Description Metal memorial bracelet, in red, created in memory of Renée A. May. The bracelet is engraved: "Renee May MD USA | AA Flight 77 11 September, 2001."
Historical Notes Born in Buffalo, New York, Renée May had grown up in California and lived as an adult in Baltimore, Maryland. She and her fiancé, David, were planning their wedding and expecting their first child. Renée had worked for 15 years as an American Airlines flight attendant. In her free time, she was a docent at the Walters Art Museum. On September 11, Renée was working aboard Flight 77. She was 39 years old.
Curator's Comment Building on a tradition begun during the Vietnam War era to remember American prisoners of war and those missing in action, bracelets bearing the names of victims emerged after 9/11 as a way to honor those killed in the attacks. Some bracelets also bear personal inscriptions and images, including the American flag, the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and insignia reflecting a victim’s status as a first responder. Whether worn by relatives and friends of the victim or by empathetic strangers, 9/11 memorial bracelets created an intimate connection to individual victims while also communicating a shared sense of loss and compassion. HIDE