Chris Larrabee
By: Keith
This was my 16th birthday party. Chris was my only guest.
Some things in the world are black and white, night and day. The attacks on September 11th 2001 were pure evil cut and dry. No justification no equivocation – just plain evil perpetrated by despicable people who were guided by despicable beliefs. Those debased individuals following a sick cult killed my friend Chris Larrabee and I will never forgive them. I will never forgive their sense of morality. The Ward Churchills of the world and other various apologists can all kiss my ass. But, enough of the vitriol, however warranted. I want to talk about the person I lost, not the sickos who did it.
Three Years
I moved back to California in 1989 when I was in 6th grade. The first person I met, on my first day in school, in my first class, was Chris. He sat next to me and we were instantly friends. For three years, until we started High School and went separate ways, he was my best friend. We did everything together. We sneaked out of our houses and committed mischief in the night. I watched him defeat Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Punch-out, and Excite bike (he was a master at the NES). We went sailing together, went to the beach together (pooled our money and bought a surf board together), read comics together (he had an extensive collection), rode our bikes along the strand every week to play the nickel arcade at the Redondo Beach Pier, and we got punished together after being caught stealing books from the Peninsula Library. Even when I moved to Massachusetts, as a High School Sophomore, Chris came to visit me. We drifted apart after that, and I only saw him once more, in 1994 (we ate sushi together that day) before he got killed. Those three years of middle school can’t ever be taken from me. My regret is that the end has come. I can’t look forward to a reunion.
Remembrance
I remember Chris frequently. I remember him because I was his friend and I can’t help it, not out of obligation. But, we do have an obligation to Chris. We have an obligation to make this world safer for our kids and to stamp out this pernicious plague of terrorism and radical religion wherever it is. My kids deserve a better prospect than what, ultimately, befell Chris. I remember Chris because of my boys. I look at them and I make a connection to Chris. We cannot fix the past, but we can make the future better. Chris was a guy going through his life like we all do every day. He had a loving family and friends who care about him. We remember him because he was just like us. It could have been anybody in that tower, but it was him. The next time it could be my own boys. Today we remember that it was a matter of chance that Chris was taken away from his family.
Go to Legacy Guest Book for Christopher Randall Larrabee and read what people have to say about Chris. We all know of people affected by terrorism in one way or another. There was a study done shortly after 9/11 that said that almost everyone in the United States, through a degree or two of separation, knows someone killed that day. It really did affect us all deeply. Of all days to take a moment to contemplate, this would be that day.
No related posts.
A loving tribute to a fallen friend. My sympathies to all.
Thank you, mom. I didn’t know if I should say anything today, but it did need saying
I could really feel a great sense of the friendship you had with Chris, Keith. This isn’t just some wordy blog post to fancy up the remembrance of a terrible catastrophe. Very heartfelt, thanks for sharing.
Bob, You put it exactly how I meant it. I know a lot of people who try to hard to impress with their writing. Today is not the day to focus on grammar and being smooth. It’s simply a day to leave out links and self promotion and be real.
Yeah… these sickos took a lot from us that day, didn’t they? I am very sorry for your very personal loss.
Joan, Sicko is the only word I could think of that wasn’t a profanity to describe these people. It hits me every year and I hope we, as a country, never forget it. Years down the road I hope our grandchildren remember what happens when radicalism is not confronted.
I lost a friend near Tikrit in April of 2003 shortly after the war began. Andy was an Army Ranger assigned to a special forces unit that was looking for Saddam. He left behind a wife and 2 year old son. Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my site. I had some other memories come alive as I read this: I used to live on Rockefeller Lane in Redondo Beach back in the late ’80′s. I was only there for about 6 months, but the pier is where I would spend most of my time. I worked at Reuben’s down by the Portofino Inn. Don’t even know if they are there anymore.
.-= NukeDad´s last blog ..Resolve-Redux =-.
Thanks for reding, NukeDad! I’m sorry about your friend. The sacrifices people make so that we live free are incredible. I have two boys and I don’t want them to have to do the same thing because I’m not sure I could handle it. Radicalism needs to be defeated before it takes more good people from us. Thanks again, NukeDad.
