More 9/11 Gifts and Legacies

Sept. 11, 2007 — -- This morning "Good Morning America" featured several stories about gifts left behind by victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Nancy Perez secretly wrote a book for her young cousin called "A Butterfly Circus" before her death at the World Trade Center. To find out more about her book, e-mail abutterflycircus@gmail.com.

Alan Beavan, a San Francisco environmental lawyer, "was a giant in his field," said Oscar Braun, president of the California Watershed Posse. "He was the best environmental attorney in the United States."

Beavan was also a hero, reaching the cockpit with others on United flight 93. When he died, Beavan had 87 litigations pending, trying to protect the environment — most of them fighting for clean water. Beavan's work still stands as a shining example of fighting for the environment and working to preserve and extend the Clean Water Act.

Ben Fisher was passionate about saving the Great Captain Island Lighthouse off Greenwich, Conn., which had been dark for decades. The lighthouse was built in 1868. Before his death on Sept. 11, Fisher had just begun raising money to restore its light and have it renovated to reopen.

Almost $400,000 has been raised in his name, including benefits his widow, Susan, received that were donated to the fund. Following Fisher's lead, $600,00 more was raised, and next year the lighthouse will shine again.

Douglas Gardner and Fred Varacchi created Espeed just before Sept. 11. It is now a $300 billion company that helps businesses buy other businesses. It's a huge success and a testament to their groundwork and the work of many other Cantor Fitzgerald colleagues who died on 9/11.