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Marina Gertsberg Date of Birth: February 10, 1976 Department: Accounting Position: Junior Manager Mr. and Mrs. Gertsberg, I did not know your beautiful daughter and I do not know you, but I have to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. I see all these beautiful, smiling faces here and am reminded of the senselessness of 9/11. I will never forget, and I will think of you in my prayers. Take comfort in the fact that others are thinking of you and wishing you peace. God bless and keep you and your Marina. You are not alone. A Stranger
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Marina was born on February 10, 1976 on a sunny bright day. And the minute we brought her home from the hospital, our lives changed forever. Our home was filled with funny noise when her mom fed her. Tears when she needed a change. Laughs when she saw us. Cries when she did not see us.
Marina grew up in New York since she was 4. Her interests as a child were music, tennis, skis, skates, swimming and of course friends. She had a lot of friends.
Marina also was a very good student and after finishing Mark Twain Junior High for the gifted and talented, she got into Stuyvesant High School. She graduated from Binghamton University with Bachelor’s degree in finances and accounting. Marina worked first at David Burden for a year and later in Morgan Stanley. Marina wanted to continue her education and got into the Master’s degree program at Baruch College.
To accommodate evening classes, Marina switched jobs and started her new position in the Accounting Department of Cantor Fitzgerald, just one week before the disaster. She loved her new job, she was excited about a new program she just started in college, she was in the process of buying her own apartment. Everything was going the way she planned. She was very happy.
On September 11th her life stopped short. She vanished from 101st floor of the North Tower and now she is everywhere. And now it doesn’t matter where we look, what we say or what we think, we remember Marina. Every day Marina called us to make sure that we are OK. We miss these calls so much. She was always was there for us. We remember Marina for her commitment to family. We remember Marina for her commitment to her friends. She respected her friends for who they are. She looked to her boyfriend Henry for his open heart. She was always there when her friends needed her. And now, Marina will be in our memories when we help each other through this difficult time.
Since September 11th, we have often wanted to see Marina again, to hug her one more time, or to take just one more of our ski trips together. But now, we know that she can be with us always, no matter what we do. And if we keep her in our hearts, she can be with all of her friends and family all the time.
Marina, we hope you can hear us, because we want to say that life-sized dent in our hearts we will fill with love and memories of you and that will help us to move day by day until we meet again. We are proud of you and we want to thank you for the best 25 years of our lives we had together. We will treasure your spirit forever.
I, too, lost my niece from the 101st floor of Cantor. However, I met Marina two summers ago through a friend that worked with her at David Bergman? (Not sure how to spell it) Anyway, her friend’s name was Barbara. I think they were kind of close. Anyway, I had the pleasure to meet Marina and she definitely left a lasting impression on me. Not only was she beautiful but so gentle and sweet. Anyone could see that she definitely was a lady with a lot of substance. She will be missed by my friend Barbara and I want to take this opportunity to extend my condolences to her family and dear friends on this horrible tragedy. But believe in your heart that Marina along with my niece Jennifer are in a much better place…and hopefully we will be blessed as they were to also be there one day.
In my prayers,
GOD BE WITH US ALL!
MARIA HAYDEN
I met Marina at David Berdon & co.LLP. Marina was a shiny smiling face I used to see every morning. I worked the switchboard then. One day we got to talking and she and became good friends. I live in California now..and she emailed me on her last day at Morgan Stanley to tell me that she got a new job at Cantor Fitzgerald. When I heard about what happened at the WTC, I immediately thought,” Oh my gosh, Marina!”. She would send me email just about every week to see how I was doing in my new environment. I miss you Marina. You were a good friend. I wish I were there to hug your Mom and Dad for you. Barbara
To Marinas Mom and Dad,
I forgot to put my email address. I would love to talk to you. [email protected]
Barbara
For the past months, I have read the tributes to the victims of September 11th on this site as well as those on the NY Times site. The loving portraits painted by families and friends have moved me to tears many times.
For a reason I cannot fully explain, I come back to read about Marina time and again. My name is also Marina but any similarities between us stop with a shared name. I think what struck me first when I looked at her photo was the combined look of determination and calm in a very beautiful face. From the words her parents wrote, Marina’s beauty certainly emanated from within. What a treasure she must have been all her life.
