I am participating in the 2,996 Tribute for the victims of 9/11. It is a honor to do so. I hope and pray that I will be able to help people to see a glimpse at who Curtis was. To help to put a face on someone who was a victim to help us never forget.
Tragically Curtis T. Noel was one of those victims. His life ended too short. Curtis was only 22, not nearly old enough when his life was taken too soon. Curtis died five years ago on September 11, 2001 in the World Trade Center, Tower 1.
Curtis was a jokester. He kept everyone laughing. He graduated in 1996 from James Monroe High School in the Bronx, NY. He was voted class clown in his class. A memory his friend
Jose had of this is, "He was one of the funniest people I knew. I remember we had a senior party in H.S. and he pulled his jeans down on the stage and showed everyone his "Joe Boxers". Some bright yellow happy face boxers. He had the whole party laughing."
Curtis Noel loved to tease his m
other. Once Theresa Noel dropped some chicken on the floor, and her son shouted, "Nasty, nasty!" Then he said that was where he got his clumsy genes.
Curtis was kind, and a friend to all those who knew him. He impacted people's lives, even those who only met whim once, or had just spoken to him on the phone.
Kimberly a friend from high school recounts, "I had the pleasure of knowing Curtis since high school. We attended the prom together and spoke frequently on the telephone, since I moved to Georgia. He was the person that I could talk to when I felt that no one else would understand me." Another friend
Conrad said. "Curtis was a free spirit who was always there with a smile. Its so sad to know that the world will only see you as part of this immense tragedy and not as our FRIEND. To know you is to Love you my Brother."
His friend Kisha related, "I remember during the summer I would spend the weekend at my cousin Lisa's house, she lived a few blocks away from Curtis and his cousin Garvin. Lisa and I would sit outside on the front porch trying to catch some of the cool night air before going to bed. While we sat there we made sure our hair, makeup and clothing looked great just in case Curtis and Garvin passed by to chill with us. As Lisa and I were talking our conversation would be cut short by the loud music coming from a dark car with dark tinted windows...The only thing that could be seen were these big bright eyes gleaming from a cracked window. After a few seconds the music would be turned down and the power windows would roll down and we would hear "Wassup Yo!"
Lisa and I would laugh because we both thought Curtis was cute and had a resemblance to that of Chris Tucker. Curtis would sit with us and chat for a while until Garvin called to meet up with him, then the 4 of us would just sit and crack jokes and try to mack to each other to see who had the best game. I will always treasure those days and will never forget Curtis for always making me laugh, even when I didn't want to."
Another great memory of
Kisha's is, "I will never forget how I use to look forward to the weekends when I would spend time with my cousin at her house in the Bronx, the reason being was because I knew that I would see Curtis aka "Curt Flirt". Curtis was just so funny and he made me laugh constantly, even when he was serious he was funny."
"I never met Curtis face to face, but dealt with him often. The company I worked for partitioned the GenTel switch. Curtis was always friendly and helpful. I always enjoyed speaking to him. I was deeply saddened when I learned that he lost his life on 9/11." This was said by
Annette, she knew what a great person he was just from talking to him on the phone.
These are just a few of many great things people have to say about Curtis.
Curtis worked at General Telecom in the World Trade Center, he loved his job as a switch engineer. He was a valuable and hard working employee. The company had sent him to training courses, and was always calling him in on weekends when something went wrong. Curtis took his future seriously. He worked hard and he was studying telecommunications at Manhattan Community College and dreamed of owning his own home.
Curtis could never bulk up. He would go to the gym, or eat a lot, but he was always skinny. So he would tell his husky friend Garvin, "You're my bodyguard." He had got Garvin a job at another office of General Telecom, but they rode most of the way from the Bronx to work together. The last time he told Garvin about bodyguard duty was the morning of Sept. 11, when they arranged to go to the bank at lunchtime. They shook hands when Garvin got off at the Brooklyn Bridge stop on the No. 4 train.
For the two years prior Curtis Noel and
Aisha Harris led intertwined lives. With all they had in common, the only surprising thing about their relationship is that it took so long to get off the ground.
Both 22, they lived a little more than a mile and a half apart in the South Bronx and met three years ago through mutual friends. Aisha, who wasn't dating anyone at the time, started going out to parties and clubs with the group while she continued her search for the elusive Mr. Right.
If Aisha wanted her life to go somewhere, so did Curtis. Like Aisha, he lived with his parents, immigrants from Trinidad who instilled the value of family and hard work in their youngest son. "He was brought up to do the right thing," said Curtis' best friend, Garvin.
"What about Curtis?" Arvette Harris asked her daughter when she complained about the shortage of responsible men. "Sounds like you're looking for the same thing."
It took a year for the penny to drop. But when it did, it dropped with a vengeance. "It was obvious to me that they were just crazy about each other," said Aisha's mother. The couple took vacations together in Florida and the Caribbean and were constantly visiting each other's house.
Romance didn't slow their pace. Aisha switched her major to telecommunications after a summer internship at General Telecom turned into a customer service job. Curtis was taking night classes and looking into buying a condo in Brooklyn. The two had discussed marriage and their future, said Aisha's mother, but they both wanted to get financially established before taking such a step. "For people so young, they had everything on the ball," she said.
Curtis had a lot going for him. He was successful, he was funny, he was smart, and kind. Curtis is a son, a brother, a friend. He left behind his parents, Teresa and Michael Curtis Sr., his brother, Michael Curtis Jr., and his sister, Abigail, all of the Bronx. Curtis is the type of guy you would want for a friend.
As I researched to learn more about Curtis, my heart went out to his family and his friends. I am two years younger than him, and I cannot imagine the heartache his family has felt. To his mother, my heartaches for you losing your son. I look at my own son and cannot even begin to imagine that pain you must feel, I am so very sorry. From everything I read I am in awe of Curtis and the great guy that he was and is. What a blessing to have touched so many lives. My heart goes out to you for your loss of your friend, you son, your brother. I feel I only touched the tip of the iceberg on someone so great. I will never forget what I have learned.
September 11, 2001 a day I don't think any of us will ever forget. A day that changed so many lives for so many people. Families were changed as loved ones were ripped away from them on this Earth. Our hearts ached for people we didn't know for those who had lost their loved ones. For those we suffered so much. I did not personally know anyone who died that tragic day. I live on the opposite side of the country, but the day was tragic and devastating to all Americans and to many more people around the world. Here it is five years later, how many of us remember? Do we remember where we were? What we were doing? Do we remember how we were glued to the TV not moving, wondering how could this be happening? The fear, the anger? Too often I think people forget what happened that day. We as a country united to support one another. People risked their lives and sacrificed their lives in effort to save others. I am grateful to have had the chance to learn about someone so great. To put a face and on a victim and to help me to remember what happened that day.
For those of you who know Curtis, I hope I helped to share some of who he is. If you know him please leave a comment.
September 11th, I will never forget.
nd chat. So Tiff.. I am going to miss ya! I have been trying to not think about it, but when I realized it was so soon I burst into tears! You're my sister! Not just a friend. Rarely does a friend come along that you can speak your mind to, tell them all the dumb things you do and they still love you. 
the shots I was able to capture!!
I had to include this one, it totally shows the kids! Made me laugh!
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