In a departure from the normal banter about movies and celebrities, I am participating in a special project, Project 2996. It is a project developed by a fellow blogger to honor the lives of those who perished at the hands of terrorists almost ten years ago. While we all remember the tragic circumstances surrounding their deaths, it is their lives we wish to commemorate. Here is my tribute to one of those fallen Americans, Jeremy Glick.
Though most people were introduced to Jeremy Glick as a result of the heroism that was part of a the most tragic day in history, his courage, fortitude and devotion to family were evident long before that fateful day.
Born September 3, 1970, Jeremy was filled with creativity and talent. At twelve he won the lead role of Curly in the musical play “Oklahoma”, and worked hard to give the best performance he could. He played the violin and loved poetry. His favorite poet was Ralph Waldo Emerson. Such a fan was he that years later he would name his daughter Emerson, Emmy for short, in the poet’s honor.
Jeremy was also an athlete. In addition to his musical and creative talents, Jeremy played lacrosse and soccer. He skied, wrestled and excelled at judo. Studying from the age of 7until he left for college, Glick loved judo. While attending the University of Rochester, Jeremy earned the title of US National Collegiate Judo champion in 1993.
Known for his serious nature, Jeremy favored the 70s television show “Emergency” about the crew of Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Station 51. He always wanted to be a hero when he grew up and favored the character John Gage, a paramedic on the show.
In 1996, Jeremy married his longtime girlfriend Lyzbeth Makely. The pair grew up outside of Upper Saddle River, N.J. The homecoming king and queen of 1988 went to separate colleges and Jeremy always said he would win the nationals in the judo competition so he could win a trip to visit Lyzbeth in San Francisco. The couple had their daughter, Emerson, on June 18, 2001.
Always devoted to his family, Jeremy took the all night shifts to stay up and provide the hourly feedings his premature daughter needed so his wife could sleep. He would return from work and ask for his turn with baby, and delighted in her smiles. It was his effort to get home from a business trip as soon as possible that put him on Flight 93 and sealed his fate.
Jeremy Glick lived a life worth remembering. Loved, respected and admired by everyone who knew him, Jeremy left an indelible print on those he encountered.
