It was magical, I can't describe it. I couldn't tell her that...
...but I was like a 15-year-old again.
I got all googly-eyed and didn't know what to do or say and...
...stumbling; wasn't like me at all,...
...wasn't the typical macho Italian guy from Brooklyn.
When I met Karen, somehow she relaxed me.
She just taught me patience, I had very little patience.
Basically, I was one of those guys who rolled down the window and screamed at the drivers when...
...they weren't driving the way I thought they should be.
And she toned me down.
She showed me to be nicer to people, give it a second thought before you start yelling.
And I've carried that with me.
Other than her going to work, there wasn't a time we weren't together.
Every morning, Karen would drive with me to my office...
... and then she'd take the subway from my office, one stop to the Trade Center. I worked in Brooklyn.
From my window across the East River, I could see the twin towers.
So I'm doing some work and one of my workers comes in and says, "Richie,"...
..."I just heard that the Trade Center got hit with a plane."
I turn around and I see the building burning.
And I took my office chair and I threw it at my window.
Then they brought the nurse up.
She gives me a bottle of water. I have the bottle of water and...
...it's in my hand and my hand is trembling so much that it's splashing all over me.
I couldn't even hold the bottle in my hand.
I miss her eyes. Her eyes sparkled to me.
One day they were blue; next day they were green,...
...depending on how the light hit them.
Karen, I'll always be in love with you...
...and I will see you again.
I will do enough good to make it up there.
