$5m payout wrecked my life, says 9/11 widow

[DoYouEverWonder]

15 June 2005

In the weeks after the 11 September terror attacks, one widow who received generous attention from the media and the condolences of strangers was Kathy Trant, whose husband was killed in the offices of the brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

Now she is back in the limelight; her life has been wrecked again, this time by money.

Ms Trant has stepped forward to admit that in the three and a half years since the attack, she has received some $5m - from the government and from well-wishers - and wasted almost all of it.

Her tale has provided Americans with a poignant reminder that nothing has been able to replace loved ones, not even money.

<snip>

Today, she says, she is down to her last $500,000. And she has not even enjoyed her spending spree "It's blood money that I don't want," she told reporters this week from her suburban New York home in Long Island.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=646955

For anyone who wonders why most of the 9-11 victims families haven't been more vocal, it's because most of them received very large sums of money that left them 'set' for the rest of their lives.

[MissB]

1. Based on the latest class warfare thread on DU

all I'm going to do is laugh. It may not be politically correct, but damn it, I'm going to laugh.

Sorry she's a widow.

[RPM]

7. where was the class warfare thread?

I guess i missed it...

on edit - yowsa - that was ugly...

[MissB]

10. It is in GD

middle class versus upper middle class

[lala_rawraw]

2. Ah, I got 0 because no one "died"

So I will gladly take that $500k to pay for medical expenses. Wow, unreal.

[gatorboy]

3. Down to her last $500k?

Didn't sound like she was willing to give the rest of the "blood money" away by the end of the article....

And might I say, she sure knows how to spend it!

[RPM]

4. jeezus - She blew $6.7M?

I guess stupidity works a wealth redistribution....

Frivolous, stupid spending... boob jobs, spa tips, super bowl romps.

I hope to god she doesnt have children who will go $125k in hock for college....

On Edit: Private donations that rose to a total of $3m; $4.2m settlement; $500 k remaining = $6.7M

[Ready4Change]

5. Only $500,000 left?

Oh, the poor wretched thing.

:eyes:

Look, I'm sorry she lost someone, no matter the manner of his passing.

But I should be so lucky to be down to my "last" $500,000. Please, just gimme the chance!

[Warpy]

6. She sounds like some of the morons who win Powerball

and then complain bitterly that the money ruined their lives. No, it didn't, but once you no longer are worried about money, all that stuff you've been able to ignore because you were distracted by want comes bubbling up to the surface like swamp gas.

It's a real shame that more winners of either the legal lottery or the state lotteries don't spend some of their winnings on psychological counseling. It might help them put things into perspective and get some good out of the money.

Still, the relatives will be crawling out from under rocks with their hands out...

[puddycat]

26. why waste it on fraudulent psych docs? they need an attitude adjustment

why pump more $$$ into just another fraudulent money machine such as the psych industry?

People are free to lose their winnings. Free to bitch about it, and I am free to ignore their whining. LOL

[Psephos]

42. I'm with you. n/t

[progressivebydesign]

56. "pysch industry" is "fruadulent"? Tom? Katie? Is that you?? n/t

[puddycat]

65. who are Tom/Katie? Psych is a political construct NOT science

In other words, it has no merit scientifically and instead is based
on political/cultural constructs. Its not science. Case in point: homosexuality used to be considered by the industry, in their bible the DSM, as mentally ill/deviant. Now that has been removed, thank god, because of a change in the culture/political pressure. But why? If there was any science to any of these labels, why should they depend on the whims of culture? the answer is simple--there is absolutely no validity to these DSM labels. You can take anyone on Earth, examine them and slap a label on them, but its meaningless because it is not verifiable, quantifiable, and not based in objective scientific measure. Its the worst kind of voodoo committed against the most vulnerable of our society.

A better way must be found to help people. A way based not on destructive labels and voodoo science, but on a new humane model.

[LuPeRcALiO]

8. small correction

It wasn't blood money, it was hush money, at least from the USG.

[shanti]

9. oh boo hoo

i have no pity for this woman. instead of lavishing trinkets, trips, clothes, and boob jobs upon herself and friends, she could've helped so so many people that have NOTHING. did you READ what she bought with this money??

[Heddi]

11. Fucking amazing

If her husband was killed in a car wreck, she would have gotten whatever his life insurance policy dictated--certainly NOWHERE in the amount of $5M

If her husband was killed walking to work that day, or while sitting at his desk, or choked on a sandwich at lunch, she would have gotten NOTHING close to what she got.

While I definitely am sorry that she lost her husband, there is *NO* fucking reason why she, or anyone else, should get such astounding amounts of fucking money FOR NO REASON.

Millions of people die in this country every year. I suppose we could say that their families weren't "lucky" enough to have their loved ones killed in a terrorist attack. Most of these people are lucky to get a few thousand to barely cover funeral expenses if even that.

