Vanavah Alexi Thompson
At Age 26
"Through it all, we learn;
we grow strong in faith;
we mature in understanding.
The difficult times are often
the best teachers, and there is
good to be found in all situations.
Reach for the good.
Be strong, and don't give up."
we grow strong in faith;
we mature in understanding.
The difficult times are often
the best teachers, and there is
good to be found in all situations.
Reach for the good.
Be strong, and don't give up."
(Pamela Owens Renfro)
"For 102 minutes on September 11, 2001, the world looked on in horror as terrorists flew hijacked passenger planes into New York City's mighty twin towers, destroying the iconic buildings and killing more than 2,700 people."**
"It didn't matter whether he was alone in the shower, or riding a crowded subway; Vanavah Thompson would hum the reggae tunes that he so loved. A native of Guyana, he came to New York City with his mother and two sisters in 1989. He sported dreadlocks halfway down his back, and sometimes tucked them into a striped knit hat like his favorite musicians. Mr. Thompson, 26, was a maintenance worker at the World Trade Center. But at night, he would sing and dance his way through the clubs of Brooklyn and Queens. "I feel that wherever he is right now, he'll sing to himself to keep strong," said his sister, Tsahai Thompson. The one that he always sang, she said, began with the wistful line: "Remember the days when people on the East Side used to go on the West Side and live in peace."***
**(www.history.com)
***(http://www.our9-11brothasandsistas.zoomshare.com)