Francine Skye Morales Lentini

I loved my common-law husband very much. His name was John Andreacchio.

We all called him by his nickname "Jack" or as he preferred, "Jack E Blu." He died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. He worked at Fuji Bank on the 81st floor in Tower 2. I was teaching my physical education class in my school, Erasmus Hall, at the time. Another teacher came to get me to come to the phone. My son Chris was calling to tell me the WTC was hit with a plane.

I ran out of the gym, down the stairs and to the lot where my car was parked. I miraculously made it home. I guess an angel was driving with me. My son arrived home shortly after I did. My parents and family called me and said they couldn't get to me because the Verrazano bridge was closed. Friends and neighbors arrived all day to join us to wait for word from Jack.

That word didn't come until three weeks later when the police came to his sister's door. We found out later that when the plane hit, Jack was with his friend on the 70th floor and the PA said all was fine and they could return to their offices. His friend and most of those there left at that time and made it out alive. Jack couldn't do that because he was on his company's safety team and wanted to make sure that the people on his floor were all evacuated before he left. Then the second plane hit. There were communications between Jack and those from his company who were outside the building. He was trying to find a way to evacuate the building but every exit way was blocked. He was still trying when the tower collapsed.

My son lost his dearest friend, and I lost my love. We both suffered tremendously. Jack E Blu was a man who gave his life for his friends. You don't get over that kind of man.