Career News 24/7: The Cynical Girl: Remembering Claudia Martinez Foster: 9/11 Victim

Friday, September 13, 2013

The Cynical Girl: Remembering Claudia Martinez Foster: 9/11 Victim

Remembering Claudia Martinez Foster: 9/11 Victim

Posted: 11 Sep 2013 03:45 AM PDT

cmf Every year, I bring you the story of Claudia Martinez Foster. I learned about Claudia through my participation in the 2996 Project.

Here is her story. Again.

***

On September 9, 2001, Claudia was a twenty-six-year old newlywed who had babies on her mind. She went to work, one beautiful morning, as an assistant broker at Cantor Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, she never returned home to her husband and family. If you read the tributes and search for her name on Google, you can feel the deep love and excruciating sense of loss from her family, friends, and colleagues.

Here is her biography from The NY Times.

As the oldest in a family of girls, Claudia Martinez Foster promised her parents she would always look after her three younger sisters. One day, she told them, she was even going to give the Martinez family its big wish: a baby boy. Married almost a year, the 26-year-old assistant broker for Cantor Fitzgerald had already begun, with her husband, to pick out baby names. They were planning to buy a house and start a family later this year. She liked the name Carlos, in honor of her father. Her husband could not decide.

"My daughter was a true family person," said Blanca Martinez. "She was proud to be the big sister, always helping me with my youngest, taking her to the movies, bowling, shopping. She liked to call what she did 'sister power.' "

Watching such a young, promising life fade away has made the grieving even more trying. "She has so much to live for, and to go like this," Mrs. Martinez said. "I pray for God to give me strength to accept her death. But as a mother I don't know how to let go. I want to keep hoping for a miracle."

Our deepest sympathies and condolences are offered to the Martinez and Foster families. Years later, we have not forgotten Claudia. We certainly have not forgotten your loss.

Additional condolences to those who lost family and friends at Cantor Fitzgerald. We remember you, too, on 9/11.