Memories by Tracy Sugra
Things that Remind Me of an Old
Friend by Ed Mangold
Memories by Jen Mangold
ABOUT BILL SUGRA
A network administrator in Cantor Fitzgerald’s eSpeed division, Bill Sugra worked on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center. On September 11, 2001, just 36 days after celebrating his 30th birthday with his family and his girlfriend, Bill lost his life due to the horrifically callous acts of terrorists.
A vibrant, loving young man, Bill lived life to the fullest, enhancing the lives of everyone he met.
While rising through the ranks of St. Thomas More Elementary School, Allentown Central Catholic High School and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), Bill grew into a wonderful man. Through the years, he played a variety of organized sports, ranging from baseball to cross-country to golf.
After graduating from IUP with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1993, Bill worked at Productivity Point, Inc. (PPI), in Allentown. In 1999, when the opportunity to work for Cantor Firzgerald in New York City arose, Bill jumped at the chance. In October 2000, he began working for Cantor Fitzgerald.
Well-cultured and blessed with a wide base of interests, Bill loved the Big Apple. Residing in South Seaport, just eight blocks from his office at the World Trade Center, he took advantage of every free moment he had. When not building upon his reputation as an industrious, hard-working, valuable cog of the Cantor Fitzgerald team, he always kept busy. Whether taking in a Broadway play, running through Central Park, visiting a museum or just hanging out with friends at a nightclub, he rarely let a moment go to waste.
While in New York, Bill shared much of his life with his girlfriend, Suzanne Dinnie. Having known each other since their days together at St. Thomas More, Bill and Suzanne worked together at PPI. But it wasn’t until they both relocated to Manhattan (she moved to the Upper Eastside a month before he took up residence in South Seaport) that sparks began to fly between them. Like so many others before them, they fell in love in New York City.
Bill’s friends knew they could count on him, in good times and in bad. And just as it was with his friends, but on an even deeper level, he held a special bond with his parents, Bill and El, and his sister, Tracy. If a friend or family member needed anything, whether it was a shoulder to cry on, a buddy to laugh with, or someone to give them advice, he was always there for them. A person of strong moral fiber that tried to do the right thing at all times, Bill made people feel at ease in his presence. A jovial soul, he seemingly always had a smile on his face.
Bill Sugra’s gentle, generous spirit lives on through the Bill Sugra Memorial Fund, whose philanthropic activities are targeted toward encouraging, supporting and assisting the needy and disadvantaged through their time of difficulty. As Bill did throughout his life, the Fund strives to improve the lives of those less fortunate than most.
Things That Remind Me of an Old Friend By Ed Mangold
They say that memory can be both powerful and fleeting. Friendship is one of those things that is very much tied to and measured by memory. It is hard to sum up a friendship in a few short words so, with your indulgence, I would like to share some Bill memory triggers that surround me…
• A Boston Red Sox hat – Just look at any picture of Bill from high school on and there’s a better than average chance you will see the hat.
• Countless songs – he loved his music, I’m sure he would have had an iPod surgically implanted.
• Almost every one of my favorite movies - Highlander, Point Break, Hollywood Shuffle, The Matrix, Starship Troopers…
• Arnold Schwarzenegger - Bill constantly asked me to do that “Running Man” quote in Arnold voice, “Killian, when I get back to the studio I’m going to punch you in the stomach and rip out your spiiiiine!” (I cleaned that up a bit).
• Holding a basketball - I can’t even guess how many days Dan Schaffer, Bill and I spent down on the Green Acres courts until it was too dark to see the hoop.
• Golfing - He used to get so frustrated (irony).
• A jeep – I never saw him cry, but I’m fairly certain he wept the day he sold his.
• Driving through Catasauqua.
• A U-Haul truck - I sat between Mr. Bill and Bill on an old wooden desk chair holding a 13” TV en route to the Big Apple on moving day. What were we thinking!
• Wood burning in a fireplace – Countless hours in the Sugra’s family room watching movies, hanging out with the family, Dan’s chiropractic adjustments, and of course, the occasional impromptu wrestling match.
• Schaffer, Sophy, Bealer and Cannon – Not a law firm, but friends that never let a get-together or phone call go by without remembering.
• My wedding ring – He and Dan were my Best Men.
• My wife Jen who was fortunate enough to share in his friendship for over a decade – we often will hear one of those “Bill” songs and turn to each other to say, “That was one of Bill’s favorites.”