Oh lady go cry your story to somewhere else. If you're so hateful of the money, why don't you donate it to a family who could really fucking use the money. Why not pay for some poor child's medical bills? Why not do something fucking useful with it instead of wringing your hands and saying "Oh! Well I never wanted the money to begin with...but I took it...and spent it like a fool...and now I'm sad...and I've only got..sob..sob...sob ONLY $500,000 left...pitty me"

You know...I find a $5 in the street and I feel like I'm queen for a fucking day....and this asshole is weeping because she's down to her last $500,000 of $5M and can't spend it fast enough? Here, honey...let me give you my bank account number...I'll spend it well for you.

Stupid
Stupid
Stupid

[trumad]

13. You people need to look a bit further into this..

and quit acting like heartless nitwits.

Let Steve Gilliard try to explain ot to you,,,,

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2005/06/its-not-money.html

[MissB]

15. Um, I get that it is a psychological disorder

But wouldn't most people try to get a handle on it after the first, oh, three million or so?

[Carla in Ca]

59. 'after the first three million or so'...

...priceless


This won't make the contributors feel very good either.

[Heddi]

17. I would appreciate it

if you would refrain from using personal attacks when disagreeing with my opinion

And the fact that she is a compulsive shopper doesn't change my opinion in the least bit.

SHe got an extraordinary amount of money for the loss of her husband. I'm sure there were thousands of other completely non-terrorist related deaths on 9/11--car accidents, heart attacks, uncontroled diabetes, etc.

THe survivors of those who died in non-terrorist ways didn't get millions of dollars. They still suffer the same. They still greive the same. But they maybe get $250k...$150k...and that's if they're lucky enough to have life insurance money to begin with.

She wasn't poor when her husband died. She had an affluent lifestyle to begin with. THe fact that she spent like crazy, and now is down to her "last $500,000" and can't get rid of it fast enough--again...why no talk of charity donations (you know...like the donations that made it possible for HER to get so much money)...why not talk of helping those in need. I know of several cancer research centers, HIV research centers, children's daycare, etc, that would be MORE than happy to put her demonic $500,000 to good use.

But I guess that doesn't bring out the pitty party for some people.

She can blow her sob story out of her ass. There are far more people in this world deserving of pity than she.

[hobbit709]

19. Do you hear

the faint squeaks of the world's smallest violin? I know people whose spouses were killed and got nada from anybody, not even the places they worked.

[Heddi]

27. yeah. I know people like that too

Like when members of my own family died, and their bodies had to be donated to science because we couldn't afford to bury them or cremate them.

Oh...but she's only got $500,000 left....poor, destitute soul.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

25. IMHO, you're dumping your personal hatred toward the wrong person....

...or group of people.

Why don't you direct your anger toward the people that promoted this pay-out scheme to keep the survivors from asking too may questions about what really took place on 911?

[Heddi]

30. No, I think i'm dumping on the right person

IN all of her search for personal fulfillment, it never occured to her that perhaps it may help ease her soul to donate the money to unfortunates instead of spending it up at Tiffany's?

In all of her late-night shop-a-holicism, I wonder if it ever occured to her that perhaps the void she felt in her heart could be filled a bit by buying shitloads of things like...toys? you know...for poor children who will probably never even MAKE $500,000 in the sum of their lifetime.

Or maybe books for disadvantaged youth. Or medicine for people too poor to afford it.

I'm sorry she's got a disorder. I'm sorry her husband died. But her oh-poor-me attitude is similar to Ken Lays' wife who, after the collapse of enron, had to (oh gosh!) OPEN UP A THRIFT SHOP to sell off her trinkets...because, you know..the millions they had left just wasn't enough...poor dears. Why, they may never eat a $200 steak again, and that is JUST A FUCKING CRIME.

[puddycat]

31. I would suggest she use the remaining $500,000 to investigate that n/t

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[puddycat]

29. I get the feeling this lady had problems even before her husband died

problems like lack of compassion, lack of understanding, arrogance, sho-til-you-drop syndrome etc etc etc

She is probably completely clueless that most mortals live and die and their relatives never receive even a penny.

[anotherdrew]

36. oh I get that point, but...

a hell of a lot of people loose loved ones every day. every day. most never get a dime, once bills are paid if there was an insurance policy. How many thousands of people have died for no reason as a result of our angry willingness to let bush do anything he wants so long as he kills some of "those people" and when will we have spilled enough blood to put out the fire of hatred in the hearts of so many in our country (most of who lost nothing in the attacks and don't know anyone who did). It is this mass of people, distant, unharmed, who drive this senseless response and who have 'stolen' this woman's, and many like her's, grief and made it their own. We place a sick value on deaths in this country, some seem to be so much more important than others, when they are all the same sorry waste in the end.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

21. "For no reason". That's pretty cold even for a message board.

