Remembering Veronique Bowers

Some called her “Ronnie”; some called her “Bonnie”. All her friends and relatives say she loved life, and the finer things in life.

She left early on September 11, 2001 because she had a meeting before work, at Windows On The World.

Making small talk with her grandmother that morning, she asked if it was bad luck to wear white shoes after Labor Day.

I’ve often thought what a tragic thing it is that the only thing most of the victims did to put them in harm’s way that day was to get up and go to work.

Veronique loved beautiful clothes so much, she named her son Dior, after Christian Dior. She told folks she had to have expensive clothes because the clients were high-class people; but the truth was, she just liked nice things.

One former co-worker said, “She always wore the best shoes, and always had a cute designer pocketbook and a funky hairdo.”

It seems all her acquaintances, from grade school on up to the time of her too-early demise, remember her for her feisty, fun-loving spirit.

Someone wrote this in her guest book two years ago: “When I look at Dior everyday, I see you in him. You would be very proud of him. Always wanting to be on the go just like you, the phone ringing off the hook for him just like you used to have it.”

It appears to me that Veronique lived her life to the fullest, every day that she had. And perhaps that’s the lesson we can all learn from her life.

Thank you, Project 2,996, for coordinating this effort, and for helping the memories of these people to live on.