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Matthew C. Sellitto Date of Birth: September 30, 1977 Position: Trading Desk From the moment of his birth, Matthew Carmen Sellitto was a very special person. After raising only daughters, he was the first grandchild in the DiGiovanni family and the first grandson after five granddaughters in the Sellitto family. From the first day of his life, Matthew has been pure joy and he loved everybody. There is no one too young, too old, too poor, too dirty, too uneducated. These labels and stereotypes simply did not exist for Matthew. For a young man he had an uncanny sense of self-he knew his essence and he never comprised that. From the time he took his first Economics class at Seton Hall Prep, Matthew knew he wanted to sit at a trading desk. While attending the University of Vermont, he interned for two years at Paine Webber, South Burlington, VT, where he would do anything from cold calling to making coffee. As far as he was concerned, he was in his element. After graduating with a BA in Economics, Matthew, 23, started working for Cantor as a trainee in the interest rate derivative group, booking rate options, in March 2001. In only a matter of months, he was promoted to medium-term interest rate swaps trader and was assigned his own client base on September 10. How proud he was that night-he knew he was on his way to his dream and couldn’t be happier. His parents and brother, Jonathan, wish Matthew to be remembered for his humility and sincerity. Power, position or place never altered his opinion. Whether on a golf course with associates, or standing next to the grubbiest person at a Grateful Dead concert, he knew he was in a place of honor. Matthew carried his honor and nobility with him. Yet, when it was time, as he always told his family, “Don’t worry, when the time is right, I’ll know just what I have to do.” And he did! He traded his skateboard for a Brooks Brothers suit and still stayed happy in both worlds.
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Even though I never knew Matt, I knew one of his co-workers through my fiance. In just reading through his parents’ tribute, I noticed Matt was a Grateful Dead fan. I could have been that person he was standing next to at a concert.
So I say to you Matt, in Jerry’s words, “May the four winds blow you safely home”.
Be well and God Bless your family.
To the Sellitto Family,
I was a few years ahead of Matthew at the Prep. It makes me very sad to think there were nine Setonians in those buildings adjacent to mine (7 WTC) that awful morning. I just want your family to know I was at the Prep’s Memorial Service, and I will never forget what happened to my brother Setonians. I know Matthew is in good hands because Brett Bailey and Tommy Knox went up there with him, and we all stick together like no other school in the world.
I did not have the pleasure of knowing Matt personally but I had the opportunity speak with Matt via email and by phone because of my job at Fleet Bank in Boston, MA. My last email from Matt was on Monday 9/10/01. He was working on something for me and told me that he was staying late to get the job done. Matt was always kind and professional to deal with. I am glad his picture is on this site, I now have a face behind the voice. I think of Matt often and can’t understand what happened that awful day. I will remember him and all the others that lost their lives that day. My prayers to Matt’s family.
Denise
Darling Matthew Oh how you are missed and thought of each day . What a beautiful child you were at Minisink running around the pool…And what a wonderful young man you grew up to be. Intercede for us to God for comfort and consolation strength and patience as we all walk the journey of grief.Our family embraces yours with love and warmth for you. Be at peace and total love at home in the arms of your creator. The Koch family
I feel kind of like I’ve left this a bit late. I wanted to say something but just didn’t know what. So say I didn’t know Matt personally is a half-truth. I used to speak to him everyday via our link to the New York office, exchanging prices and small talk. I didn’t get to know Matt extremly well but I got to know him enough to know he was a great guy. “come over to New York,” he’d say, “I’ll take you for a night out in New York”. How I wish I had. I wish I had got to know the guy better. After Sept 11, all I could think and dream of was Matt. So to say I didn’t know him personally isn’t a half-truth, it’s an outright lie. His passing had more of an effect on me than words can express. I miss you buddy, I’m just glad that now you’re in a better place.
Well, its very hard to describe what these last two years have been like without Matthew. What i can say about my cousin is he was and always will be a wonderful person. Matthew and I are first cousins, I am an only child he and his brother Jonathan were my siblings. Our fathers are brothers and Matthew was mine. I felt such a pain that I never felt before – I lost part of myself and a person who was with me as we grew up into our early twenties. Matthew was so excited about every little step he took in life. He had fun with his friends and his family. Matthew always smiled and laughed and wanted the best things out of life. I am so proud of him and what he stands for today. He is truly a born hero and I miss him very much – especially our times out in Morristown, NJ.
What can I say – two years – and it seems like a blink. It seems like yesterday we were in your yard giving you the Monte Blanc pen for your promotion. We are all trying to continue to honor your memory, sweetheart – all in our own way; I hope you are as proud of us are we are of you. Thanks for being so geniune, so kind, so forgiving. I look at your picture on my windowsill every time I try to cook something. I know you must get a laugh because even with you and mom there – picture from Christmas at the stove- I still can’t make a decent meal! Your smile brightens my day and reminds me to have more patience with Daniel. I can’t thank you enough for that. I feel cheated that we didn’t have more time together, and at the same time, I feel you are with us more now than ever before. Please keep your presence near – and please tell all of our other dearly departed family members that they are loved and missed as well.
With love always,
Annie
I did have the pleasure of knowing Mathew all my life. Being very close in age, Danya, Mathew and I were able to share a great deal of our childhood together. There were pool parties, and trips to Pennsylvania, water parks and much, much more. Who knew then that life would ever stop being what it was. Matthew, you have touched everyone’s life who knew you, most people can’t do that in 100 years. I know, wherever you are, you are looking out for the people who matter most. So, in the words spoken at his service two years ago “the only people I feel bad for are the people who did not have a chance to know him.”