Father can’t forget when terrorists silenced son’s voice

Don Cherry's melodic voice was once known to a nation of pop music fans. His 1955 song "Band of Gold" alone sold more than 1 million copies.

On Tuesday, though, Cherry found himself talking about his son Stephen's voice. It wasn't bad at all, the man known in the music business as "Mr. Band of Gold" recalled. His son had so much potential.

Stephen Cherry's voice and music ability were strong enough for him to consider taking a shot at his father's profession.

Don smiled at the thought of his Stephen, who possessed a world of talent in several areas and favored country rock over traditional pop ballads, following in the old man's footsteps.

"He said, 'Dad, if I could sing one-third as good as you can, that's enough for me,' " Cherry said. " 'Just think how good I'd be.' "

But Stephen's other skills and responsibilities won out over a life on the road as a musician. It's one of the many things his father always admired about him. Stephen Cherry was a good father who knew he was best-suited in the financial spotlight as an executive at Cantor Fitzgerald with an office on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower.

That is where Stephen was on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorist hijackers flew American Airlines Flight 11 into the building. On Tues day's 11th anniversary, Stephen Cherry's name was read on the roll call of the nearly 3,000 American victims of 9/11.

As you might easily imagine, the anniversary is always difficult for Don and his wife, Francine. Although she is not Stephen's mother, she came to love him and admire his many talents - especially is love of fatherhood. He left behind a wife and four children.

Francine has witnessed the toll the death of the son has taken on the father.

"We get a lot of emails and people calling" on 9/11, Francine said. "It's hard on him. He says, 'Francine, it gets worse as it gets longer.' "

Stephen was 41 when he died. Don Cherry, who managed to achieve high-profile careers as a singer and on the golf course, where he once was among the leaders in the 1960 U.S. Open, turned 88 this year. He's enjoyed a long, colorful, and successful life.

Nothing on his darkest days could have prepared him to lose a loving son in a terrorist attack. Each year since that awful day, he rises early and manages to watch some of the many tributes to the victims on television. He avoids the most violent images.

"It makes me breathe a little harder," he said. "I know it's never going to go away. The first part of the year is fine; then we get to the middle of it, and all of a sudden 9/11 shows up. I just watch the program when it comes on television. It's like something, I don't know how to explain it to you. I really loved that kid.

"I feel like I've got a hole in my heart."

It's an ache that even the 2011 killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden could not salve.

Francine offered, "He misses him. Stephen was such a wonderful human being. You have no idea."

In Washington and elsewhere, the outpouring of condolence was heaped upon the families of the 9/11 victims.

During a ceremony Tues day morning at the Pentagon, President Barack Obama said, "This day is never an easy day. But it is especially difficult for all of you, the families of nearly 3,000 innocents who lost their lives - your mothers and fathers, your husbands and wives, your sons and your daughters. They were taken from us suddenly and far too soon."

It's a message Don Cherry lives with every day.

Oh, what an old man wouldn't do to hear his son's voice just one more time.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/Smith