Merry Christmas, David.

Do you remember what you used to do in Christmas when you were a little kid? Traveling to far away places to see relatives? Trying to catch Santa red-handed at midnight?

After doing that for years, a 14-year-old David Reed Gamboa-Brandhorst would be in or in his way to Kentucky, maybe for a home made Filipino meal, with his daddy and papa, Daniel Raymond Brandhorst and Ronald Gamboa, maybe even with a sibling.

But sadly, a three-year-old David, not old enough even to understand the true meaning of evil, was killed when Marwan al-Shehhi and his team of hijackers slammed United Airlines Flight 175 into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on the morning of September 11.

I am 14 years old now (July 6, 1998), just 13 days younger than David. In fact, call me crazy, but I think we even have some physical resemblance!

I think he was just a little bigger than me, I was 4 in that picture, and I believe he was two on that picture O_o

Why am I telling you all this? Well, it's just that I was 3 years old when the September 11 attacks unfolded, and all the tributes, like this one started flowing quite a while ago, and therefore ended... quite a while ago. 

But ever since I read that blog from this guy named The Wordsmith From Nantucket I felt the great need of contributing to a tribute, even if it's one I made myself, so here it is. 

So I have always been interested in the September 11 Attacks, and pretty much anything that has to do with aviation. I've done a great research into 9/11. Back in June 2012, at the Disney's Pop Century Resort, I came across this blog from Hammersmith, regarding little David.

I was shocked, of course, but more than that, several questions came into my mind. Naturally, I didn't have the pleasure of knowing David, but: I love to draw, would have David loved to draw, too? I love to write, would have David loved to write as well? Maybe we would have liked the same things, maybe we  could have even become friends later on, who knows.

David could be any random kid right now, my best friend or my worst enemy, the person I can tell my secrets to or just a random stranger, but now, I'll guess we'll just never know.

David Reed Gamboa Brandhorst was just one of the nearly 3000 people whose lives were taken away on the morning of September 11, 2001.

In his 3 short years of life, this boy filled his daddies', and pretty much anyone who had contact with's, lives with joy and happiness.

May he and his daddies' memory be remembered years from now, shall they never be forgotten.

This blog is dedicated to Michele, David's birth mother, who shares her story in the comment section of Hammersmith's Blog about David, and Jeannie Gamboa, Ron's sister and therefore, David's aunt, who answers some questions about David on the same blog. Thank you Jeannie for all those memories which I love to read, probably to imagine David and I as great friends, which I know we would have become if I ever knew him. 

P.S. I also found a poem I'd like to share with you about Christine Lee Hanson, the youngest victim of the September 11 Attacks, and also passenger of United Flight 175. Tribute to Christine Hanson. 

To David: Have a merry Christmas, brave little guy, give those daddies of you a big bear hug. Merry Christmas.

To Jeannie: Thanks for the memories and pictures. Merry Christmas, cheers - Luis.

To Michele: My heart goes to you. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and Dillon.