Forever mourning loved ones lost in the attacks

Name: Brian Branco
Age: 40
Hometown: Lyndhurst, N.J.

The September 11th attacks have greatly changed my life. I worked on the 78th floor of the south tower. There were 5 of us on the floor that day and just an associate of mine and me escaped.

One person, who died, was right behind me. We were leaving together and he forgot something in his office. He went back and I left. The 2nd plane hit from my floor, 78 to 84.

I have lived with the guilt of this ever since that day. I have lived with the emotions of seeing the attacks over and over, the constant news media and the daily conversations about it. I think I have become a better person from my experience. I don't take things for granted as much as I did before.

One change that I have done in my life is participating in events at my daughter's school. Whether it's a class trip or a mother's day sale, I always try to volunteer. It's my little way of giving back. We are organizing an event in my town, my daughter and her friend came up with an idea to honor the memory of the deceased. This information can be found at www.bncconsulting.com/september11

***

Name: Maureen Garri
Age: 36
Hometown: Dallas, Pa.

There are no words to describe the loss you feel after realizing everyday for the rest of your life will be different and that your children will never get to share a Christmas or a family barbeque with their uncle.

Even though my brother Keith Roma, 27, of the New York Fire Patrol has been gone since that terrible morning, I still miss him everyday. How do you describe watching your father take patches off his eye and return to the site a few days every week to look through the rubble and sift through the ruins looking to recover those that were lost. The countless phone calls made to say that there were 344 firefighters lost and then to have the number 343 seep into the nations memory. It makes you want to cry, but wait there is one more. One more life lost  while saving others from an incomprehensible act of terror.

Unanswered Questions of 9/11 MSNBC TV Was there a 20th hijacker? U.S. authorities are holding two suspects who may have been the 20th hijacker that never made it to the 9/11 attacks. What did our allies know? What was Flight 93's target? Did Americans aid terrorists? What was Atta doing on 9/10?

In the five years since that morning my husband has left behind a tour in the Air Force to settle our family into a home much closer to our family in New York. We filter out what we watch on TV waiting for the kids to sleep before turning on the news. We do not have newspapers delivered for we can not control what is on the front page.

But we gather as a family and continue to live a life that matters and to celebrate the life Keith lost. For those that hate will not win, my children will have children and they shall remember there is no greater gift than to love each other and to touch the lives of others with kindness and soft words. Yes we shall remember, yet the world may forget.

MORE FROM 9/11: FIVE YEARS LATER

9/11: Five Years Later Section Front

Where is the WTC 'dust man'? How 9/11 changed our lives 'No greater love': The heroes of Flight 93 Air controllers saw nightmare coming Interactive: How 9/11 unfolded CNBC: 'This is how it's going to end' Bush lays out ‘struggle for civilization’ Nation marks Sept. 11 anniversary Brian Williams: 'We moved on too quickly' Baghdad Blog: A day that came too soon 9/11: Five Years Later Section Front   Add 9/11: Five Years Later headlines to your news reader: