As the News of bin Laden's Death Sinks In, Firefighter's Mother Reveals Next Steps for 9/11 Families

NEW YORK, May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As the reality of Osama bin Laden's death starts to sink in around the world, for those who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks, the news is affecting them in a much more personal way. For them it is the end of a chapter, but not an end to the long and painful story that began that tragic day.

Maureen Santora is an author, speaker, and 9/11 advocate who lost her son, Christopher, on September 11, 2001. At only 23, Christopher was the youngest firefighter to die that day. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to help the families left behind and to raise awareness about the issues that led to the attacks. She frequently works with young people to teach them the dangers of hatred, how to manage their anger constructively, and how to stop bullying by creating an open dialogue. Additionally, she teaches adults how to handle the grief of a traumatic loss by honoring their lost loved one. For people of all ages, she teaches one of the most important lessons from 9/11: the importance of loving and emotionally supporting one another every day because we never know how much time we have left.  

Invite Santora to reveal the next steps for families of 9/11 victims when she answers:

• Has news of bin Laden's death reopened old wounds or brought some amount of comfort?
• How have victims' families helped to bring about positive change from this tragedy?
• What role does education play in easing cultural conflicts that remain since the attack?
• Why are families being excluded from decisions on human remains and the 9/11 memorial?
• Where do victims' families go from here now that bin Laden is gone?

CREDENTIALS: Maureen Santora is a retired NYC schoolteacher and an advocate for families whose loved ones died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. She is the author of the children's books The Day the Towers Fell and My Son Christopher. Both books will be republished for the 10th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks. She has also written a book for older kids and teens called We Remember. Santora has a memorial scholarship in her son's name and serves as a docent at the Tribute Center and is on the advisory committee board for the September 11 Education Trust. She has been featured by major media internationally including The Larry King Show, Fox News, CNN, NY Daily News, The Washington Post, the New York Post, the Chicago Tribune, The Telegraph (UK), Euro News, and many others.

AVAILABILITY: New York, nationwide by arrangement, and via telephone

CONTACT: Ricky Everett, (888) 556-7347 (NY); [email protected]; http://www.MaureenSantora.com

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SOURCE Maureen Santora