Parks’ Brother, Killed on 9/11, Spurs Parks’ Sister Volunteerism

Early in the evening on 9/11, my Mother, Mary E. Parks, asked me to find photographs of my Brother, Robert E. Parks Jr., who was at work that day at 1WTC/105/CantorFitzgerald. She asked me to go to GZ and everywhere possible and use the photos to help find my Brother.

I enlarged his color photos and in oversized font imprinted his name, age, height, weight, along with my cell phone number stating “CALL ME IF YOU SAW OR HEARD FROM BOBBY PARKS ON 9/11, KINDLY ALERT ME”.

Day in and day out thru each and every evening, I continued to visit various NYC area hospitals, GZ, the Park Avenue Armory, the OCME, and elsewhere in an a fruitless effort to discover my Brother’s condition.

With fortitude and strength, though at time somewhat drearily, I pressed on daily searching, until devastatingly, on September 17, the phone call came from NYPD. My Sister, Carol Parks Clancy, and I secluded ourselves in her home den and listened jointly on the speakerphone — listening intently as the NYPD said, “Because of the photographs and DNA provided, the OCME is certain that they found your Brother’s body. He was found on top of “the pile”. His wallet was intact.” The NYPD read to Carol and me from items in his wallet further confirming it was he, Robert E. Parks, Jr., who was killed 9/11 in 1 WTC, 105 Floor, Cantor Fitzgerald.

Our family was able to have a ‘normal’ burial, if you will. My very recent late Mother, “Ebit” Parks nee Fitzhenry, chose the arrangements. She venerated my Brother in the formal Irish Catholic tradition proceeding to having a Funeral Home Wake and Mass of Resurrection in his Roman Catholic Church immediately.

Personally and immediately, the call to volunteerism kicked in.

Though unsettled, I knew Bobby Parks would have counseled me as he always considered me a fierce and feisty individual, to go on and help others. He instilled to me that ‘a young lady like you with full confidence and courage can get out there and help others’.

Post haste, I began to attend any and all 9/11 related meetings possible in NYC, NJ and D.C. My Mother and Sister encouraged me to do so in order that the Parks family be informed of how 9/11 matters were being handled and rolling out to families and the American public at large.

Naturally, at that time, droves of family and friends wanted to visit my Mother, after all her first borne was killed at the hands of the incendiary radical thugs. My Sister insisted my Mother stay at her spacious lavish home property and thus was able to graciously greet and host the constant visitors whom were welcomed with full embrace.

The State of NJ put out a call to 9/11 families to meet at Rutgers University. In attendance were tons of family members from all 17 of the 21 NJ counties affected by a 9/11 family member being killed. The NJ 9/11 Family group was formed, mission statement confirmed, and the work began to create a memorial to all NJ 9/11 victims.

The Memorial entitled, ‘Empty Sky’, in a grand setting, completed construction on August 31, 2011, inhabits space prominently at the most northeasterly tip of Liberty State Park, Jersey City – powerfully connecting New Jersey to Ground Zero on a parallel – positioned directly across the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan.

‘Empty Sky’ is the State of New Jersey’s everlasting tribute to the 746 New Jersey residents killed in the September 11th terroristic attacks.

To learn more about the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Foundation and their Board of Director’s volunteer role working in conjunction and for furtherance of the ‘Empty Sky’ Memorial, peruse our website: www.nj911memorial.org.

The New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Foundation is an entirely volunteer first of kin staffed 501c3 corporation whose tax-ID Number is 26-2523952. The endowment needs to be in place to support both educational and historical programs, signature events, and upkeep of “Empty Sky’ Memorial located adjacent to the historically significant Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal and within footsteps of the Ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Over the years, this original group dwindled. In 2007, this group became incorporated as the non-profit New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Foundation 501c3. This group needs first of kin 9/11 family to enjoin with us.

He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.


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