Carrying On

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Sep 21, 2001 Source: People Magazine Online Submitted By: Tamara Devastated families gain comfort by honoring their courageous loved ones Daniel Lee, 34 A new daughter, born two days after his death, brings his widow strength Kellie Lee spent Tuesday praying that her husband, Dan -- never a morning person -- had missed American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to L.A. A carpenter for the Backstreet Boys, he was determined to get home to his wife, who was scheduled to give birth to their second child by cesarean section two days later. When Dan called at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning, "he said, 'I love you, I'll be home soon,' " recalls Kellie, 32. At 10 a.m. Wednesday, her fears were confirmed: An airline representative called to tell her Dan had died aboard the first plane to hit the World Trade Center. "I begged her to defer the birth, but she insisted on going forward," says Dr. Peter Rubenstein, 57, who delivered 8-lb. 11-oz. Allison Danielle, named for her father, at 8:10 a.m. Sept. 13. "I think the impact of having a child and strong family support has helped her hold up." Says Kellie: "Dan would have been holding my hand with an ear-to-ear grin." The couple met in 1992 in an Encino, Calif., bar, where Kellie was a cocktail waitress and Dan was a struggling musician. They wed in 1995 and baby Amanda arrived four years later. Though hardworking, Dan, who had traveled as a carpenter with bands since the mid-1990s, left no life insurance and little savings, so the Backstreet Boys are "raising money for his wife and family," says Leighanne Wallace, the wife of band member Brian Littrell. Meanwhile, Kellie, who plans to move to Erie, Pa., where her family lives, struggles with what to tell Amanda, who insists "Daddy will be back in five minutes." She says she'll build her life on one thought: "I know Dan would want me to be strong and raise his daughters well." Comment on this item. Next Item: Jackson Taps Britney,and Others For Song To Help Terrorism Victims Prev Item: Radio Music Awards line up stars