According to Global News reporting, shared names can bridge decades of grief, as seen when journalist Mike Armstrong reached out to the family of another Michael Armstrong who was killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks. Twenty-five years later, family foundations and shared stories keep alive the memory of Michael J. Armstrong, who was employed in Wall Street electronic trading for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 104th floor of the North Tower at the age of 34.
The Connection Behind a Shared Name
For more than two decades, reporter Michael J. Armstrong wondered about the other person who shared his exact name down to the middle initial. Every Sept. 11, as the names of the 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attacks are read aloud at the World Trade Center site, he heard his own name. Wanting to help the family tell their story ahead of the 25th anniversary, he reached out to the victim’s family.
The email arrived in his sister’s inbox with one name attached to it: Michael Armstrong. According to Laura Armstrong, the response was an immediate yes because the family welcomed a glimpse of just how special he was and how much he is missed. This exchange led to a visit at her Tappan, N.Y., home last month, where walls are filled with photos of Michael celebrating holidays, goofing around after he and his sister Marian had bought Laura her first digital camera, and laughing a lot.
Final Moments Inside the North Tower
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Michael Armstrong was at work on the 104th floor of the North Tower, above the floors struck by American Airlines Flight 11. According to family accounts, he attempted to reach members of his family by telephone as the crisis unfolded. His sister Marion recalled that his final cellphone call to their mother lasted two minutes, though all she heard was static.
The family spent hours holding onto hope that maybe he had been late for work or that what they were hearing about the Twin Towers wasn’t as bad as it sounded, not turning on the television because they really thought he was going to be OK. At the time of his death, Michael and his fiancée, Catherine Nolan, were set to be married on Oct. 6, 2001. His wake was instead held on Sept. 23, 2001.
Did you know? Michael Armstrong almost wasn’t in the office on 9/11. Having attended a funeral the day prior, he missed work, and another absence was planned later in the week for his bachelor party.
Lasting Legacies and Community Support
Rather than letting grief consume them, within days of the attacks they established a scholarship fund at Loyola School, where Michael had been a student and remained an active alumnus, and in the months that followed established the Michael J. Armstrong Memorial Foundation. According to his sisters, these initiatives helped channel their emotions and supported causes connected to Michael’s life, including scholarships at Loyola and athletics at Fordham University.
Catherine Nolan eventually married and had children, with her youngest son’s middle name being Michael, while remaining part of the Armstrong family and serving as Aunt Catherine to the next generation. According to Marian, the overwhelming kindness shown by people taking care and reaching out—including the group of women who lost their fiancées on 9/11 and still get together every Sept. 11 for lunch—helped the families carry their grief forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Michael J. Armstrong?
During the September 11 terrorist attacks, 34-year-old Michael J. Armstrong held a position in electronic trading on Wall Street with Cantor Fitzgerald, stationed on the 104th floor of the North Tower.
How did the Armstrong family honor his memory?
According to family sources, they established a scholarship fund at Loyola School and the Michael J. Armstrong Memorial Foundation to support causes connected to his life, including scholarships at Loyola and athletics at Fordham University.
What is the significance of the reporter’s name?
Global News reporter Mike Armstrong shares the exact name right down to the middle initial, prompting him to reach out to the victim’s family to help tell their story as he put together stories to mark 25 years since the attacks.
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