In a world where terrorism has left countless children fatherless, two young women from different continents have found solace in their shared grief.
Kristin Marino, a resident of Monroe, New York, lost her father, Kenneth Marino, a firefighter from Hells Kitchens Rescue Co. 1, in the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
She was only three years old at the time. Over 5,000 miles away and two decades later, Maya Peretz, an Israeli citizen, lost her father, Mark Peretz, to a brutal attack by Hamas terrorists while he was attempting to rescue her from the Nova Music Festival on October 7.
The two women, who had never met before, found an immediate bond when they came together at the 9/11 Memorial in July to film a short documentary titled Our 9/11 Story. The documentary was released on YouTube last Friday. "It was very powerful, two girls, completely different countries, completely different cultures, but same loss at the end, Peretz, 21, told The New York Post.
Marino, a 26-year-old Christian social media influencer with a following of over 1.7 million on TikTok, echoed Peretz's sentiments. Our stories aligned so perfectly, she said. I could relate so much to her.
The idea for the project was born when Marino visited Israel in May 2023 to film a travel documentary with Rova Media. She was deeply affected by the violence she witnessed during her visit. The first day we got there, there were so many missiles going off, people were running. And I went home and was like, I want to go back to Israel and meet children that have been affected by terrorism,' she said. However, her plans to return in October were thwarted by the Hamas terror attacks that claimed the lives of at least 1,200 Israelis. It was then that she learned about Peretz's story and felt compelled to meet her.
Peretz was attending the outdoor music festival in the Negev Desert when the Hamas terrorists struck, killing 364 civilians. Her father, Mark, called her while she was still at the concert. He asked me where I was and what I was doing. And I told him the truth, Im trying to get to a safe place. He told me he wanted to come. I told him, No, dont come now. I will tell you if I need you,' Peretz recalled. Despite her protests, Mark, who was tracking her location via her cell phone, knew she was in danger and insisted on coming to her aid.
Tragically, Mark was murdered by the terrorists while he was on his way to rescue his daughter. On the way, he saw terrorists. He drove over them. The ones that still stay alive murder him, Peretz revealed in the documentary. She also shared the heartbreaking detail that her brother was on the phone with their father when he was executed by the terrorists.
Marino found a poignant similarity between their fathers' final acts of bravery. He went into the disaster to go save his daughter. And that was the same with my dad. My dad went into the buildings to go save other people and didnt really know the outcome, but they just knew that they needed to do that, Marino said.
The film also captures the raw emotions of the two women as they discuss the aftermath of their fathers' deaths. Peretz, who wants to become a lawyer or a teacher, was overcome with emotion as Marino explained that her father's body was never recovered. It was only five days, but my heart in those days, the feeling that I had in my body that I dont know where he is, its insane, so Im thinking, 20 plus years to feel it, said Peretz.
Marino, who was in Manhattan for a modeling shoot on 9/11, recalled visiting her father at his firehouse that morning. She and her brother even got to sit in the firetruck he would later drive to Ground Zero. He placed me and my brother in that same truck that literally got crushed like an hour later, Marino said.
The film also features Marino and her mother visiting Rescue 1, where they heard a story about Kenneths selflessness. When he was in the towers, he had stopped for a guy that was having a heart attack and didnt want to leave him, Marino said. And all the guys were like, Come on, we have a bigger thing to do. Hes like, Yeah, but I need to help him.'
Both women are determined to keep their fathers memories alive. I will never forget and I will never stop telling my dads story, Marino said. Peretz plans to honor her father by living like him, because he was a very good person.
Through their shared experience and the documentary, Marino and Peretz hope to send a message of hope to other children who have lost parents to terrorism. Dont give up on your life because this tragedy happened, Peretz said. Their story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of shared grief to create bonds that transcend borders and cultures.
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