On a clear, crisp September morning, my cousin Tommy Ashton made his way from Woodside, Queens to Lower Manhattan for his second day as an apprentice electrician at the World Trade Center.  He was on the 95th floor of the north tower when American Airlines Flight 11 flew into floors 93 through 99 at 8:46 AM.

Out of an estimated 2753 people killed at the World Trade Center, fewer than 300 bodies were recovered. Tommy’s was one of them – found three days before a planned memorial service, which miraculously turned into a funeral mass.

There were other memorials to come, starting with this remembrance from the monumental Portraits of Grief series in the New York Times.

Two years later, Colleen and Mary established the Thomas Ashton Foundation, dedicated to “[providing] charitable donations in the name of Thomas Ashton to institutions, organizations, worthy causes and individuals, including contributions to philanthropic endeavors and to community enhancing activities.”

For 13 years Colleen and Mary hosted the annual Tommy Ashton 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, which raised over $285,000 for charitable organizations and local projects in Woodside.

Meanwhile, John and Kathy went out and got the intersection of 60th St. and 47th Ave. in Woodside designated Thomas J. Ashton Way, just outside the apartment building they lived in.

Back in Lower Manhattan, Tommy’s memory also lives on at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Rest in peace, Tommy. You are never forgotten.