Matthew Picerno was at work as a municipal bond broker for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of One World Trade Center when the North Tower was hit by a hijacked plane on Sept. 11, 2001.
The 44-year-old native of Jersey City, N.J., immediately called his wife of 18 years, Petrina, shortly before an explosion caused the connection to be lost, his son, Matthew, 27, said.
He was only 12 years old when his world was rocked by the events of one of the worst tragedies in history.
His dad was one of the 26 people who worked in investment banker Cantor Fitzgerald's municipal bond group and died in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center that killed 2,753 people. In all, 658 employees perished at the New York-based brokerage firm after both the North and South towers collapsed.
Picerno, who now works in sales, systems support, and customer service at Muni Brokers, a software platform for brokers' brokers, recalls being in grammar school when the attacks occurred. He didn't realize his dad was in danger after hearing the announcement on the school's PA system.
"They said the World Trade Center, but I just knew my dad worked at the Twin Towers … I didn't know it was called the World Trade Center," he told The Bond Buyer in an interview.
He later joined concerned family and friends at home in Holmdel, N.J., where they watched the horrifying events on TV and anxiously awaited news about his dad. In addition to Matthew, Picerno left a son, Anthony, and a daughter, Francesca.
"Everything happened so fast that whole day," Picerno, now a resident of Seabright, N.J., said. "Anyone and everyone was in disbelief and no one had any answers."
Ten days later, the family received word that his dad's body was recovered. Picerno was discovered on Sept. 21, which, in the Roman Catholic faith, is the feast day of St. Matthew – his namesake and the patron saint of bankers.
"It was very coincidental," the younger Picerno said, adding that he and his family now have a very close relationship with Tom Bowan, a West Virginia fire fighter who found Picerno.
The family became so close with Bowan that he is attending Matthew Picerno's wedding next month, and Bowan recently unveiled a memorial in West Virginia constructed in part from the rails of the Path station at Ground Zero that is dedicated in Picerno's name and other victims.
Picerno said his dad's reputation in the municipal industry – and among family and friends – was larger than life.
"I can't go anywhere without hearing a funny story – he had such an amazing relationship with anyone he came across," the younger Picerno said.
"People tell me funny stories of what he did and how he was the life of the party," he said.
Therefore, it wasn't unexpected for co-workers to hear Picerno singing Led Zepplin songs at his desk at Cantor. "Others were trying to get business done, and he's making everyone laugh," his son said.
"He took his entire personality and put it all into his job," he added. "He was personable to everyone he met and in the municipal business."
While Picerno was proud of his dad, he himself wasn't very interested in becoming a broker.
"My dad, as much as he excelled as a broker, he didn't want his kids to grow up being brokers," Picero recalled. "He liked it, but had to grind a lot."
Therefore, Picerno chose to work in the municipal industry, but in a different capacity. "It's nice to have that opportunity to be in the business and not exactly grind, staying in front of the computer and watching numbers," he said.
When Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11, Picerno said he and his family will spend the day together at home reminiscing as usual.
"Every year we just do family things, but mostly talk about funny memories and toast my dad," he said. "Fifteen years later some things still sting, and you wish he could be a part of it," Picerno said.
Picerno said his first trip to Ground Zero since Sept. 11 was five years ago for the 10th anniversary and unveiling of the 9/11 Memorial and the Freedom Tower.
He said he is glad to see that the site has gone from just being a somber memorial ground to a piece of U.S. history.
"There's a very different feel now at the site, with the museum opened and tourists, it's becoming more and more a part of history, than it is becoming just my story."
"Everyone's stories are being gathered and told at the same time," he added. "That's giving everyone a bit of a push to move forward."