Keith: Thank you so much for your thoughts in your beautiful remembrance of my son Chris. Yes, he was truly a very special man. The pain of losing him in such a way has been difficult. Our family misses him more than you know. It’s has been like a heart being ripped out. You have good senses I can tell that in raising your beautiful sons that your experiences and values will produce wonderful men of them someday. Love them, charish them, honor their gift to you as they are the most precious of God’s bountiful gifts in life. God bless you with a bountiful future. Again, thank you!
Janet, I cannot image your loss — it must just be the worst feeling in the world. That you for your kind words about our family. You have sacrificed more than any mother should have to endure. I’m so sorry you had to. People like me will always remember Chris. My sons already know all about him (Alan carries Christopher as his middle name after Chris). Thanks for reading — I wish I could have done his memory better justice. I will continue to write something every year.
Keith, Thank you for the heartfelt words. I am blown away by the impact he had on people in his life. He truely was/is an inspiration and a sincere human being. So many good people perished that day. I remember you well and knew he was proud to have you as a friend. My first born son was named in his honor, Alexander Christopher. Enjoy your family every second. Andrei and the guys every year celebrate “Laz” on this day. I have their contact info. I am also on facebook too. Nicole (Chris’s sister)
Nicole, Yes, I remember you too! Thanks for dropping in to read this. When I first learned about Chris’ death it wasn’t real to me. I stood there thinking “My god, that’s my childhood” It was a selfish thought but that’s all I could think of. Then a few days later it really hit me, the confusion and pain. Most people don’t really know how much he really meant to me. I kept that mostly to myself because I always had every intention of reuniting with him. He was the only guy who I could ever be myself around. It was so natural to be his friend. Alexander Christopher is a good name
My second son is Alan Christopher (for you know who) 
FAO Chris Larrabee’s mother, Janet Satterfield,
Dear Janet,
Forgive me for contacting you out of the blue.
My name is Sally and I recently became a twinless twin. Before I begin, can I just say, how sorry I am for the loss of your son. I know Christopher died almost 10 years ago – but I don’t doubt you think about him each and every day – and miss him every bit as much as I do, my own brother….
On 22 September last year, my beautiful twin brother, Neil, dropped dead in his garden. He was 38 and it was a month before our 39th birthday – when he was due to fly home to Britain (he lived in LA with his wife and 2 year old daughter) to celebrate our big day with the whole family (2 other brothers, their families and my mum and dad). I’ll never forget that day – and the noise that came out of my mouth when I realised he was dead. The desperation I felt. The utter disbelief. And the total fear – at facing a future without him.
Such was my grief, that a couple of weeks before Christmas, I tried to contact the Twinless Twin Support Group. Unfortunately for me, I failed to get a response – but I did read the vast majority of their website, only to discover, that on the day of 9/11, a great many twins found themselves twinless, like me. I couldn’t believe how many twins had perished – the article said 43 (but it could be as many as 46 and no fewer than 37) – and I found myself wanting to find out more about the twins whose lives had been so deeply affected by such tragic and terrible circumstances. Partly because I thought it would help me; perhaps even heal me; partly because I wanted to know that, 10 years on, it does get easier (though I have a horrible feeling, it never really does. You just learn to accept it); and partly because, I myself, am a BBC film maker, and felt the need to share this story with a wider audience. Because it is an untold story. And it is an incredibly poignant story, too.
The BBC are very keen to commission an hour long film about the ‘Twins of the Twin Towers’ – a film that will not only tell the story of the 911 twins (in the towers, on the planes and at the Pentagon) but also explore twin loss and grief more generally – and I am in the process of trying to make contact with as many of the twins as possible.
I’d be very keen to talk to you – and of course to your daughter Paige, Chris’s twin sister – about that fateful day – and the impact it had on your life, then, now and over the last decade. As you can imagine, Neil’s death is still very raw for me right now but I feel an overriding desire to create something positive out of something so overwhelming negative. It’s what Neil would have wanted, too. I’m sure of it.
Forgive the informality of my approach, but I somehow know you and more especially, your daughter Paige, will understand my loss in a way few others will.
Would you / Paige be willing to talk on the phone at any stage? No worries if not – I know grief is a very private thing, but I thought I should reach out regardless.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Very best wishes
Sally
Sally Lisk-Lewis
Head of Development | BBC Factual
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8 Sally.Lisk-Lewis@bbc.co.uk
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