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CNN Live Event/Special

9/11 Victim's Family Discusses Charity Effort

Aired September 11, 2002 - 14:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We have also talked about the special cases where people have taken their grief and turned it into a very proactive movement.
Two people very close to one movement are with us now, the Fazios, Robert and Janet, mother and son.

It is great to see you guys today. Your story is truly remarkable. I want to talk about it in a moment, because I know you are all about being positive and you are all about getting to September 12. First, today, though: How was it?

JANET FAZIO, WIDOW OF WTC VICTIM: It was difficult, but it was beautiful ceremony. I am glad we are here to witness it. My children went down to the site. I watched from the TV in the hotel room. I couldn't come down.

HEMMER: Too much?

J. FAZIO: Yes. It was just too much for me to be there.

HEMMER: How are you doing right now?

J. FAZIO: I am OK. I am OK.

HEMMER: Is it day to day? Is it week to week now? What is it?

J. FAZIO: Day to day. Some days are worse than others, but my children and my friends and my friends and my husband get me through. I talk to him all day long.

HEMMER: You helping her out?

ROBERT FAZIO, SON OF WTC VICTIM: Absolutely. As much as I can. We are a team. Our family, the Fazio family is (UNINTELLIGIBLE), everyone helping us out everyday. It is amazing.

HEMMER: How was it for you today?

R. FAZIO: You know, I had mixed filings. It was beautiful to see all the families together down here at ground hero. It was also very, very difficult to see the little children and my sister and my family grieving for my father.

HEMMER: Your father was Ronald, your husband. He was last seen, essentially, holding the door open for other people, and you have taken that theme and essentially turned it into some sort of charity program to help other people. You got a degree in psychology. You know about the mind games that inflict so many people right now.

R. FAZIO: Right.

HEMMER: Tell me about the program. Tell me how it started and what kind of reaction you're getting now.

R. FAZIO: Well, the way it started was when my father lead the charge out of Tower Two, he was literally holding the door for others. We saw that in such a powerful metaphor and vehicle to inspire Americans to help others. In a time like that, he wasn't thinking of himself, he was thinking of other people. If we can get Americans to do that on a daily basis and just open one door a day to help someone else, it will be incredible.

HEMMER: You are so proactive and so positive. What is inside of you that allows to you do that, where other people seem to be, at this point, still falling far behind?

R. FAZIO: I have to say the Fazio heart. My dad just had a (UNINTELLIGIBLE). My mom -- I mean, it is teamwork. The families of September 11 are part of the extended Fazio family. We are all in this together. And if each of us have different skills in different areas that we are good at, we should get together and help each other out on a daily basis.

HEMMER: You are shaking your head in agreement.

J. FAZIO: Yes, it is true. So many friend, old friends, have come through for us to help us, to be there for us, and we in turn want to help others. And it is just amazing what my children have done in their dad's memory.

HEMMER: Your story is absolutely inspiring.

Just a quick plug for the book, "Holding the Door for Others" is what you will offer for the families who are struggling on a day-to- day basis, sometimes an hourly basis. There is a Web site as well. In case people are out there who want help, you are there for them.

R. FAZIO: Right. The book is absolutely free for any family member of September 11. If they go to our Web site, holdthedoor.com, we are happy to mail it to them for free. If people are dealing with different types of loss, we want to help them out.

HEMMER: Robert, thank you. Janet, thank you as well, OK? Stay strong.

J. FAZIO: Thank you. Thank you very much.

R. FAZIO: Thanks.

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