Marian Fontana

After losing her husband, firefighter Dave Fontana, Marian Fontana came to the fore as the public voice for the families of the victims. As president of the 9-11 Widows' and Victims' Families Association, Fontana spent much of her time bringing victims' families together and making the public aware of issues that concerned the relatives, such as the victim compensation fund and the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site. In the past year, she has stepped away from the public eye somewhat. "I don't know how healthy it is to make Sept. 11 the only date on your calendar for the rest of your life," she said. "It's not fair to my son, or to Dave's memory, really. I want to find the quiet place where I can start to grieve."