[Heddi]

28. Perhaps I should have said

that better.

Her husband died an awful death. As did thousands of others on that day, just in WTC, pentagon, and pensylvania.

But thousands of other people died on 9/11. And 9/10 and 9/12 and 5/7. And they don't get millions of dollars.

Is it to be suggested (not by you) that somehow, NOT dying in a terrorist attack is somehow better? Or that dying in a terrorist attack somehow makes the greif that much more harsh? Or the loss that much more poignant?

Death is death, and it's just as much of a travesty to those whose family members died on 9/11 as it is to someone whose wife was mowed down by a drunk driver as she was crossing the street. HOwever, the 9/11 widow gets millions of dollars for his/her loss. The widow of the DUI victim gets life insurance $$ at the most. And that's if his wife had life insurance to begin with.

Why is the 9/11 widow more 'deserving' of millions of dollars in bereavement funds than ANYONE ELSE who's ever suffered the loss of a loved one? All death is tragic. Most deaths are unforseen. Yet if you happened to have died in a particular office building on a particular day, that death is somehow more....worthy...of millions of dollars???

The logic is illogical.

[noamnety]

12. She should sell her fancy house

with its additions and pool and tennis court.

With that and her half a million left, she'd still be set for life, and could donate both time and money for a worthy cause that gives her life some meaning.

Perhaps she'll realize that. I doubt she will.

[99Pancakes]

24. She should sell her fancy shoes

[stevans_41902]

34. yeah, i think people are being a bit too harsh...

depressed people spend money to make themselves feel better, hoping that material possessions will fill their loss or emptyness they feel. While I agree that there are definately much better things that they could have done with the money to help others, I can't say that if I were in the same situation & my bf was killed and I got tons of money that I wouldn't blow it out of depression. I'd bet a lot of people who gave to the families of 9/11 fund thought they were doing a lot of good for these families but too much money becomes meaningless.

[noamnety]

46. I can honestly say if I were in that situation

I would NOT have been thinking "gosh, I've always wanted an addition on my house" or "gee, I miss him, but at least now I can have that basketball court."

I'd have stashed the money away in a bank account, withdrawing just what I needed for essentials, until I was ready to pick myself back up again and start being a constructive member of society.

Her husband must be rolling in his grave, if the poor soul was lucky enough to get one.

[hedda_foil]

14. The woman was clearly in a manic state.

The insane spending spree sure didn't keep her sane, as she seems to believe.

[AlCzervik]

16. It sounds as though she's doing a fairly good job of kicking her own ass

i don't what i would have done in her position so I'm not going to pass judgment on her, her husband is dead and money obviously wont change that or bring him back and it seems to me she's expressing it, i dont think she's looking for sympathy.

[madaboutharry]

18. This woman obviously suffered

some kind of breakdown. I can have sympathy for her, she went crazy and the money was the way she expressed it. Her behaviour was not rational and I hope she gets the help she needs.

[BiggJawn]

20. No, 11 Septenber and LIHOP "ruined" her life...

the 6 Megabux just kept her from becoming a common drunk.

Is somebody guiding her sons? sounds like they're just adrift, too. That's dangerous.

[99Pancakes]

22. OMFG!!!!

I have no pity for her. God help us!!!!!

[puddycat]

23. If she thought it blood money she didn't have to take it

It took her 5 million dollars of spending to realize it was only blood money?

Its not that I don't sympathize with her. Her government has betrayed her and her beloved is dead because of it, but there are many many ways people suffer in this society--and none of us get out of life alive--AND FEW OF US OTHER THAN THESE 9/11 PEOPLE GET MILLIONS FOR DYING.

So, although I sympathize with the suffering, the "problem" of having 5 million dollars escapes me.

[Deja Q]

40. Issues of the soul transcend money. That's the problem.

Let me know when neocons find a solution to the soul, or if progressives find a solution for money...

[puddycat]

52. if we are human, we suffer, but its easier to suffer when bills are paid

Yes indeed, people with money suffer, but they get to suffer while they have their nails done and their hair poofed and their backs massaged, all the while knowing the bills are paid.

[PartyPooper]

32. Now she should willingly and contritely enter the next phase of her life.

She should become a nun and join a convent. O8)

In the end, it would make a great Hollywood movie, dontcha' think? Especially if she finds a new love interest out of her past whilst at the convent. Of course, she must reject this "interference" from her past. And, by golly, she does!

B-)

:popcorn:

:cry:

:applause:

[LuPeRcALiO]

33. and at the end of the third reel

the missing husband is found. And he's a priest.

:cry:

[PartyPooper]

38. That would be too ironic.

:-(

:cry:

[shanti]

53. yes, she could redeem herself

let's see if she does. i agree about the movie!

