Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Kayla Fallon Smith continues to live with the memory of her father’s final phone call. William Lawrence Fallon Jr., an IT manager at Cantor Fitzgerald, was 38 when he was killed at the World Trade Center. Smith was 8 years old when she learned he would not be coming home. She has since turned her grief into a nonprofit that provides mental health counseling and equine-assisted therapy to people affected by trauma.
| 1) | The final phone call from the World Trade Center |
| 2) | A childhood shaped by loss and remembrance |
| 3) | Turning grief into a mental health mission |
| 4) | How Trails of Purpose supports trauma recovery |
| 5) | Preserving a father’s legacy for future generations |
The final phone call from the World Trade Center
William Lawrence Fallon Jr. worked in the twin towers as an IT manager for Cantor Fitzgerald. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, he followed a routine familiar to his daughters, calling the family home before they left for school. After the first tower was hit, he called again, and his wife answered.
“I’m getting out, I’m coming home.”
According to his daughter, he also told her mother to turn on the news before ending the call. The family never heard from him again. The brief exchange became the last known contact between Fallon and his family, and its words have remained central to Smith’s memory of the attack.
A childhood shaped by loss and remembrance
Kayla Fallon Smith was 8 when she learned that her father would not return. Before the attacks, Fallon often commuted early so he could leave work earlier in the afternoon and take his daughter to dancing school. He also exercised before work, a routine Smith remembers hearing from home.
The morning calls were usually quick and light-hearted. Fallon would describe the view from the towers, including days when clouds covered the streets below while the sky above remained sunny. Smith said the loss did not disappear with time. Instead, grief changed as she grew older, leaving her to revisit her father’s absence at different stages of her life.
Turning grief into a mental health mission
As an adult, Smith became a licensed mental health counselor and focused on helping people cope with grief and psychological struggles. Her own childhood included trauma therapy, but she said equine-assisted therapy was not among the resources she experienced after the attacks.
While pursuing her graduate degree, Smith encountered equine-assisted therapy and found that the approach connected with her. She later developed an organization based on the kind of community, understanding and quiet setting she felt she had needed while coping with loss.
How Trails of Purpose supports trauma recovery
Smith founded Trails of Purpose in 2019. The nonprofit provides free mental health counseling and equine-assisted therapy to military members, veterans, first responders and their families. Its work is designed for people dealing with trauma and mental health challenges, including those who may struggle to express their experiences through words alone.
Smith said the horses can offer a form of connection when conversation is difficult. The organization has provided 30,000 hours of free counseling and equine-assisted therapy to military members and first responders. Its services reflect Smith’s effort to create a safe and restorative environment for others facing difficult experiences.
Preserving a father’s legacy for future generations
William Lawrence Fallon Jr. is among the names engraved at the National September 11 Memorial reflecting pools. For Smith, publicly sharing his story is part of keeping his memory alive and helping others understand the continuing impact of the attacks on families.
Smith said she hopes future generations can remember the sense of unity and shared feeling that followed the attacks, particularly the atmosphere of Sept. 12. Her work connects that remembrance with practical support for people living with trauma today, transforming a personal loss into an ongoing service to others.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | William Lawrence Fallon Jr. was killed at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. |
| 2 | His daughter was 8 years old when she learned of his death. |
| 3 | Kayla Fallon Smith founded Trails of Purpose in 2019. |
| 4 | The nonprofit provides free counseling and equine-assisted therapy. |
| 5 | Smith continues to share her father’s story while supporting trauma recovery. |
Summary
The loss of William Lawrence Fallon Jr. continues to shape his daughter’s life 25 years after the 9/11 attacks. By founding Trails of Purpose, Kayla Fallon Smith has created a service focused on counseling, connection and equine-assisted therapy for people affected by trauma. Her work preserves her father’s memory while addressing the continuing mental health needs of military families, veterans, first responders and others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was William Lawrence Fallon Jr.?
William Lawrence Fallon Jr. was a 38-year-old IT manager for Cantor Fitzgerald who was killed at the World Trade Center during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
How old was Kayla Fallon Smith when her father died?
Kayla Fallon Smith was 8 years old when she learned that her father would not be coming home.
What is Trails of Purpose?
Trails of Purpose is a nonprofit founded by Smith in 2019 that provides free mental health counseling and equine-assisted therapy to military members, veterans, first responders and their families.
What does Smith hope people will remember?
Smith hopes future generations will remember the shared sense of community and feeling that followed the attacks, while also recognizing the lasting effects of trauma and grief.
