In Loving Memory of 9/11 Victim and Bed-Stuy Resident Veronique Bowers

Veronique “Ronnie” Bowers lived in Bedford- Stuyvesant. Ms. Bowers was killed in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center.

The only thing Ms. Bowers did wrong that day was get up and go to work, as millions of Bed-Stuy residents do each day. She had no idea that her normal routine was about to put her in harm’s way.

Veronique Bowers worked in accounts receivable at Windows on the World. She dedicated her life to taking care of her son, Dior who has muscular dystrophy and uses a walker to get around. He and his mother lived with Bowers’ grandmother.

Clifford Tillman, Ms. Bowers’ uncle relayed the chain of events that day: He said Veronique called her grandmother on her cell phone when the building was hit and was so hysterical she was saying that an ambulance hit the building. Then she called her mother.

"She started yelling to her mother that something is wrong, the building is shaking and smoke is everywhere," said Tillman. "She was saying, 'Mommy, mommy, I'm trapped' and she made a statement that she loves her. Then everything went dead."

To follow is an entry her cousin, Kenynthia Bowers, left in her guestbook:

I remember you getting up early that morning to go and put Dior on the bus for school and normally you would come back up stairs and go back to bed but because you had a meeting that day at work, you had to be there early. I said to myself, ‘Everyday you get to work late but out of all days why you had to be early!’ I could never understand that until this day.

I can see you standing there in your black and white in the mirror getting ready for work and us talking not knowing that this will be our last talk or time spent together. I can hear you ask Maw the question was it bad luck to wear white shoes after Labor Day and you walking out the door but to turn around and come back in because Naija was calling you to tell you to come back and give her a kiss and hug and to hear you tell her goodbye and never come back.

 I miss you so much words can't even explain. I always thought that this was a terrible dream and I would wake up from it and you would be walking through the door or we all will be outside and see you turn the corner coming home from work. I pray every night that i dream about you just to see your face and your beautiful smile. When you left you took a Big part of me with you i feel like i am not the same person anymore.

When i looked at Dior everyday i see you in him. You would be very proud of him There wasn't a time i couldn't remember that i couldn't come to you for anything whether it was for advice or just for a laugh and i miss those days. God i just can't believe that it has been 6 years already. I miss you once again and i will always love you and there is a place in my heart that NO one else can fill.

Veronique Bowers lived her life to the fullest, every day. So on this day, we honor her memory and the memory of the thousands of other victims who lost their life senselessly on September 11, 2001.

*Sources, www.our9-11brothasandsistas, www.legacy.com/guestbook, donna-justme.blogspot.com/2009/09/remembering-veronique-bowers.html