Finding the Light in 9/11

FEATURED PHOTO: Lisa Luckett

Lisa whispered the words, “Goodbye Teddy, I love you,” surrounded by her close friends as the buildings fell that morning. Her husband Teddy headed to his office at Cantor Fitzgerald earlier that day. As he left the house, the happily married couple said their morning goodbye, calling one another ‘soulmates’. Lisa watched him leave, not knowing this would be the last time she would see Teddy.

Though she could have easily fallen into despair, Lisa instead chose to pursue light and positivity in the face of tragedy. In her new book The Light in 9/11 – Shocked By Kindness, Healed By Love, she shares a deeply personal journey of preparation, friends, community, and taking the right steps toward recovery and beginning a new normal.

Lisa met Teddy in the 1980s; both building successful sales careers in New York City. They soon fell in love and began building a life together, which led to the Lucketts moving to New Jersey in 1997.

The couple chose to start a new life in Fair Haven. Lisa and Teddy soon made friends through local events and became actively involved in the community. Though Lisa grew up in Rumson, she admits that she was always attracted to the idea of living in Fair Haven. “Fair Haven is a very special, old-world community,” she said. “You have everything you need, and you only have to leave town to go to the (Rumson) pharmacy.”

After Teddy’s tragic passing, Lisa decided to find a way to find light in her life rather than sink into despair. She credits her friends, family, and the community in Fair Haven for sustaining her through this difficult time.

“It’s a tight-knit community,” Lisa shared. “The unbelievable love, energy, and support was bolstering to me. Fair Haven is a village, and it doesn’t let its people fall. This community saved me.”

Within minutes of the first plane striking, neighbors and friends quickly filled the Luckett home and stood by Lisa’s side. Through this experience, she decided to embrace life as a gift and to not allow Teddy or other 9/11 victims die in vain.

“The loving support that you get is the lifeline that keeps you from falling into the abyss of despair and hopelessness,” Lisa said. “We can’t be stuck there, this life is too great a gift.”

Seventeen years have passed, and she is ready to share her story, as well as her journey to recovery, with the world.

CM: Why write this book?

Lisa Luckett (LL): Two questions prompted me to write this book: First, why were we all so emotionally unprepared to handle 9/11? Second, where could we find wisdom to help us through our grief? Over the past 17 years, I immersed myself in learning what had happened. This book is my starting point to share with others what worked for me in my own grief and recovery.

CM: What inspired you to tell such a personal story?

LL: When you have a story you need to tell, you must tell it. Otherwise, it feels like carrying around something inside of you that should really be out in the world. I want people to know that good can still prevail despite trauma. It can change your perspective to view life as “Why is this happening for me?” instead of “to me.”

CM: What is the book about?

LL: It is not as much about 9/11 as it is about how 9/11 was the catalyst for me to experience remarkable personal growth. It is about finding the light in any trauma; not just 9/11. The tragedy happened 17 years ago– there is a whole new generation of kids that have been born since then. Though the physical, mental, and emotional wounds are still fresh for many, 2001 is very different than 2018. This book is about the healing power of kindness that I experienced in the wake of tragedy. I want to give that back and put it in action.

CM: What are some ways you put that kindness in action? Lisa points to a bowl of clay hearts, twisted together in various colors.

LL: Pocket hearts. I decided to make these hearts in memory of a gift given to me in the first few days after 9/11. That gift meant so much to me, because it’s a memory of Teddy’s lighthearted love. He was so playful. I’ve given out approximately 40,000 hearts to date – one at a time, hand-to-hand. When I hand them out, I say “they are a little magic, so don’t be surprised. They are going to bring you luck and love.” It’s such a joy to make them, give them, and see peoples’ reaction. Random acts of kindness can really make a difference.

CM: What was that gift that spurred the idea for the hearts?

LL: I really wanted to go to Ground Zero to find Teddy in the first days after 9/11. However, a house full of people and three children made that nearly impossible. A few days later a friend arrived in my kitchen and said, “Lisa, I was at Ground Zero yesterday searching for Teddy and I had this with me. I want you to have it.” He opened his hand and there was a little silver coin with an angel embossed on It. “It’s a pocket angel,” my friend said. I got full-body chills when I touched it and when I took it from his hand I immediately felt calm. It was like I had been there, it connected me, and I didn’t feel that same overwhelming urge to go to the towers anymore.

CM: How are you using your experiences to help others?

LL: I believe I am helping others by sharing truths I’ve learned and living the way that I wish everyone could live. I want to encourage others to love themselves and to set boundaries, so they are not submerged under all the relationships in their lives. I want to help people see the positive aspects of their lives that remain in the wake of myself in studying this tragedy. This book lets people into my experience. My home was a revolving door in the first months following September 11. Instead of shutting people out, I let them in and allowed myself to receive.  It allowed them to grieve with me by helping me. It also allowed us to begin to heal together.

CM: What are some mantras you have or sayings that kept you going?

LL: One of the mantras that I have is “choose courage.” Just ten seconds of courage can change anything. Lean into it, because your situation is never as bad as you think it is. There’s also this amazing thing that I call the “godness” – the goodness with one “O.” It is the best of the human spirit that shows up in times of tragedy. People show up. I believe in that as well.

CM: What are you passionate about?

LL: I’m passionate about doing my part to help make the world a better place, understanding the gift that is this life, and staying in balance and enjoying it. I also have a passion for helping other people do that too. I want to be current so that I can be the best parent that I can be. When they are seeking wise counsel, I want to be that for them. My kids are my people and the most important part of my life. My oldest, Jennifer, is 24 and lives in Boston. She’s doing great there, working through her 20s, and doing it perfectly. Billy is 21 and attending Ohio Wesleyan. Timmy is a junior in high school at Salisbury School in Connecticut. Though we’ve all wound up in different places, Fair Haven is still home, for sure. Together, we are still “Team Luckett.”

CM: What’s next for you?

LL: I am looking forward to building a speaking career and taking the show on the road. I want to share the experiences that inspired this book with as many people as I can. This is the first book of three to introduce themes and theories that can show us a beautiful future.

CM: Where can our readers find you?

LL: I’ll be at the Barnes and Noble at Monmouth Mall in Eatontown on September 20 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. doing a book reading and discussion. It will be a fun time, so I hope to see everyone there! My book is also available through Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and River Road Books. Visit my website here.