JOSEPH PETER ANCHUNDIA - we remember you.
Saturday, September 09, 2006 by Lilize
i've been thinking for ove a month how to write this. during the past month or more i've been doing some research on him, and there's really quite a lot i could say but i don't know how to. or how to start it.so i guess i'll start by saying how this makes me feel.
i remember at the time i was a teacher in a school downtown and i had a small break in the morning so i went home. one of my roomates was in her bedroom and she was in shock, and she called me to see what was going on. the bedroom's blinds were down so it was quite dark and the whole thing seemed like an alucination or maybe a dream.
unfortunately it was very much real and it affected thousands and millions of people all around the world. joe was one of them.
"joe". :)
reading all about him, i started wondering about his life... and as i said before, it feels like i really did meet him one day, i don't know... or maybe it's that feeling of "damn! he seems like such a fine guy... i wish i could have met him."
he was 26 when it happened. only 26! he worked at sandler o'neill & partners as an investment banker, and he had recently been promoted, which sure made christene anchundia, his mother, very proud. world trade center, tower 2, 104th floor. apart from growing up, going to school together, (doing just about EVERYTHING together), he also worked and shared an apartment with judd cavalier, one of his lifelong best friends. please visit tish's blog to read more about judd.
you know what makes it more comforting, if that should be possible? from what i've read, joe was always an upbeat person, the kind of guy who would wake up at 6am, and whistle his way to shower, always keeping a smile on his face.
so... not only was he having a good day, but if his life had to come to an end, he wasn't alone. joe and judd, inseperable in life, also became inseparable in death.
when i talk about goodbyes, it's always obvious to say that, for those who go, it's not so bad. but for those who stay, it's very hard. i cannot think how his family and friends must have felt. ian crystal, another one of the mosketeers, also a roomie, said at the time that they "were supposed to grow old together".
for this post i would like to thank, above all, the administrator for being so brilliant in coming forward with this, but i also want to thank eytan gutman very much.
i sent a few e-mails during the process and i got his reply. eytan is the forth roomie. and i guess that, no matter how much i ever wrote about joe, it would never be as true as what eytan did, so thank you.
i asked him to talk a bit about his friend and maybe tell a story, a memory from the good times, and i hope you enjoy this as much as i did!
may you rest in peace joseph peter anchundia, judson cavalier and all september 11th victims. we will always remember you.
"I only lived with Joe for a month before 9/11 occurred, but I knew him for about five years. He was the type of guy that would give you the shirt of his back. He would do anything for anyone of his friends or family members, whenever needed. He was the type of guy who was always positive and he would always seem to make people seem happy when they were down. He was a great friend and roommate, I only wish we could have been roommates longer.
I remember one time when one of our friends, Ian was going away to business school, we all went out to eat dinner one night. At the end of the dinner we had all sorts of desserts left over. We started a pool and it came out to around $200, for Joe to finish all the desserts, and I mean there were a lot of desserts to be finished. He tried his hardest, and ate a good amount of the them, I'm talking ice cream, cheese cake, tiramisu, chocolate cake, you name it, however he was unable to finish all of them, thus not getting the $200. Even though he pretty much felt sick to his stomach and hadn't gotten the money, he still had a great attitude about it, and said something to the effect of, at least he entertained Ian before he left on to business school. Not only did he entertain Ian, but he entertain everyone in the restaurant sitting around us.
I will miss Joe as I will also miss my other roommate Judd Cavalier who perished on 9/11. Judd and Joe grew up together, lived together in NYC, worked together, and unfortunately died together. I'm sure they are also somewhere else together having a good time. I will miss both of them very much.
Eytan Gutman"
find more tributes here:
Judson Cavalier - Tish
Vinod Parakat - Lori
Bill Hunt - Old Lady of the Hills
Robert J. Mayo - Green Apple Martini
Mark P. Whitford - Margaritaville
Francis Esposito - The Wandering Author
Gilbert Granados - Brian
Cynthia Wilson - Motherkitty
Richard G. Catarelli - Cosmic Siren
Michael Benjamin Packer - Raggedy
Scott Matthew Davidson - Becky
to view the complete list, click here.
Posts
That is a beautiful tribute!
Wonderful tribute
This was so lovely, and I am sure his friends and family were very moved by it as well. Thank you for this, Lilize.
Absolutely beautiful tribute to Joe, Lilize! Thanks for linking your readers to my post about Judd. My thoughts and prayers go out to Joe's family and friends.
I ran across Eytan's name several times in my research on Judd. Can you let him know that I've posted about Judd? I'd love for him to read it.
Also, I got a comment from the sister of one of Judd's roommates! She even emailed me the address for Judd's parents. I plan to send them a copy of the tribute and all its comments.
Thank you so much for sharing Joe's story.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Wonderful Tribute!
I had read Judd's Tribute, so it is good to read Joe's, though so very very sad....That both these young men died that day.
The enormity of the pain and sadness all of the survivors must feel is beyond comprehension...the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, lovers, children, grandmothers, cousins, uncles and aunts....and friends...it is beyond understanding...all this heartbreak....Lord Help Us All.
My Tribute to Bill Hunt is posted.
christian: i had to remove your comment for i thought it was disrespectful.
i do not disagree with you on some terms, but this is not about politics or competition on who had more victims or anything like that.
this is about life and about human beings.
just like the 10 year old child you mentioned is a life and a human being, and not just a number. for someone who seems to care a lot, you're making such huge mistake there.
thanks for your comprehension.
Wonderful, just wonderful. Thank you for sharing this with us. My tribute to Robert J Mayo is up, as well.
Lilize; thank you for a wonderful tribute. Once again, I was crying as I read it. Thanks for remembering him so nicely.
I have no idea what Christian said, but I can't believe someone had the nerve to be disrespectful toward such a beautiful, innocent person.
Lilize, what a wonderful tribute to a fine man who was way too young when he died. He had his entire life ahead of him. How very sad for his family. Also, how very sad that someone would post a disrespectful comment on a tribute. Thank you for removing it.
Thank you also for your lovely comment on my site. I wish to invite your readers to view my special tribute to Cynthia Motus Wilson who died when WTC Tower 1 fell.
I am so awed that you actually were able to contact one of his friends for your tribute. Go you!
Here is my tribute to Richard G. Catarelli.
Wonderful Tribute!
Thank you.
These are sad and hard to read....
I am honored to be a part of this project.
Mine is posted also...
The 2996 link is down. I have a new link on my site to view the participants.
Bless you...
He and Judson seem like they would've been fun people to know and have as friends. This was a great post, and I hope his friends and family read it.
I really like your tribute. I also wrote about an employee at Sandler, O'Neill. Debra Paris. Please stop by and read about her. Her picture says it all.
Beautiful...
Tribute to Christopher Paul Slattery
Such a great tribute, thanks for including the personal remembrances of his friend
Faina's tribute
You did a great job remembering Joseph. How amazing you were able to contact his friend and share some personal stories with us. It is too sad that this wonderful young man and his friend died that horrible day. My condolences to his family and friends.
Read my tribute to Catherine A. Nardella who died at the WTC on 9/11. I too am proud to have participated in this project.
Wow. For some reason I not only found your loving tribute to Joe, but also came across Jud's randomly. No links.
You did a great job and really brought him forth as a person and not a name.
We will never forget.
I remember Lisa Egan
http://ramblingsofamadpiggie.blogspot.com
Hey Chickee! Your tribute is wonderful! It would make his friends and family proud! I wanted to tell you I have moved. I am no longer at howtheyremindme. My new address is at www.onmymoon.blogspot.com I hope you will still come visit!!! Thanks so much for checking in on me while I was gone!