In Memory of Richard A. Dunstan

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Janet, and family, I think of you often. God Bless you, your friend in Arkansas

*** Posted by Terry Whitley A.S.P. on 2011-09-14 ***

Richard was a good friend when I was a young woman living in England and I was devastated when I heard he was a victim of 9/11.  He was a much valued member of the Woodford Wells Cricket Club, an all round great guy, and he was also my first landlord.  For about a year after I married, my husband Paul and I rented his maisonette in Queens Road, Buckhurst Hill. I met his lovely American wife and had a delicious Jambalaya at their house before they went to the US.  Sadly, I lost touch, but I am now a resident of the US, married to an American man and it would have been wonderful to have renewed our friendship.  Richard was the type of guy you could rely on and I can only imagine how he would have been a great comfort to others on that terrible day.

*** Posted by Tricia Taverner (formerly known as Tricia Watts) on 2011-09-11 ***

Richard Dunstan was my brother-in-law. My wife, my 18-month-old daughter, and I were on vacation with another couple at the Outer Banks in NC on 9/11. When we had left home, Richard and his family were staying at our house for a few days. His wife told us that he decided to mow our one acre of lawn and field, and that he spent an hour or so on the riding mower. Finally he finished, and sat outside with a cool glass of iced tea to enjoy looking at the new-mown lawn. Whereupon he came to realize with horror that he had failed to lower the mower deck, the result being that he had toured every inch of the acre without cutting even one blade of grass. So he got back on the mower and did it all over again. A few days later we unknowingly watched him die, live on TV, while we had coffee and toast at the beach house on the morning of 9/11/2001. Richard had worked at the WTC, but his office had recently moved — yet, as luck would have it, he was visiting an office back in the Twin Towers when all hell broke loose.

Knowing Richard, he would have tried to do the right thing: not panic, stay put until advised to leave, go back to help others less fortunate. He was a really nice guy; in the fifteen years I knew him, he never uttered a word in anger or ugliness. He was never petty or negative as far as I knew. He managed his diabetes by careful diet, very strict exercise (running every morning), and monitoring; my impression was that he tried to be healthy so that he could be a good husband, father, friend, and coworker.

But we hoped that maybe his blood sugar got out of control that morning in the turmoil, that perhaps he had escaped and was unable to contact anyone due to confusion from hypoglycemia. For a day and a half we prayed that he got out, as we didn't know details of casualty and survival until later. His wife and two children can be very proud of Richard, as there can be no question that he gave his strength to others in the last moments of his life. I could never be as good a person as Richard, but when I think of him, he makes me want to try. I'm glad I knew him.

*** Posted by Ken Deacon on 2011-02-21 ***

I did not know Mr. Dunstan, but I did know his son, Chris. He is MY connection to the horrific events of that day. Everyone personally knows SOMEONE who was lost that day. Chris's father is my connection. I am on a personal mission to make sure that people never forget the horrors of that day and the impact it made on the lives of all surviving Americans. Richard Dunstan went to work that day not knowing he'd never return. The evil in this world has tried to destroy the Dunstan family, the New Providence community, the great state of New Jersey, and the strongest, greatest country in the world--the United States of America. Remembering Richard Dunstan and the thousands of others who lost their lives that day, assures that the terrorists have not reached their goal.

*** Posted by joseph on 2007-11-19 ***

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