• My son Nicholas - the last time I saw Bill was at his Christening.
All of these and many, many more will often touch off vivid memories of a dear friend that was lost to me, to us, too soon. While all of these triggers keep him close, they also remind me of what was taken and what will never be. All of my great memories of Bill carry a weight and power that go beyond the normal passing remembrance of an old friend.
It is hard to resolve the warmth of a great memory with the pain of loss, but I imagine, I hope, that over the passage of years it will work itself out. To paraphrase a great prayer used by many; Perhaps God, in time, will grant me the ability to accept these things that I cannot change.
For now, warm and enduring memories are all that I can ask for. As for memories being fleeting, that may be, but they are many! For each small moment in time Bill is right there with me, as I am sure he is with all of those whose lives he touched. So the next time “Flagpole Sitta” (Harvey Danger) comes on the radio and I’m in the privacy of my car, I’ll crank it up, belt it out and enjoy the time I share with my old friend.
To live in hearts we leave behind Is not to die.
~Thomas Campbell, Hallowed Ground
Ed Mangold
MEMORIES By Tracy Sugra
As I sat down to write this story about my brother, I really struggled with what I wanted to say. Many of you know Bill’s story - how he got to New York City, where he worked, and how much he loved to live in the city. I thought about my relationship with my brother and how I wanted you to know not just what he did, but who he was.
Since Bill’s death, many people have told me how my brother and his quiet and kind demeanor touched their lives. This has inspired and amazed me. I wanted to share, though, some of my personal and fond memories about my brother. Some are as shining as the stories I’ve heard from so many people and some are the kind only a sibling can tell and appreciate.
The first thing I remember about Bill was his laugh and how it always made me feel so good that I could make him laugh by telling some silly story. I remember how he always ate his fries before his hamburger. I remember his 7th birthday and how he trapped me into his new tent, tied the strings from the outside, and let a coffee can full of live butterflies free to swarm around my head. Bill was the person that taught me to ride a bike. He said he would hold onto the back of the bike so I wouldn’t fall, but when I turned around 30 seconds later, he was still standing in the driveway and I was riding on my own.
I remember when I was in kindergarten and we went to different schools. My bus always came to pick me up first, but on the day it didn’t he took me to school with him so I wouldn’t be left alone at the bus stop.
I remember that he was there on my 21st birthday to escort me around Pitt and enjoy that monumental time in someone’s life. It never bothered him to spend time with my friends and I, and even though we were little high school girls, he invited us to his university, IUP. He took us out on the town without embarrassment, always proud of his sister and her friends.
Bill always wrote a message in my birthday cards and would sign them “Love, Bill”. After Bill’s death, I told my mother I wished I could hear from Bill. Later that day, she was in the attic looking for pictures of Bill and stumbled across a notebook that was empty, except for one page. On that page was a letter he wrote, but never gave to me. In part it read:
Dear Tracy,
Whether you think so or not you have meant a great deal to me. I enjoy your friendship. You are one of a kind! Tracy, remember that thinking of you always makes me feel better. The only reason I am telling you this is so I can return some of the good feelings you have brought to me back to you.
Love your smile,
Bill
He did all of these wonderful things for me even after he told my mom, right after I was born, to put me back where I came from. I never really realized how close a bond and relationship we actually had and how much he really did care for me.
These are the fond memories that only a sibling can have. Now that I have lost these experiences, I sometimes feel I have no one to casually remember old stories with or to reminisce, “remember when you did…?” So as I struggled to convey to you my special memories of Bill, I decided to share some of the best times so that maybe you can join in that chuckle that would have been Bill’s and understand my brother a little more. Through these memories, I also realized I could provide a glimpse into his spirit. This spirit makes the memorial fund a reality and a dream come true to all the people we can help in our community.
When I think of all the generosity, compassion, and love that have gone in to making this foundation a reality, I sometimes look up to the sky and can only imagine what Bill is saying. This would be beyond his wildest dreams.
We found a favorite quote of Bill’s in a journal that he never shared with any of us. It seems so appropriate and should be something that we should strive to think of every day of our lives. “The impact that you make on this earth will be measured by how you are remembered after you are gone.” While it’s my hope these stories about Bill will help you get to know a little better the person he was, the generosity and effort you all put forth for the memorial fund have also taught me about a side of Bill.
