September 11, 2001, is a date that lives in infamy. But the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center that day were an intensely personal experience for my family. For my father, Peter Griffith, the loss of his wife and my mother, Joan Donna Griffith, in that tragedy had an immediate and long-lasting effect that has reshaped our lives.

In the second half of our conversation on the Branding Room Only podcast, you’ll hear our candid discussion about the events of that day, the overwhelming grief that followed, and how we got through our darkest days as a family. Through our recollections, we uncover the crucial role of support systems, from legal and financial planning to the unwavering support of family and friends, and reveal how my mother’s legacy of love, resiliency, and the enduring bonds of family lives on.

1:10 - How we learned about the attacks and our initial shock and disbelief

10:53 - How we began to process our grief in the immediate aftermath

17:04 - Reflections on the time we got to spend with Joan right before 9/11 and the “last piece of love” she gave me that August

25:32 - The memorialization of Joan and the day we went to retrieve her waterlogged purse from Lower Manhattan

30:22 - The challenge of navigating grief in the public eye and managing personal pain amidst widespread sympathy

40:18 - How Joan’s values and love are influencing and shaping future generations in the family and the lasting impact of 9/11

Mentioned In The Life & Legacy of Joan Donna Griffith: A Conversation with Peter Griffith

“A Tribute to My Mother Joan Donna Griffith”

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Sage Software

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This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

We're starting off 2026 with a bang with my New Year's Intention and Goal Setting session on January 3rd, and then my new three-part series, LinkedIn Strategy for Lawyers: Build a Brand that Works for You, running January through March. 

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