Never forget.

He was only 23 years old.
An EMT and NYC police cadet, he had recently been accepted to medical school.
He wanted to make a difference, to help people.
He played football in high school, he had two brothers.
He loved Star Wars, and his car’s license plate read “YUNG JEDI”

He was on his way to work on the morning of September 11, and then he disappeared.
His family knew, he had gone to help… it was all he could do, all he knew how to do. The towers fell, and he was gone. It wasn’t until March 20, 2002, that his remains were positively identified, and he was finally laid to rest as he should have been. As a victim, as someone who tried to help and gave his life in the process.

His name was Mohammad Salman Hamdani, born in Pakistan, equally proud of his Muslim and American heritage, he died that morning, at the World Trade Center, doing what he loved.
Because he didn’t notify anyone that he was going to the towers that morning, when he went missing, there was speculation that he had been a part of the plot; that because he was a Muslim-American, he could potentially have been one of those responsible. When his remains were found, his name was cleared, and he was posthumously awarded a NYC Police shield and declared a hero.

Salman left behind his brothers, Zeshan and Adnaan, his mother, Talat, and his father, Abu, who passed away in July, 2004.

I will take a moment, this coming Monday morning, to say a prayer for Salman and all those who died that day.

This memorial is posted as part of Project 2996 in honor of the 5th anniversary of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
If you knew Salman, I hope that I have done his name justice, and please, if there is anything you would like to add, please do so!

2013 Update: Project 2996 is now located here, and they are still compiling tributes. Please consider helping for next year!