This is a re-post from an article that I wrote some time ago, at the anniversary of 9-11.
It was never my privilege to have known Russ Keene…and, in truth, all that I can say now is that I know a little about him.
Leo Russell Keene III, “Russ,” was killed in the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on the day that we have come to know as “9-11.” This what I know about Russ’ last day:
Russ was employed as a financial analyst, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a firm on the 89th floor of the south tower.
He called his wife, Kristen and his two-year old daughter Mayzalle from his office immediately after the first plane struck the first tower.
He told his wife that they were beginning to evacuate the building. Shortly, thereafter, the second plane hit the second tower.
He and several co-workers were in an elevator at the time.
The elevator went into a “freefall” and got stuck right above the first floor.
Using his laptop, as a flashlight, Russ found a narrow crack in the elevators.
Try as they might, they were only able to partly open the elevator.
The opening was so small that only two petite women, Russ’ co-workers, were able to escape the elevator.
As they made it to safety, Russ told the two women, “I hope that I have not offended God in any way while I have been here on earth. But, if I have, I hope he forgives me.”
Before the firefighters could come back to help Russ and the others, the whole building collapsed.
Every year, as we, as a nation, recall the events of that Wednesday morning in 2001, I sit in stony silence and listen to the roll call of those innocents whose lives were suddenly cut short by an abominable act of evil.
I, like many of you, remember all too clearly the events of “9-11.” Throughout that day, as I sat paralyzed in front of the television, I was getting reports and updates on persons from our community who were in NYC and in proximity to the World Trade Center that day. About mid-afternoon, I received the call from one of our church members that there was a Russ Keene who was among those missing. It was her daughter-in-law’s brother. Russ and his family had grown up in the church that I was serving.
First, the hours passed and then, the days and weeks before it was determined that Russ had never made it out of that elevator. I cannot imagine the grief and pain and loss for the Keene family, for his wife and child and for all who knew him.
In the wake of his death, his wife Kristen found a letter. In it, Russ told of a “feeling” that he had that he might die young and unexpectedly. He wanted her and the family to know that he was going to be all right. . He needed them to know that he loved them and that his life, while cut short, had value. He gave details about things that he knew she would need to take care of. And, he professed a faith in God and Jesus as His Savior.
Some might say, after reading a letter like that, that Russ had a “premonition” or a “foretelling” of his own untimely death. I do not think so. I believe that one of the lessons that we can all learn from Russ Keene’s death is that he was prepared to die. His life was in order, his “business” was “taken care of” and he lived each day of his life, ready…for whatever may come…whatever that was…and, probably the last words that he uttered were a simple prayer of confession to the God whom he knew and whom he served: “I hope that I have not offended God in any way while I have been here on earth. But, if I have, I hope he forgives me.”
A few weeks later, I officiated at Russ’ memorial service at Henning Memorial UMC. In the funeral liturgy for our church, there is a prayer that when we pray, we say, “Give to us now your grace, that as we shrink before the mystery of death, we may see the light of eternity. Speak to us once more your solemn message of life and of death. Help us to live as those who are prepared to die. And, when our days here are accomplished, enable us to die as those who go forth to live, so that living or dying, our life may be in you, and that nothing on life or death will be able to separate us from your great love in Christ Jesus. Amen.”
Thank you Russ Keene for the vision with which you held the light of eternity. May it be so with all of our lives.
Blessings,
revtlmack 