Letter from 9/11 Flight Attendant Reaches Her Son 24 Years Later

A Letter Lost to Time… Finally Delivered

The letter’s path to Castrillo was anything but ordinary. Shainman first came across the note when it arrived at the station. With curiosity and reverence, Shainman delivered it directly to him in Fort Pierce, where Castrillo carefully unfolded the piece of paper that had been preserved for nearly a quarter of a century.

Shainman delivered the letter to him on a Tuesday. The request for Castrillo to read it aloud transformed a simple exchange into a moment of profound connection between a son and the mother he lost far too soon.

A Teacher’s Promise Kept Across Four Moves and 24 Years

The letter had originally been sent to Castrillo’s kindergarten teacher, Thurman. She explained that she kept it with her across years and schools — four moves in total — never letting go of the keepsake. When the opportunity finally arose, she shared it with Shainman, who arranged for her and Castrillo to reconnect on a Zoom call.