I, Too, Will Never Ever Forget

When I was working for Thirteen/WNET in 2006 I was asked to do an event as the Cyberchase character (AKA my alter-ego) Digit at the South Street Seaport.  The event was a holiday party for the benefit of children of police officers and fire fighters who had been killed in the line of duty.  I had done a number of publicity gigs as Digit but somehow I knew this would not be the usual run-of-the-mill appearance.  

Right from the start I could see it was a celebrity studded event with many well known actors making an appearance in support of these children of heroes.  Digit was photographed with the likes of James Gandolfini, Martin Short, Albert King, David Blaine and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly among others.  But it was the kids that I was there to see and entertain and there was one little girl who caught my attention and became my shadow for much of the event.

She had long brown hair tied back with ribbons and wore a beautiful green dress.  And she was adorable.  She asked for and received Digit's autograph.  We walked the floor hand-in-hand and danced.  Oh, how we danced.  She giggled as Digit twirled her and laughed as he applauded her skill on the dance floor.  We danced alone and with some of the other kids.  She had such life.  At this point I had no idea who she was or what was coming my way.

As I got down on one knee to give her a hug and pose for a picture with her I noticed that she was wearing a necklace with what appeared to be a picture on a locket of some sort.  I pointed to it and mimed that I wanted to know who that was.  Her reply was emotionally devastating:  

"That's my mom.  She was one of the heroes on 9/11."

As I hugged her tight and posed for more pictures I was crying my eyes out inside that costume.  I released my grip on her and signaled to my handler that I needed to take a break.  I made my way to the break room as quickly as possible considering that I could hardly see due to the flood of tears.  I entered the room, took off the big Digit head, sat down and bawled my eyes out.  As I sat there taking an extended break I thought about the courage that little girl showed and how matter-of-factly she told me about her mother.  It was such a simple statement but had such amazing power behind it.  Her mother was a hero.  Her mother had been killed rescuing others.  That fateful day in September of 2001 brought up close and personal was hard to take.  I went back out for my final appearance and we spent some more time together before the event came to a close.  I knew I would never forget that day but, even more so, that little girl with the green dress and ribbons in her hair who broke my heart. 

I was so touched by her that, upon my return to work, I spoke to some friends and they gathered some Digit/Cyberchase swag and sent it to that little girl whom I now learned was Patricia Smith.  I read online about how her mother, NYPD Office Moira Smith guided dozens of people to safety that day.  And how she went back into the South Tower to rescue more but was killed when it collapsed before she could make it back out.  She was the only female member of the NYPD to die that day.  Officer Moira Smith was a true hero.  I knew I would never forget her.

I got up this morning on a beautiful September day and, in accordance with my usual routine, brought in the Sunday paper to read over breakfast.  I pulled the paper from its protective plastic bag and spread it open on the table.  Tears immediately filled my eyes as on the cover of the Sunday Newsday I was looking at that same little girl who broke my heart 6 years ago.  Except now she is a beautiful 13 year old.  I opened the cover and read the story, eager to know how she is doing now 6 years later.  Through tear filled eyes I learned that she has taken on the role of representative of her mother’s legacy.  That she has met Presidents Bush and Obama and even British Prime Minister Tony Blair.  And that for the first time she will not be at the Ground Zero ceremony this year.  Instead she will be in school surrounded by her friends as her mother would want her to be.  She wears a blue rubber bracelet that reads:  “9-11 Never Forget P.O. Moira Smith."

I know I never will.