To Marina’s mom and dad: I am truly sorry for your loss. Though I do not personally know your lovely daughter, I will remember her always.
Sincerely,
Marina
The first thing that stuck me when I met Marina was her captivating beauty, then her easy smile which moved to the background behind her incredible humility. This was a person who did not want to be different or better than anyone even though she was more special than most of the people I’ve met. I often wonder what her parents did to create such a wholly beautiful child especially as I anticipate having children of my own. Marina was the embodiment of love, care and consideration. She was a person who could not stand to have someone be sad or left out. It was hard for Marina to be soooo special because she wanted to be like everyone else but that was never in the cards for her, she was destined for greatness in a way that only few are. Kindness mixed with her drive and determination meant she would have made her way to the top making new friends all the way while never leaving her old friends and family behind. I think Marina crossed my path in this world to show me how to be a better person, care more for others and not to think of myself first. For that I thank her.
I think of you daily and I am thankful to your parents for bringing you into this world even though I know the pain the will carry forever is unbearable.
Nina
It would be repetitive to describe the absolute amazing qualities you possess. It is the legend you leave behind and the huge space thats left unfilled that characterizes the remarkable you.
You have a unique effect on people, loved ones as well as strangers.
You are my best friend, and that title remains yours for the rest of my life. And I want to live it in a way that you would be proud of me. You are no longer here to laugh with me, cry with me, chit chat with me or give me one of your amazing hugs (your mom aint that bad at that either), or just sit in a comfortable silence and enjoy every moment of it.
To me, you live on in my heart. I take you everywhere I go. I brag about you and reminisce about you, keeping your memories vivid and alive.
I will love you “forever” as you like to put it, and we will never say “goodbye” as you dont like to put it, just see you later my “Doggy Best Friend.”
Always,
Clara BFF
MARINOCHKA,
I REMEMBER YOU AS A LITTLE 8 YEAR OLD DOLL WITH VIVID BLUE EYES. YOU USED TO HAVE SO MUCH SPIRIT AND ZEST. I REMEMBER YOUR PHONE CALLS TO OUR OFFICE:”HI, THIS IS MANINA (AS YOU USED TO CALL YOURSELF), CAN I TALK TO MY MOM – ANYA”. AND IF SHE WAS NOT AROUND YOU SPOKE TO ME ABOUT THIS AND THAT. I REMEMBER HOW LUCKY YOU FELT TO BE ACCEPTED INTO STYVESANT SCHOOL AND HOW MUCH YOU HATED TO GO TO SLEEP-AWAY CAMP. I REMEMBER….
I MISS NEWS ABOUT YOU FROM YOUR MOM SO MUCH.
I LOVE YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE.
IRINA
It has beeen over five years and I still think about you. You are unforgettable. I once played “Endless Love” for you while you where still here, and being that I cannot forget about you, I guess it still applies. You had asked me to convert to Judism, and I was hesitant at first. Thinking back, I would do that in a heartbeat…now. I should have understood that Jesus himself was a Jew, and if anything I would have gotten closer to him. But this is all stuff us here on Earth try to justify. You more than any of us here realize that as long as we are good to each other, there will be eternal life forever.
You are so beautiful. I ask God to let me see you once I get there. I will miss you as long as I’m alive. You are the best thing that I have ever come across on this earth. Ohhh one more thing that I did not tell you while you were here and that I wish I had told you is that I love you. See you later sweetheart!!! Please keep a place for me there!!!
My husband and I were invited to a wedding of our friend Diana’s son Eugine Mazepa. We knew Eugine from a “baby” age and he became great young men. He was getting married to a beautiful girl and her “maid of honor” was Marina Gertsberg.They were a best friends from childhood. I just remember that Marina had very long hair and read a poem that she wrote for Eugine Mazepa and his wife (best friend of Marina); few days later (Sept.11,2001)she was killed in WTC.
My son-in-law is a NY Fire Dept. lieutenant. He is lucky to be alive, but lost MANY friends. he was there looking for people like Marina for 2 weeks. I always tell people about Marina (I don’t know why, maybe because I have one daughter too,went to Mark Twain JHS too and mother of 3 children now).Marina can be a loving wife, a mother and always a daughter to her parents. It was taken from her by evil people… Let’s NEVER forget!