Councilwoman unearths rare photo of Romulus-raised 9/11 victim for NYC Memorial Museum
Romulus councilwoman finds rare photo of former resident for 9/11 victims' memorial
In the more than 20 years since the attack on the World Trade Center -- and the Memorial Museum in New York has collected the photos of all but two victims. One of those names - Albert Ogletree now has a face -- thanks to some diligent research by a Romulus City Council member.
ROMULUS, Mich. (FOX 2) - In the more than 20 years since the attack on the World Trade Center, the Memorial Museum in New York has collected the photos of all but two victims.
One of those names - Albert Ogletree, now has a face, thanks to some diligent research by a Romulus City Council member.
A grainy photo amounted to buried treasure, tucked in a yearbook from 1967.
"Here is it right here," said Kathy Abdo. "It kind of goes full circle. I was a teacher in Romulus and he was a student in Romulus."
Abdo, a Romulus councilwoman, was finally able to put history in it’s place.
"It was the right thing to do and I was honored to do it," Abdo said.
Albert Ogletree was one of two photos missing from the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City. Albert was 49 years old when he died in the twin towers on 9/11.
For years - the commission who runs the museum, couldn’t place his face. That’s where Abdo comes in, after a call from New York City needing her help.
"I told her I would come here and look through the yearbook and see if I could find him, and that's what I did," she said.
She only had a name and possible decade of when Albert Ogletree would have gone to Romulus High School. But, all she needed was a Sunday afternoon and those two bits of information.
"Pearl Varner has kept every yearbook from the 1940s on," Abdo said.
Pearl is the woman in charge at the museum. The two women scoured yearbooks until they found this gem.
Romulus City Councilwoman Kathy Abdo.
"We were pretty excited," Abdo said. "And then I wanted to find out more of him."
Albert was born on Christmas day in 1951 and grew up in Romulus, moving to New York City, where he worked in the North Tower in food services.
His step-daughter is still alive, surfacing, to claim the photo.
"Remarkably his step-daughter said it still looked like him," Abdo said.
Now, Albert has his proper face in the museum on the "wall of faces," and someday – Abdo will go and see it.
"It's on my list to do," she said.
Albert Ogletree