In Memoriam
To honor the memory of those who were lost on September 11, 2001, the Clinton Center will display the helmet of a member of FDNY who died responding to the crisis. On loan from the National September 11 Memorial Museum, Weinburg's helmet "symbolizes the best of American character, selflessness and courage under fire."
About Michael T. Weinberg
Michael T. Weinberg, FDNY Engine 1, was a Queens native. His sister, Patricia Wangerman worked at Morgan Stanley on the 72nd floor of the South Tower and on September 11th she was able to evacuate from her offices. She was right around the 44th floor stairwell when the 2nd plane hit but was able to make it out of the buildings and eventually reach her other brother by phone while walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Michael was supposed to be off that day and had intended to spend the day golfing so the family didn't even think he was on duty or had responded until later that day. About to tee off on a local golf course in Queens when he learned about the planes that had attacked the Twin Towers, he immediately abandoned that activity and made plans to respond downtown, hitching a ride with a first responder truck across the Long Island bridge. They reached his fire house on West 31st Street, where Engine 1/Ladder 24 were stationed and Michael suited up for the emergency. His sister, Patricia Wangerman, has been told that he proceeded to the stricken World Trade Center riding along with FDNY Chaplain Father Mycael Judge and Captain Daniel Brethel.(The bodies of Captain Brethel and Michael Weinberg were found under Engine 24 at the site the evening of 9/11.) Patricia explained that the family was notified by Father Chris (who became the FDNY chaplain after Father Judge's death) at 1 a.m. on the 12th that they had located her brother's remains. The FDNY confirmed that he was caught at the base of the North Tower when it collapsed.
Michael Weinberg attended St. Johns' University on a full ride scholarship for baseball. A talented centerfielder who was named the Big East's Most Valuable Player in 1988, he went on to join the Detroit Tigers organization, playing Triple A baseball in both Niagara Falls and Fayetteville, N.C. He joined the NYC Fire Department after leaving baseball.
