Letters From David Tengelin: A 9/11 Memorial in His Own Words

By Patric Tengelin Preserving David’s Voice This article is a personal memorial, preserving the words of my younger brother, David Tengelin (1976–2001), who was killed in the September 11 attacks while working for Marsh & McLennan on the 100th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. A Life Built Deliberately David was 25 years old. He had built his life deliberately and patiently — moving from Sweden to London, then to the United States, graduating from Northern Arizona University, and finally establishing himself in New York. He arrived with little more than determination, a temporary green card, and the belief that if he worked hard enough, he could build the life he imagined. And he did — piece by piece, job by job, letter by letter. Writing in Real Time Along the way, David wrote. Not for publication or recognition, but to make sense of where he was and who he was becoming. His letters and journal entries capture the inner life behind the résumé...