Memorial Day Special - Remembering Todd Christopher Weaver

North Canton Family Lost Son In September 11th Attack

Dennis and Marilyn Weaver, of North Canton, will never forget September 11, 2001.

The couple lost their son, Todd Christopher Weaver, in the attack on the World Trade Center. He was 30-years-old.

Todd, and his wife Amy, had been living in New York City for nine months prior to September 11th. He worked at Fiduciary Trust International where he held the position of International Hedge Fund Department Vice President.

There was a meeting on the west coast that day which all the company’s executives attended, except for Todd. He remained at the firm’s world headquarters, on the 94th floor of the south tower.

A Chartered Financial Analyst, Todd held a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Miami University of Ohio and a Master of Business Administration Degree from the University of Chicago.

Todd didn’t enter the University of Chicago immediately after earning his Bachelor’s Degree. He and Amy lived for one year in Japan where he taught Conversational English.

Dennis described Todd as, “absolutely brilliant, an inquisitive planner.”

He said, “He always seemed to have command of the situation and what he wanted to do.”

Dennis said, “In all the cards and letters we got, the thing that everyone talked about was how brilliant he was and how he would bring himself to their level to help them personally and professionally.”

Marilyn characterized him as, “a very unusual child.”

She said, “He was a very happy child, very intelligent, gifted.”

Sports was an important part of Todd’s life, according to his parents. He played basketball, football and lacrosse.

“He wasn’t an exceptional athlete, but he wanted to be an exceptional athlete,” said Marilyn.

“I think the thing he loved most about sports was being part of the team. He loved team sports.”

Golf was the topic of the last conversation Dennis had with Todd.

“My last contact was when we arranged for me to go to New York to play golf,” Dennis said. “Golf is my favorite subject and at the time it was his favorite subject.”

Todd collected baseball cards and was a fantasy football fanatic.

“Todd loved it,” Dennis said. “He drank it, ate it, slept it.”

English and economics were strong subjects for Todd, according to Marilyn, and he enjoyed writing poetry.

“He was so ambitious. We just stood back and let him fly because there was no holding him back,” she said. “There was hardly anything he didn’t enjoy.”

Music, she added, was another thing he loved.

Marilyn and Dennis both learned of the attack on the World Trade Center from co-workers. She worked for Republic Steel in Fairlawn; he was at a sale meeting in Buffalo.

“I was in a sales presentation in Buffalo,” Dennis said. “The meeting was interrupted to say building one had been hit.”

By the time he got to a television the building Todd was in had been hit as well.

The Weavers felt like their family was under attack, Dennis said. Their daughter lived about 30 minutes from The Pentagon and Marilyn’s sister lived near Somerset, Pennsylvania.

The Weavers went to New York City the following day. They remained there for four of five days.

Dennis said they were heartbroken when they saw ground zero.

“It was like you couldn’t believe it. It was like a movie,” he said. “The realization we were attacked was devastating.”

On September 29, a memorial service was held for Todd in New York City. It was the date Dennis was to be there to play golf.

The couple has not returned to New York since then. It was once, according to Marilyn, one of their favorite places to visit.

The Weavers understood people wanted to be supportive, but didn’t know what to say or do.

“Usually in a condolence situation people can say, I know how you feel,” Marilyn said. “In this case people can’t.”

Following the September 11th attacks, Dennis and Marilyn were in counseling for six months.

“Our minister told us you can’t get through this without help,” said Marilyn. “If you think you can just sit and let time pass that won’t do it.”

The couple knew what they wanted to achieve through counseling.

“I was angry, but we knew we couldn’t allow this to consume us,” said Dennis.

“The one thing we said we didn’t want to have happen was to come out of this bitter old people. We didn’t want it to take us in the wrong direction.”

The local community embraced the Weavers after September 11th.

“We’ve never felt more loved and supported,” Dennis said. “There was an outpouring (of support).”

He added, “We’re all hit with tragedy. Things come your way. How you deal with it is going to affect your mental health.”

Almost seven years later, Dennis said, the events of September 11th sometimes don’t seem real.

“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself. It doesn’t seem real,” said Dennis. “It’s just like Todd’s on a trip somewhere.”