Missing and Murdered Children

This tribute to Robert William O'Shea was originally written on September 10, 2006. I decided to put the tribute on the front page of my blog today in his honor.

When I signed up to write a tribute to one of the victims of the 911 attack I thought it would be both an easy and hard undertaking. I realized it would be painful to read about how the people died and I would feel sad for their families and that is what I thought the hard part would be. I expected the research necessary to write about my assigned person, Robert William O'Shea would be relatively easy. Certainly there would be much written about him on the internet. Information about Robert W. O'Shea was not that easy to find.

The first mention of Robert William O'Shea I found on the internet where I could find information about him was located at irishtribute.com. There is a nice picture of Robert located there. It is the same picture used for his spot on the 9/11 Memorial Quilt. He was Irish.

According to irishtribute.com Robert William O'Shea was a First Vice President of Futures for a company named Carr Futures. Although, another website lists his occupation as broker and lists another O'Shea, Patrick as the company's First Vice President of Futures. Either way, he worked for Carr Futures; that was Robert W. O'Shea employee.

Robert was not supposed to be in the WTC that day. A special meeting had been called and he was required to attend.

Robert O'Shea was lovingly known by two nicknames "Uncle Bobby" and "Roc". I am assuming that sometime during his school years at Good Sheppard Grammar School is where he picked up the nickname "Roc" as evidenced by this comment left:

I grew up with Bobby (rock)he always reminded me of a tough guy. But when you got to know him a gentle guy that always made you laugh. The smile that you would never forget,so as family when I remmeber the good times we all had together I will think of you Bobby with that big smile.

The most heartbreaking comments are left by the people who knew him as "Uncle Bobby". These young people valued the support and love he provided to them. He coached one young girl in sports who signed her name as "niece".

Uncle Bobby was always behind me 100% through all my sports...(I loved being the only girl being able to sit in on the men conversations on sports being that i was so into sports myself)....whether it was basketball...soccer..or softball...he was there I can remember when he was showing me how to play better defense as we were waiting for our reservation at "Cheddars"...after a long day of AAU basketball for me(him of course coming to watch) he will be dearly missed....I am priveledged to have had him as my Uncle Bobby...and wouldn't trade it in for the world......

Truly, it appears that Robert William O'Shea was looked up to and loved in life. He was a giving person who according to one message left "never had a bad thing to say".

As late as October 2, 2001, Robert O'Shea as well as hundreds of other victims were considered as still missing and not yet confirmed dead. This shows me how much carnage and confusion there was after the attacks.

Robert O'Shea was taken from his family in Wall, New Jersey at the age of forty-seven. Just like many other Americans on that fateful day, Robert O'Shea was going about his business, going about his everyday life when a few malcontents decided to spew their hatred upon the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the United States of America. They knew there would be thousands of people in those buildings, they knew there would be thousands of people who were loved by others. They knew someone's Uncle Bobby, someone's Roc was in the WTC, but they didn't care.

The terrorists awoke that morning with murder in their hearts. Robert "Uncle Bobby" O'Shea awoke with love and life in his heart.