Michael Massaroli, a vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald, took his son, Michael Jr.,to his 101st floor office in the World Trade Center the Friday before Labor Day weekend. The boy was impressed by the view. After the Sept. 11 attacks, Massaroli’s wife, Diane, tried to break the news to her son slowly. First she told her son that his father was missing, then as time passed she warned him the news might not be good. When the boy asked her where his father’s body was, she said: “You know how high up Daddy’s building was. Daddy was so close to heaven that God just took him up.”

"My wonderful brother Michael - To say I just miss you would be greatly understated. There is an empty place in my heart which will never be replaced. You were so much more than a brother to me and I still cannot grasp that you are not here anymore. It is almost too painful to even bear that thought, but I know it is the reality - the brutal and cruel realty. You were a wonderful person, great father and husband and all around good-guy. I know I didn't tell you often how wonderful I thought you were, but you truly were. I love you - be with me always."
-Joann

The following is from the Staten Island Advance on Tuesday, 9/24/2002

Dear Michael,

It has been a year since that horrible day that you were taken from us. My heart aches just to hear your voice or to see you smile. I never thought that our time together would be cut so short. I will never accept the fact that you are not here anymore, it's as if you just disappeared. But you will never disappear from my heart.

There are so many things I wish I got the chance to tell you, most importantly how proud I was of you. You were the true definition of a man. I hope you knew how much I loved you and looked up to you. I miss you so much Michael. I miss hearing your voice and sleeping next to you at night.

And as bad as I feel, it's even more heartbreaking that Michael only got to be with you for six years and little Angelina for only two months. I can't take the fact that she will never know you. She knows your pictures, she says Da Da when she sees one, but you won't be there when she takes her first step, you won't be there for her Sweet 16, and you won't be there to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.

I'm glad that Michael had you for six years, even though that's really just a brief moment in a lifetime. He told me that during the day, he pretends you're at work still, and they gave you a really hard math problem and you can't leave until you solve it. Michael, it broke my heart the day I told him that you were gone. He loves you so much.

I just want you to know that you will always be in my heart and I will forever treasure the memories we've made together. I will do my best to take care of Michael and Angelina and wait for the day when we can all be together again."

Love Always-
Diane