Memories of William Wren
Fellow officer recalls rookie days
In 1965 I met Billy Wren. We were brand new police officers fresh out of the academy and assigned to the midnight to 8 a.m. shift on foot patrol in the 62nd Precinct in Brooklyn. Billy and I hit it off right away. He never got excited, he had a calming effect on me and on our first vacation we took off to North Miami Beach, Fla.
Billy was always a quiet, low-key guy with an easy laugh. He was always a gentleman and a pleasure to travel with. We went on to join our firefighter and nursing school friends at "The Long Beach Surf and Ski Club." We partied in Long Beach and skied Bel Air Mountain in upstate New York. Billy got on the FDNY, met his lovely wife Pat and raised a family.
When I look back at those days, I have to smile. Everyone loved Billy and Pat and the kids.
Joseph Leonard, Southampton
Boy proudly embraces name's origin
When the 9/11 attacks occurred, everyone in my family wanted to do something to honor the heroes of that terrible day. Of course, we prayed, we sent relief items, etc. But, I wanted to do something more. When my third child was born in 2003, we decided to gift him with the name of a hero. I looked through the names of the 9/11 victims and found the name of a man with the same last name as ours, Wren. His first name was perfect, William.
Our son, pictured to the right, was named William Gordon Wren for William the hero of 9/11 and for Gordon, my father. We call him Will but he is a lasting tribute to William Wren of New York. He knows the history and meaning of his name and how important it is.
When I visited New York a few years ago, I even found William Wren's name on the gate surrounding the Ground Zero site. Will made sure that I included a picture of the name in our scrapbook. He is very proud of the origin of his name. I hope that William Wren's family finds hope in this legacy. I have included a picture of Will in case they are able to see it. Please tell the Wren family that we think of them often and honor them and William Wren.
Amy Oakes Wren, J.D., Shreveport, La.
Photo credit: Amy Oakes Wren
