William J. Wik

He Helped the Rescuers

When William Joseph Wik called his wife, Kathleen, shortly after the first attack on Sept. 11, her message was emphatic: "I told him, `Get out!' " she said. Her husband, 44, an assistant director in the risk management service department of the Aon Corporation, on the 92nd floor of 2 World Trade Center, said, " `No, I can't do that, there are still people here,' " she recalled. "I wasn't surprised. Billy wasn't the type to turn his back on someone who needed help."

She, and the city officials who have examined his remains, believe that he joined the rescue workers, "possibly showing them where the other workers were," said Mrs. Wik, who lives in Yonkers. Her husband's body was discovered in a pocket of rubble along with the bodies of five firefighters. Mr. Wik was wearing work gloves and a mask and had an Emergency Medical Service flashlight in his hand; the equipment was probably handed over by rescue workers as he assisted them. Mrs. Wik said she believes that for her and their three children, ranging in age from 8 to 16, "the fact that he was located, and that we got his wedding ring and wallet; well, those are little miracles — a sense of closure for me and the kids."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on September 29, 2001.


His family held a funeral for William Wik Tuesday. But they have other memorials planned for the 44-year-old husband and father of three.

Wik, of Crestwood, N.Y., was killed when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. In May, he had started work for Aon Corp. as an assistant director.

Wik loved caring for tomato plants in his home garden. His son, Danny, 8, has taken over that task.

Wik had a rose tattoo on his upper left arm. His family and friends are getting rose tattoos, too, his wife Kathleen said, "but not as big and maybe not in as obvious a place."

When the first hijacked plane struck the north tower of the World Trade Center, Wik saw it from the 92nd floor of the south tower, where he was in a meeting. He called his wife.

"Kathy, I have a lot of people to deal with here," she recalled her husband saying.

Wik's body was found in the rubble of the south tower. He was wearing firefighters' gloves, clutching a police radio in one hand and a firefighters' flashlight in the other, she said.

"Because he did what he did and was brave enough to pitch in, I found him," she said. "I saw his tattoo and I kissed his arm."