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”

Angela Titus on LinkedIn

Sage Software

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Founded and led by Paula Edgar, our work centers on practical strategies that enhance professional development, strengthen workplace culture, and drive meaningful, measurable change.

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