
I lost my husband Mike on 9/11
My name is Cindy McGinty. My husband Mike lost
his life while working in the World Trade Center on
September 11.
Mike graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1981 and
was honorably discharged as a Lt. Commander in 1989.
He worked hard in his career at Marsh McLennan in the
Power and Utilities Group. He was a loving husband and
a fantastic father to our two beautiful sons. Together, we
were involved in our church and our community. And he
kept our yard looking fantastic which I will tell you about
in a minute.
He was a good man.
Why do bad things happen to good people like Mike?
Millions asked that exact same question following 9/11.
I certainly did many times and I finally discovered the
answer — at least what the answer is for me. But before I
tell you what it is, I want to tell you how I figured it out.
My sons, Daniel and David, and I were the only ones living
in Foxboro, Massachusetts who lost a family member on
9/11. Daniel was 8 at the time and David was 7. On the
street where we lived, everyone took pride in their homes
and after 9/11 it was my fear that people would know
where the Widow McGinty lived just by driving past my
house. I was afraid it would be the one where the grass
was getting long, weeds were sprouting and leaves were
piling up.
You see, Mike loved to work in the yard and every
weekend we were planting, mulching and weeding — he
learned everything he needed to know from a book and
he was so proud. It was the first house he ever owned and
our yard was truly a reflection of him.
Needless to say, in the days and weeks after Mike died,
keeping up the lawn was not my first priority — and so, as I
said — I was afraid everyone would know where the “Widow
McGinty” lived.
That is, until the day that Chris Mitchell showed up.
I didn’t know Chris very well. He’s a longtime resident of
Foxboro — very involved in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts
— and he runs a local landscaping firm. But a couple of weeks
after 9/11, without asking, he shows up and mows my lawn. A
week after that, he did it again. And then a week later, he did
it again. I said, “Chris …”And he said “Cindy, don’t worry about
it. Focus on your sons, focus on your life, leave your lawn to
me and my guys.”
Then on the very first Mother’s Day following 9/11, Chris says,
“Cindy, there are a few extra things we need to do around
the house. Don’t worry about it, but you may see some extra
activity, okay?” Okay, Chris.
The next thing I know, plants start being delivered and trees
start coming down and Chris — along with a team of Boy
Scouts and their fathers converge on my yard and — for
Mother’s Day — they re-landscaped my front yard and laid
down a walkway to my front door. And they planted a tree in
Mike’s memory in the front yard.
True to his word, every week Chris or someone from his crew,
continued to show up.
Every week for the next eight years Chris Mitchell took care of
my home … never accepting a dime. Giving new meaning to
the words “Never forget.”
Fortunately for Chris, we moved to Connecticut in 2009.
And so why do bad things happen to good people? For me, it
is so that good people might go on to do more good things
for others.
Would I have been so involved in helping others if I had not
lost Mike? Probably not.
Would I have been so involved if not for Chris Mitchell showing
me the value of helping others in need? Probably not.
Is it possible — as horrible is it was — that there are blessings
that came from 9/11? Yes, absolutely.
Cindy McGinty
Wife of Mike McGinty, who died at the WTC
—
I’m working with 911day.org and others in the 9/11 community to help turn a day of tragedy into a day of doing good. On September 11, our goal is to pack 1.7 million meals for people in need. But we need your help. Can you please make a donation of $3 or more today to help feed people in need on 9/11?
