I first met Marion Otten 15 years ago, when we spent the day together on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The East Islip mother of three was surrounded by her sons and dozens of firefighters she called "brothers," as bells tolled and silence fell, in commemoration of the day when her husband, Michael, and 11 other members of the Engine 40/Ladder 35 firehouse were killed.

It's easy to get lost in the overwhelming vastness of tragedy that encompasses any recollection of that horrific 2001 day. But in the darkness, individual stories shine through. Otten's strength, her commitment to her boys — Christopher, Jonathan and Jason — and her effort to steer her family forward while keeping her husband's memory alive stayed with me year after year.

As next week's 25th anniversary approached, I thought of Otten, her boys and her "brothers." This week, we reconnected. This........

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