The September 11 death toll of almost 3000 lives included 105 expectant fathers.
As the 20th anniversary of the terrorist atrocities looms, a powerful documentary follows the lives of some of the babies born to 9/11 widows.
Here they tell their stories of love for the dads they never knew.
David Retik, 32, a partner in a venture capitalist firm, was on the American Flight 11 which was the first to hit the World Trade Center.
His wife Susan was seven months pregnant with their third child. Dina was born on November 19 2001 and lives in Needham, Massachusetts.
Dina says: “Since it was something that was addressed from the beginning of my life, that my dad was killed in 911, it wasn’t ever this big reveal where I learned everything at once. It’s been a really gradual thing. There’s still so much I’d love to learn about my dad.
“When it was the 9/11 anniversary at school, I felt a lot of eyes on me. Which was tough because I felt a mix of wanting support while also wanting to keep it private and personal.
"Knowing the least of my siblings about my father, it's hard to know how to bring up questions. I don't have memories, it's more the idea of who he was.
“I love learning about him through my mum’s online presence. It’s easier than going to her in person. I learned from one of my mum’s Ted Talks that one of the terrorists was sitting one or two seats away from my dad.
"Having mum as a role model is incredible. Spreading love instead of hate was so important for me to learn.
“I don’t think I think of my dad every day, which sometimes makes me feel a little guilty. I have felt anger about it, for sure. I think about how life could have been.
“I was the first to call my stepdad 'dad'. When I get sad I think of my little sister Rebecca as a gift and that cheers my thoughts. I feel like she was my gift in return.”
Sebastian Gorki, 27, worked for Deutsche Bank and was on the 94th floor of the World Trade Center’s South Tower when United Airlines Flight 175 struck.
His wife Paula was supposed to be on the 74th floor but the moment she walked out of the building because she was suffering morning sickness the plane hit.
Nick, from Ryebrook, New York, was born on April 25 2002.
Nick says: “I read out names of the lives lost on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. You have so many eyes on you, being one of the youngest kids. As a nine year old, you can’t really comprehend it. But being a part of that was something extraordinary.
“I know that my father started his work at Deutsche Bank in Germany, worked his way up and eventually found himself in New York. I guess it’s something to live up to: being so successful at the age of 27.
"I think about the what ifs. What would he be like as a dad? Would we have got along?
"Eight years from now I'll be his age when he died. His path ended but I get to carry it on: the passing of the torch.”
Lee Fehling, 29, was a firefighter last seen heading towards the South Tower in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks. His wife Danielle said their three year old daughter Kaitlin had been nervous about him leaving for work that day.
Meghan was born on 18 October 2002 in Long Island, New York.
Meghan says: “I think, with tragedy in general, it’s very easy to shut down the world around you and think, ‘why would something like that happen to me?’. But when I was born and it already happened, so I grew up thinking, ‘Ok this is what my life is’.
“I don’t feel the need to know exactly what happened to dad. I don’t think I’m owed any explanation. I’ve never asked but have heard things.
“I think I’ve always just accepted it. I don’t remember a time when I was really sad. If I was angry, it was more at our government. But maybe that’s just because of all the punk music I was listening to at the time.
“Obviously I wish 9/11 had not happened. But if it hadn’t happened, my mum wouldn’t have got remarried and had my little sister Liza. And I can’t imagine life without Liza. She’s my best friend. So I try not to think about it.
“On the anniversary, my inbox is flooded with messages. I feel like they’re for my mother because I don’t have any memories, I don’t relive the day because I wasn’t a thing yet.
“My mum’s always like, ‘You are just like him’. I feel like we would have got along because of our sense of humour. I would have liked to have met him.”
Norbert Szurkowski, 31, was a decorator and son of Olympic road cyclist Ryszard Szurkowski. He was on the 104th floor of the North Tower on September 11.
Norbert had been excited about the birth of his second child with his wife Ursula.
Claudia was born on May 3 2002.
Claudia says: “When I was younger I would sit down with my dad’s picture and talk to him about my day. We have a folded flag of honour and underneath some ashes from the site of the towers. Almost every day I make at least one trip to sit with them.
“From what I know, dad was a painter with a contracting company and he’d put up wallpaper. He wasn’t at the World Trade Center, ever, except for that one day. He went to fix something on 104th floor of the North Tower and was supposed to be out of there by 9am.
“At Christmas we follow the Polish tradition of eating dinner, then waiting for the first star to appear the sky and opening presents on Christmas Eve. My older sister Alex and I would always it was daddy’s star. That’s how I remember realising he wasn’t there, through Christmas.
“We moved to Florida in June 2010, when I was eight. I know in New York 9/11 is a symbol that bonded everyone in the city. But in Florida it was different, although everyone knows what happened on the day it’s not like everybody became closer because of it.
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“Every year, on the anniversary day, it would be really hard for me at school because we would go in to this full class lecture. It was very difficult to just sit there while everybody didn’t want to listen or learn. It drove me up the wall.
“I make sure I think about dad, or talk to him, every day. If I get super busy and don’t do it one day, I feel so bad. It just hurts. My mum always told me everything happens for a reason, so I just don’t know what that reason is.
“We hear dad through mum. He’s going to be with me everywhere I go.”
- Children of 9/11: Our Story is on Channel 4 tonight (Monday) at 9pm
