";s:4:"text";s:4926:" Then he and Joey went down to Times Square. But they always did on New Year’s Eve.I think that he wanted to be down there to celebrate the safety of our city and that nothing was going to happen. I said, “I do forgive you.” And we went, walked across the street, and that was the last time I ever saw him. He is a guy that gets it. The Valerie James Showroom is located in New York and home to brands including Annette Görtz and Tissa Fontaneda. Something about him, it sounds to me like, set her off. …Knowing John O’Neill, he probably discusses it at first and then he screams and rants and raves.
He would fight things. He would fight for things. But he realized that was essential to his job. It went from, we met one night, we went out the next night and then that’s just the way it was. That was his Saturday treat for himself.… [He] used to say, “You have five seconds to make a first impression. One of John’s greatest skills was liaison. I said I am surprised, because John had the personality that people liked him. He was very relieved when it was over. He can’t even tell other of his peers about what he’s working on; it’s that intense. No.
He told someone, after he retired, in that week before he went to the World Trade Center, they said, “Well, at least you are going to a safe place.” And John said, “No, no one will ever stop trying to get those two buildings.” So John realized what a very real threat terrorism was to the world.I just think that he felt that there were number one, not enough resources put into it; that it really had turned into a global thing, and people were not taking it seriously. If you can fit yourself in there, a very good place to start, a very good place to become Mr. New York.As far as John’s late nights and things like that, I think that was John’s way of relaxing. I think that is, again, his compassion. We went to five places that night. He would skim through every one of those immediately with CNN on. I believe that was the first year that the car issue came, and it was hideous. My children started calling. It was a big shock. Valerie James and Andrea Bensmiller performing Time After Time at Chrome Showroom, Las Vegas, November 20, 2011. Valerie James Showroom is the North American distributor for luxury labels Annette Görtz and Tissa Fontaneda. He was completely freaked. The World Trade Center has been hit.You know, I never thought it would be John.
I found him charming. He was a fingerprint clerk, and he started going to college. I’m trying to call the kids.
We were all certainly aware of who he was and what a threat he was considered to be.
He called me at the office, “What are you doing tonight?” I said, “I am taking a client out.” I was taking a client our to dinner.
…Very first time I saw John, I did something I had never done before and will never do again.
John was fighting a double war.
It was horrendous. John was a fun guy. Valerie James Showroom is the North American distributor for luxury labels Annette Görtz and Tissa Fontaneda.
Are we OK?” So he knew [he] ruffled feathers.He would be very up front about it.
“You play a mean game of solitaire, babe.” I said something unkind. I knew the head of Scotland Yard called him at midnight London time, and said, “Everything is OK on my watch. Not a very long time. Knowledge is power, and John knew that.
…John just felt he had a huge responsibility. I saw one. It was typical of John’s frenetic life. He wasn’t paranoid. … John was very excited about going to Washington. I don’t know if John O’Neill had regrets or not.
By now there are 20 people in my showroom, but half of them know John, and he says, “Hey babe, it’s me.” I said, “Are you OK?” He says, “Yes, I’m fine.” He said, “Val, do you know what hit it?” and I said, “John, I don’t know.” I said, “Jay said he thought it was a 747.” John said, “Val, it’s horrible. He knew a lot about French Impressionism.
There was nothing missing from the briefcase other than a Mont Blanc pen and a lighter. Hanging the pictures in his office.He went straight to his office … and he got the call from … I know it was very, very intense for John. Since 1991, Valerie James was John O'Neill's friend and companion. So can I please tell you how happy I am that I did say that?… It was a beautiful, beautiful day. …Well, it did override his personal life.
Valerie James Showroom is the North American distributor for luxury labels Annette Görtz and Tissa Fontaneda.
…He did compartmentalize his life, obviously. He would make coffee. He had some debt to pay off.
He was very, very excited. He said it on Sept. 10.