William C. Sugra tragically died in the terrorists attacks of September 11th and his family has created a memorial fund whose mission is to help the needy and disadvantaged in their time of need. We wanted Billy’s spirit to live on forever, doing good work for other people.
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Memories by Jen By Jen Mangold
A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from El, asking if I would write my story of Bill and all of the fond memories we shared. At first I felt extremely honored and then I immediately felt a rush of sadness. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about Bill. There is always some kind of reminder of that dreadful day. In fact, one of my graduating seniors came up to me after commencement, gave me a hug and she said to me, “ Mrs. Mangold, I will never forget your Geography class, my freshman year, because it was in your class that we first found out about 9/11.”
Everyday while I am teaching my second period class, I always end up looking at the clock as it reads 9:11 a.m. Just a coincidence, it could be-I don’t really know? Sometimes I just take comfort in the idea that it is a way to remember Bill everyday, maybe even a way of him still communicating with me.
It is really hard to put into words, the relationship I had with Bill. And, it saddens me everyday, to know that I will never have the opportunity to share anything else with him. I am constantly reminded of how much time has transpired since Bill’s death. My son, Nicholas was born only a few months before he passed away. Bill actually made special trips home from New York during my pregnancy especially to see Ed and I. He said to me, “Jen, I just have to see what you look like pregnant!” I am angered by the fact that Bill will not know my son or daughter the way I wanted him to. So, I will do what I can to keep his memory alive in my heart, and I will make sure my children learn who he was and why he was so important to my family and me. And, so I feel by writing this story, I have taken the first step.
So, let me start from the very beginning. Over fifteen years ago, I met a guy by the name of Eddie Mangold at the 15th & Allen Foodlane, where we were both working part-time. After a short time, we got to know each other and we started dating. It wasn’t long before Ed started to introduce me to his best friends from high school. He wanted me to meet Bill and Dan, so we went mini-golfing at The Oasis over by the airport. I was really nervous to meet his friends, because I wanted to make a good impression. But, as soon as I meet them, they made me feel at ease. We really had a great time, we practically laughed all night. Bill kept hitting his golf ball into the cornfield next to the golf course. That was the first night of many that I would spend with Bill, Dan and Eddie.
As time went on, we would all hang out, doing various things. Bill loved to be spontaneous and it was always a spur of the moment plan. One time, we were over at his house and it was around seven in the evening. Bill decided that he was hungry and he wanted to grill. But going to the market to buy pre-made hamburgers would never do. He made real thick burgers and by the time we got everything we needed to cook, it was already dark. We still grilled however, and when we finally sat down to eat, Dan and I realized that the burgers were raw inside; Bill couldn’t see what he was doing, grilling next to the garage with a flashlight in hand. To be polite, we all ate around the raw burgers, but it was fun just the same because of his enthusiasm.
We also liked to make the circuit on the bar and club scene. Bill was very outgoing and he was always up for some adventure. Eddie had to return to college at Temple University, and I remained in the local area, because I was attending Kutztown University. And, the plan for Ed and I was to marry after I graduated. But, Eddie never feared, because he knew that Bill would take good care of me while he was gone. He was like the brother I never had, so it was easy to do anything with him. We even liked to venture out during a blizzard to play pool, go out to see a movie, or stay in and rent movies.
One of the things we both really liked to do was dance. We loved to go to Boca Joe’s or The Sterling, just about any place for that matter in the downtown Allentown area. When we would go out, we would meet all kinds of people, because he was so approachable and easy to talk to. The best night I can remember involved Bill and my other good friend Greg. As we ventured on our night out, Bill introduced me to some of his other friends from college and high school, like Greg and Mike, who I still see and fondly adore. We would all get together and go out in a large group, along with some of my friends.
Again, at a moment’s notice we decided to go big time and went clubbing in Philly. Bill and Greg decided that they were going to dress in business attire, so they would attract the chicks. They dressed in suits and ties. They both looked very handsome, however they looked more like they were attending a job interview instead of going dancing. We decided to go to the club called The Volcano on the waterfront. When we got there Greg and Bill didn’t have to pay a cover charge and we didn’t understand why? Well, we found out when we got inside. The back part of the club was called “The Cave”, and basically it was a male review club. Bill and Greg always had a way of looking at things positively, so they both came to the conclusion that after the show lets out there would be plenty of girls in the dance club. We laughed about that night for years.