[high density]

37. I feel kind of sad for her... but a half-million dollars worth of shoes?

I think you have to be at least in the tens of millions of dollars category before you can afford to do stuff like buying a bunch of shoes that total $500k. With $5 million she could have invested the money and lived off of the dividend and interest payments for the rest of her life.

[Deja Q]

39. In 10 years I couldn't spend $40,000. What's her secret?

:shrug:

[shanti]

54. no secret

our society is built on acquiring things. remember, the chimp wants us to shop our asses off, and she did that in spades!

[AuntiBush]

41. After she "blows-it," Now she says it's "blood-money?"

Her frivolous ungratefulness makes this similar-widow saddened.

I've yet to see "anything" on my end, much less a "card," or even a "flower," or "respect of any sorts with regards to my late-husband.

And it was very horrific, and by no means over... someday I hope to be able to talk about it "out here," till then... I'm gagged.

Will might know, someday very soon.

[Endangered Specie]

43. well if she cant enjoy yout remaining half mil...

she should try giving it to someone who is starving... or perhaps rescue someone has had their ears cut off, their family shot and forced to mine diamonds, etc......

[bluestateguy]

44. Anyway

Did anyone hear that Katie Holmes converted to Scientology?

[ima_sinnic]

45. what a dumbass! and into nothing of substance.

people are suffering all over the world, and all she can think of is all the material crap she can buy?

I am constantly on the edge of disaster, making about 20K a year and trying to help my terminally ill husband, with advanced diabetes, rectal cancer, high blood pressure--a lot of the time we are out of food and he can't get the medication and surgery he needs so will die before his time.

fuck you lady, you are a pig. I hope you choke on your loot.

[Biased Liberal Media]

50. No kidding

not to mention the millions in the US who HAVE no medical insurance. The greed really disgusts me.

[LeighAnn]

58. Feel terrible about what you're going through :O(

*I don't know how you do it*
You probably hear that a lot. I love your website. Ima put a link to it on my homepage.

Peace

[mitchum]

47. Isn't insanity supposed to be a PRIVATE hell?

She's fucking nuts and blew most of her hush money

[BiggJawn]

64. But if you can parlay it into an appearance on Oprah...

Why not?

[Biased Liberal Media]

48. What about the firefighters wives who didn't get that much??

Cry me a freakin river.

[Blue_Tires]

49. this quote just tears it

"She filled her wardrobes with expensive fashion items, including shoes that altogether cost half a million dollars."

Please kill me now (and my unemployed, 40 grand worth of debt).

Very little makes me angrier than these 'sudden millions didn't make me happy' stories from time to time....If the $$$$ was such an empty and corrupting influence in her life, WHY did she accept it in the first place? This woman deserves to lose everything, live on the street, and scrub toilets for minimum wage

[burrowowl]

51. SOB!

With money like that, why didn't she do some good with it and she still has $500,000 left. The woman needs treatment and she can afford it.

[Carolab]

55. Perhaps she could donate it to the 9/11 groups that are trying to sue

for a REAL investigation into this whole mess.

"I want my husband back."

Well, lady, that AIN'T gonna happen and maybe you should help to find out WHY he REALLY was killed. That might be REAL healing--TO US ALL!!!

[daleo]

57. She must have really loved her husband

To blow through $5 million that quick.:eyes:

[RPM]

60. Howard Stern is bashing her on the radio now

8:04 AM on his 6/15 show...

[Triana]

61. NO. YOU wrecked your life, lady. (n/t)

[bleedingheart]

62. Key Problem - She had too much time on her hands

that is the biggest problem with people who receive a ton of money without having earned it or learning how to deal with it.

She had so much free time that she did nothing but fill the void with spending and now she is remorseful that she was just so stupid...

And where was her family and friends while she was doing this? Probably with their hand outstretched looking for some cash to fall their way.

If she had decided to set up a trust for others or spent time volunteering...I bet she would have not spent it all ...

To some degree I feel bad for her but then I also feel that an adult that tips $4000 to a waitress is a bit deluded....

[leesa]

63. They were paid this money in exchange for not suing if I remember

correctly. It's hush money from BushCo.

[Miss Chybil]

66. I would think her husband dying wrecked her life.

I can understand the "blood-money," though. My best friend's daughter was killed in a car accident. The mother received two million and couldn't wait to get rid of it. She spent and spent. I don't get why this lady is crying to the media, though. What's she more upset about, the loss of her husband, or the "loss" of the money?

I've had a lot of mixed feelings about the 9/11 money. I'm glad the families are taken care of and the kids get to go to school for free, but I often wonder about other innocent victim families of other crimes who end up devastated and with no help from the government, or any of the rest of us, but maybe a social security check. I guess it was the uniqueness of it all. I know, if we get hit again, sadly, the victims will surely be left to fend for themselves. The novelty has been broken.