsoe we were invited to each others family outings. On one party at their house, I must have been 5 or 6, I remember playing in the pool, and then the next second underwater looking up, I couldnt swim and I just remember panicing...and yes...it was Wade who went down and garbbed me and lifted me out of the water. I'll never forget that, now will I forget any of the victims of 9/11.

Jill Watkins said...

Wade was a friend of my brother and worked fr my dad one summer when he was about 18. Thanks for doing this- you caught him. he truly was a gentle giant.
When I saw his name among theose lost on that day, I cried. I am away from NY, living in TN and didnt expect to see his name.

Ginger said...

Jill, I'm honored that you would take a moment to comment. Did you know that you & I live within mere miles from each other??? :)

Anonymous said...

I spoke to Wade the day before, as I worked at the time for Thomson. He was a very easy person to work with as I spoke with him from many jobs he did around the city.

Always sounded like he was in a great mood and just happy to be out and about. Nothing seemed to bother him.