Out Of My Tree

Gopalakrishnan ‘Gopal’ Varadhan was known as a mathematical musician.  He played his acoustic guitar as a teenager, eventually starting a band, City Beat, whilst at the Bronx High School of Science, cutting a record and playing at a number of clubs in New York.  The band is well remembered by other alumni, including their signature song called ‘Rockin’ Mesopotamia’ and the appearance of a City Beat graffiti tag appearing around the school.

Gopal has been described as ‘an uncommon man, a perfect mix of masculinity and sensitivity. Gopal had a great sense of humor and was very caring. ‘ by Vera Horn, an ex-colleague during his time at Chemical Investment Group.

On Aug 7th, 2001, Cantor Fitzgerald announced that Gopal had been appointed as the first Managing Director of it’s Interest Rate Derivatives devision in the U.s.overseeing all the interest derivative products, including swaps, options and futures. Cantor said they were ‘gratified to have someone of Gopal’s caliber join the firm.”

The mathematical skills which earned him this job can be traced back to his parents, Professor Sathamangalam Ranga Iyengar Srinivasa Varadhan who was the recipient of the 2007 Abel prize and his mother Vasundra Varadhan, a professor at the University of New York.  They also have another son, Ashok.

Gopal was just 32 years old when he died in the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001.  May he rest in eternal peace.

For further reading about this astounding man, please go to:

story South

The NY TImes – Profiles of Grief

Legacy.com – Guest book.

Mutiny – Prof. SRS Varadhan: 2007 Abel prize winner

Edgar Hendrickson Emery Jr. was born in 1956 in Sunbury,Pa.

After a short time in the army he moved to New Jersey with his first wife and son, Brian, and then graduated from Steven Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ with a master’s degree in Industrial Psychology which lead him to join the Human Resources department at Fiduciary Trust International on October 26, 1986.

Working up through the ranks he become the Vice President of Human Resources,
also known as the Training Director, and worked on the 95th Floor in the South Tower. He is remember fongly by all his colleagues.

Dana Meltzer-Berkowitz remembers him as “…a friend, a colleague, a husband, father, and most of all a hero… always pleasant, always smiling, always so nice, and always happy to be at work…”
http://www.september11victims.com

Ed Schmitt adds that Ed Emery “was perfectly suited for his role because he really was a “people person”.
http://www.legacy.com

And again, on the Fiduciary Trust Int’l website, Anne Foodim, Elnora Halton and Stephanie Koskuba, all note that:

“As Fiduciary’s training director, Ed touched so many lives. He taught so many valuable lessons to so many people, and we are all better people for having known him. Working with Ed was truly a gift. Confident, thoughtful, selfless, patient, insightful and caring, always with a smile and a wink.”
http://www.ftci.com

His corporate and personal life would come together when he would organise the Corporate Challenge 5K run getting as many people involved as possible – Kevin Granville, friend and colleague, being one of them.

“”He pulled me into these 5-K runs,…Only the last couple of races we ran, I guess Ed didn’t have anything to prove,” he said. “He’d stay back with me, make sure I was doing O.K., not having a heart attack.”"
http://www.nytimes.com

Running was Ed’s favourte hobby and barely a day would go by when he wouldn’t go out for a run after work. His wife of 6 years, Elizabeth, would often hold dinner for him and joke with him when he would return after running in freezing weather about the icicles on his hat. The running helped to relieve some of the stress while studying for his associate’s certificate in financial planning from New York University. His diploma arrived in the mail shortly after 9-11.

http://www.newsday.com

“He was the best listener that I ever had met,” remembered Elizabeth who met the immensely likeable man as they commuted to work in the mornings.

Brian Emery, 24, of Leesburg, Fla., commented that his father “could make a friend just walking down the street,”

On September 11th Ed helped his colleagues, including Anne Foodim, to escape, walking down to the Express Elevator on the 78th floor. He made sure everyone got aboard, squeezed Foodim’s shoulder and let the door close in front of him. He then headed up tp he 97th floor where he used his own jacket to block the smoke billowing air vents and tried to get the sprinkler system to work.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk

I shall leave this with some final words from Elizabeth Emery:

“He was a humble man who won my heart with his unassuming manner, sophisticated wit, and an intensity and strength of character hidden beneath his calm, well-controlled appearance. His final actions on September 11 speak best about his character, so self-effacing.

That morning Ed personally escorted co-workers down many flights of stairs, protecting and encouraging them to seek safety. And then he turned back to help others, so brave, loyal and unselfish, undoubtedly hopeful that he could be of service. He was not a firefighter or a cop, just an ordinary man. An extra-ordinary man-a hero.

For all his obvious virtues, I cannot reveal the essence of my love for him, intimate and precious beyond measure. He gave me the world and all my dreams, pure and simple without pretense. He touched me in the deepest, most profound way. Ed, I will be eternally in love with, but missing, you.”
http://www.ftci.com