Then came the jeep. Bill really wanted a Jeep Wrangler in the worst way, but he didn’t know how to drive 5-speed. So, I remember him going to the dealership with his Dad to purchase the car. In fact, his Dad had to drive it off the lot after he brought it. That night we made our way around the neighborhood until he got the hang of driving his jeep. The next day, he stopped by Foodlane to pick me up from work in his new pride and joy. We went crushing for hours and he was never so excited about how he learned to drive it so quickly. He felt that it was all about image and the jeep was going to be a real chick magnet.
When our wedding came around, Bill and Dan were Ed’s two best men. Our wedding photo of the three guys is so adorable, because my husband is the short guy between the two tall ones. We had a blast that day, despite the extremely high temperatures. While in the Rose Gardens taking pictures, it was 103 degrees and basically everyone was fried. At the reception, both of the best men made a toast. Bill’s speech was heartfelt and I will never forget how he predicted that our marriage would be blessed with children and how he loved us both very much. He always complimented us on our relationship and spoke of how he wanted that same type of commitment in the future. Bill never forgot our wedding anniversary or our birthdays, and if he didn’t send a card, he would send us special gifts. The year before he died, he sent us a gift certificate for the King George Inn. It was extremely thoughtful of him even to remember. I always thought that showed his kindness and how much he truly cared about us.
After I graduated from college and the wedding was over, it was time for me to look for gainful employment as a professional. Being a social studies major, jobs were hard to come by and the interviews were extremely competitive. I had one of my first interviews at Muhlenberg High School near Reading. I actually was their second choice, or runner up for the job. That day I can remember vividly. After the interview I came down to hang out with Bill. I told my Mom to call me if Muhlenberg called with any news. Unfortunately they did, and it was bad news. I remember wanting to cry, because I was so close. But Bill was there to pick me up. We got in the jeep and we drove over to Ice Cream World across from Dorney Park. We each treated ourselves to a large sundae, and on the way over Sheryl Crow’s song, “All I Wanna Do is Have Some Fun”, came on the radio. Bill and I sang the song aloud, driving to the ice cream place, letting the air blow through our hair. I knew that I was going to be all right, and it was great having the comfort of a friend there to help along the way. Even to this day when I hear that song I will always be reminded of Bill.
After I spent the first year of my teaching career as a substitute, I decided during the summer Eddie and I were going on a cruise. We invited our friends Greg, Bill, Mike, and Joe along with us. Everyone decided it would be a great venture. We went on the Norway for a western Caribbean cruise. Bill climbed a coconut tree with his bare feet after the locals gave him a quick demonstration with a rope. And, all the guys climbed a waterfall in the middle of Jamaica. Besides all of the everyday outings, we all hung out and enjoyed each other’s company. When I still get together with those friends, we often reminisce about things we did and people we meet on that trip. When we all returned back to reality and our lives became more complicated with responsibilities, we found other ways to adjust our schedules so that we continued to stay in touch
Every Monday night Bill enjoyed getting together to watch Melrose Place. Each week Bill picked up take out from a different restaurant and we watched the show at my apartment in New Smithville. On occasion Mike and Greg would come over too, and they would all pitch bottle caps onto the ledge of my light fixtures. They all knew that drove me crazy, but I loved sharing their company. I never felt lonely. Now that Bill is gone, Eddie and I have one large regret. We wish we would have visited Bill more when he was living in New York City. We do remember taking trips into the big city when he wasn’t living there to go to special restaurants or spend the night dancing at Webster Hall. But, everyone’s careers started to take off, and everyone’s lives became busier and more complicated. It was harder to spend as much time together as we had in the past. Bill loved New York and he often invited us into the city for a night, but again something always came up.
I last saw Bill at my son’s Christening Day in June of 2001. The day went so quickly. It was such a blur. Bill didn’t stay very long that day, because he had to make it back to the Big Apple that night. I just wish I had spent more time with him that day. I often find myself replaying the whole day in my mind. What could I have done differently to talk with him more or take additional pictures, especially of Bill and my new baby boy? I only have one picture of Bill with Nick and I cherish that photo. I guess we always think that we will have more time with the ones we love. I know now not to take that time for granted. My life will be forever changed because of Bill’s friendship. He has made a special and lasting impression on me. Everyday I try to celebrate his life by remembering something special about him or the times we shared. That is how I keep him alive in my heart. I will always love him and his family. I live with the comforting thoughts that he knew that.
Jen Mangold