Community Corner

Bright, Happy Playgrounds Spring from the Loss of a Brother on Sept. 11, 2001

Tinton Falls resident Jeff Davidson established a foundation to celebrate and exemplify his brother's life.

Cheery playgrounds in bright happy colors have sprung up in local communities from the pain of Jeff Davidson’s loss on Sept. 11, 2001.

His brother, Michael, just 27 and an up-and-coming trader with Cantor Fitzgerald, was working on the 104th floor of the North Tower on the day of the attack. Jeff, who lives in Tinton Falls, says that when he looked out at the standing-room-only congregation at Michael’s memorial service, he knew he had to continue to touch people the way that Michael had throughout his life.

Jeff, his mom and some of Michael’s closest friends established the MAD 9/11 The Michael Allen Davidson Foundation and through annual golf outings, have raised money to build playgrounds in four local communities; develop a diversity training program for middle school students; establish an annual scholarship through Michael’s fraternity at Rutgers for students that exemplify Michael’s attitude towards life and come from single-parent households; and serve as one of the major donors to the refurbished WTC memorial under construction in front of Tinton Falls Fire Company No. 1 on Tinton Avenue.

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A sign that sits alongside all of the playgrounds memorializes the MAD 9/11 donation and reads: "The Foundation was established to not only remember our lost one, but to prevent further tragedies through education, understanding and love." The sixth annual golf outing will be held on Sept. 26 at Bamm Hollow Country Club in Lincroft.


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