James "Jimmy" Martello

Big Man With a Big Heart
Jimmy Martello wrote a lot of checks he did not have to. This foundation, that foundation, this friend in need, that stranger with the brain tumor and three children. He had grown up solidly middle class, a hefty Jersey guy -- 6 feet 3, 240 pounds -- who became a varsity linebacker at Rutgers and an impressively successful trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. Feeling blessed, he was always thinking of ways to give back.

His credo, said his wife, Sheila, was, "If it needs to be loved, love it; if it needs to be given, give it; if it needs to be done, do it."

In late August, the Martellos moved to Rumson, N.J., to be 10 minutes from an office that the company was readying. Mr. Martello, 41, hoped to scale back in a few years to attend more of his two sons' activities. He had already been coaching the 7- year-old's football and roller hockey teams.

The boys were robbed of that dream. They will keep the images of Mr. Martello tossing them in the air in the backyard pool, and playing King of the Basement, scooping them up and whirling toward the couch.

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on October 12, 2001.


James Martello, 41, linebacker, trader

James Martello moved into his dream home a month ago.

He was attracted to the Rumson property because of its proximity to the water, a perfect spot for him to indulge his love of jet skiing.

Next summer he planned to teach his boys -- James Jr., 7, and Thomas, 5 -- to fish and water ski. The family would go boating.

Those dreams vanished Sept. 11 when a hijacked plane dove into One World Trade Center, where Mr. Martello worked as a partner and equity sales trader for Cantor Fitzgerald Securities. He worked on the 104th floor.

"The boys don't understand," said his wife, Sheila Martello. "They want to know why he had to go to work that day; why there are bad people."

She said she is still trying to cope with the loss of her 41-year-old husband of nine years, a man who would give money or his labor to any cause.

Mr. Martello took on whatever he could: installing cabinets, fixing broken windows, landscaping the front yard. He coached football and roller hockey.

During the week, he focused on trading stocks.

"That's what he loved," his wife said. "He was very good at it, and he was honest and he loved going to work."

Mr. Martello, who was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Kinnelon and lived in Montville for 15 years. He moved to Rumson a month ago.

Before joining Cantor Fitzgerald 21/2 years ago, Mr. Martello worked as a senior managing director for Bear Stearns in New York for 16 years.

Before embarking on his professional career, Mr. Martello earned a degree in economics and finance at Rutgers University in 1982.

He also played middle linebacker for the Scarlet Knights. Though his team during his senior year struggled through a 5-6 season, family members recalled Mr. Martello played his best game in a 47-3 loss against the University of Pittsburgh and their All-American quarterback, Dan Marino.

A one-time letterman, Mr. Martello earned the Scarlet Knights' Upstream Award for earning the team's highest grade point average. His wife said he got A's and B's.

In addition to his wife and two sons, Mr. Martello is survived by his parents, Alexander and Michele of Montville, and two brothers, Alex of Towaco and Paul of Parsippany.