Full Breakdown
Kayla Fallon Smith Turns 9/11 Tragedy into Mental-Health Mission
By Drooid · · How we work
9/11 Loss and Last Words
William Lawrence Fallon Jr., an IT manager for Cantor Fitzgerald, was killed in the World Trade Center attacks 25 years ago. The call ended after he told his wife to “turn on the news,” and he was never heard from again. His daughter Kayla Fallon Smith, then eight, later recalled the routine morning phone calls that set the tone for her day.
Founding Trails of Purpose
Kayla Fallon Smith, now a licensed mental-health counselor, channeled her grief into service. While completing her graduate degree she experienced equine-assisted therapy, which she described as a pivotal moment. In 2019 she founded Trails of Purpose, a nonprofit that offers free mental-health counseling and equine-assisted therapy to military members, veterans, first responders and their families. The organization was created to provide the kind of community and safe space she felt was missing for 9/11 victims and others coping with trauma.
Impact and Reach
According to the source, Trails of Purpose has delivered roughly 30,000 hours of free counseling and equine-assisted sessions. She emphasizes that grief does not simply fade with time, noting that each anniversary brings a different kind of pain.
Verbatim Quotes
- “That was the kind of man he was. I remember he would get up and work out in the morning before even going to work, so you'd hear the weights dropping in the house. I do remember that as a kid,” — Kayla Fallon Smith
- “I'm sure I said something like, 'I love you, have a great day',” — Kayla Fallon Smith
- “Those words haunt me a little bit,” — Kayla Fallon Smith
