The Pasadena 9/11 Victims Who Knew Every Child’s Name

On September 11, 2001, Pasadena resident Lynn Angell was living a full and busy life when the monstrous reality of 9/11 struck.

Lynn and her husband, David, an Emmy-winning television writer and producer known for “Cheers,” “Frasier,” and “Wings,” were aboard American Airlines Flight 11 when it crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. All 92 people aboard the Boeing 767 were killed.

Here at home in Pasadena, Lynn had been preparing for another year of themed story hours with the 66 children at Hillsides residential facility in West Pasadena, a cause that she and David dearly supported.

“They were just warm, generous people who really cared about the children at Hillsides,” recalls Candy Puchta, now 81, who worked alongside Lynn as a volunteer library assistant from 1992 to 2001.

Lynn transformed a small corner collection into a dedicated library building during her tenure as head librarian volunteer. She knew every child by name, sent personalized postcards, and brought back souvenirs from her travels.

“She always made every story hour, every weekly theme. She always made it so much fun, and she knew a lot about everything, and she was very generous with her information and her warmth and kindness,” Puchta says.

Lynn’s approach was intentional and personal.

“Every time she took a trip, she brought back things to show them and talked about where she’d gone. And so that she would open the world of those kids and get them excited about doing something beyond the situation they were in,” Puchta explains.

This legacy continues to this day through the David and Lynn Angell Memorial Library at Hillsides.

“Every time we enter our beautiful ‘David and Lynn Angell Memorial Library’ we are reminded of the love, care, and attention to every detail that was put into creating this special place that houses over 10,000 books for the children and youth of Hillsides to enjoy,” says Carrie Espinoza, Chief Advancement Officer at Hillsides.

The Angell Foundation, established in 1996, now manages over $125 million in assets focused on education, food equity, and transformational leadership. It granted 109 awards totaling $7.7 million in 2023.

As Americans commemorate the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the Angells’ story reminds us of the quieter impacts of that day—philanthropic missions interrupted and transformed into lasting legacies that continue to touch lives decades later.

This article was first published on Thursday, September 11, 2025