According to local historian Chuck Langerman, a 1981 Cheltenham High School graduate and the spouse of a 1986 graduate passed away in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Andrew Kates, a 1981 graduate of Cheltenham High School, lost his life in the World Trade Center North where he worked on the 105th floor as a senior managing director for Cantor Fitzgerald, a securities firm.  
Kates, who grew up on Greenwood Avenue in Wyncote, competed on the soccer, debating, and math teams at CHS. He is survived by his wife Emily, his daughters Hannah and Lucy, and his son Henry. 

Susan Zalesne Retik, a 1986 graduate of Cheltenham High School, was married to David, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to hit the World Trade Center. She was pregnant with their third child at the time.

In 2003, Retik co-founded Beyond the 11th, a charitable foundation that supports widows in Afghanistan affected by war, terrorism, and oppression. As an inspirational speaker, Retik shares her remarkable story of transforming personal loss into humanitarian outreach, helping others to embrace their own power to make a difference and raising awareness of the struggle of Afghan widows.

In 2010, Retik was recognized by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Citizen’s Award. She continues to champion the cause of Afghan widows.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photos: Chuck Langerman, Alamy.com