Rob Mayo with his son Corbin on a Disney cruise

Rob Mayo and his son Corbin

Rob Mayo mini golfing with his son Corbin

Rob Mayo holding his son Corbin

Rob Mayo on a merry go round with his son Corbin

Rob Mayo with his son Corbin

Rob Mayo with his son Corbin

Rob Mayo with his son Corbin
Rob Mayo holding his newborn son Corbin

Rob Mayo with friends

Rob Mayo at Disney with his son Corbin

Portrait of Rob Mayo

Rob Mayo's father Bill

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl on vacation in Paris

Rob Mayo with his mother Claire and pet dog

Rob as a child with his father Bill

Rob Mayo at his eighth grade graduation

Portrait of Rob Mayo in middle school

Rob Mayo's family

Rob Mayo's favorite picture of his wife Meryl

Rob Mayo at his 30th birthday party

Rob Mayo as a teenager on a cross country trip

Rob Mayo's parents Bill and Claire at his wedding

Rob Mayo playing the guitar as a teenager

Rob Mayo's mother Claire with his dog Shane

Rob Mayo playing the guitar as a teenager
Rob Mayo with his pregnant wife Meryl

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl just after they got engaged

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl on their wedding day

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl on their wedding day

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl

Rob Mayo on New Year's Day, 2000

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl
Rob Mayo with his father Bill at his Bar Mitzvah

Portrait of Rob Mayo in elementary school

Rob Mayo as a child with his mother Claire

Rob Mayo as a toddler

Portrait of Rob Mayo as a toddler

Rob Mayo with his parents Claire and Bill at his Bar Mitzvah

Rob Mayo with his mother Claire

Rob Mayo in his little league uniform

Rob Mayo on vacation as a teenager

Rob Mayo's mother Claire holding him as a baby

Rob Mayo toasting with friends at his Bar Mitzvah

Rob Mayo and his mother Claire at the New York World's Fair

Portrait of Rob Mayo at his Bar Mitzvah

Rob Mayo with family as a toddler

Rob Mayo as a baby with his father Bill

Rob Mayo as a child with his mother Claire
Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl's family

Rob Mayo at Passover with his father in law Sid and brother in law Scott

Rob Mayo and his wife Meryl with friends and family on their wedding day

Rob Mayo at his brother's wedding

Rob Mayo with his parents in law Sid and Phyllis

Rob Mayo and his wife Meryl on their honeymoon
Rob Mayo at his fire safety desk in the World Trade Center

Rob Mayo at the fire safety desk in the World Trade Center

Rob Mayo leaf blowing his yard with his son Corbin

Rob Mayo's Certificate of Fitness
Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl and son Corbin during Hanukkah

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl and son Corbin at Corbin's Kindergarten graduation

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl and his son Corbin on vacation

Rob Mayo with his family in front of his house in Brooklyn

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl and son Corbin on Mother's Day

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl and son Corbin on New Years, 1993

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl and son Corbin

Rob Mayo with his wife Meryl and son Corbin

Rob Mayo with his son Corbin and wife Meryl

Rob with his son Corbin, wife Meryl, and Mickey Mouse

Rob Mayo with his son Corbin on a horse
Rob Mayo's son Corbin at a 9/11 memorial service

Rob Mayo's son Corbin and wife Meryl pointing to his face on a remembrance flag

Rob Mayo's son Corbin with Lee Greenwood

Rob Mayo's son Corbin and brother Scott at a New York Giants game

Rob Mayo's son Corbin and brother Scott at a New York Giants game

Rob Mayo's son Corbin and wife Meryl

Rob Mayo's son Corbin meeting Michael Jordan

Rob Mayo's son Corbin's basketball jersey signed by Michael Jordan

Rob mayo's son Corbin at a basketball game

Rob Mayo's son Corbin's basketball signed by Michael Jordan

Rob Mayo's son Corbin at a basketball game
Article about the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor presented to the families of all the public safety officers who died on 9/11

Article about the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor presented to the families of all the public safety officers who died on 9/11

Article about the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor presented to the families of all the public safety officers who died on 9/11
Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin accompanying letters sent from students in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin from a student in Oregon

Condolence letter sent to Rob Mayo's son Corbin
Card made for Rob Mayo by his son Corbin

Condolence letter from New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Letter with information about the October 28, 2001 memorial service sent to Rob Mayo's family

Letter with information about the October 28, 2001 memorial service sent to Rob Mayo's family

Condolence letter from a New York State Senator

Information on a 9/11 hearing sent to Rob Mayo's wife Meryl

Information on a 9/11 hearing sent to Rob Mayo's wife Meryl

Card made for Rob Mayo by his son Corbin
Rob Mayo's diploma from the Fire Science Institute of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice City University of New York

Rob Mayo's Certificate of Fitness

Rob Mayo's resume

Rob Mayo's resume

Rob Mayo's business card

Rob Mayo and his wife Meryl's marriage certificate
Information on a 9/11 hearing sent to Rob Mayo's wife Meryl

Information on a 9/11 hearing sent to Rob Mayo's wife Meryl

Information on a 9/11 hearing sent to Rob Mayo's wife Meryl

Information on a 9/11 hearing sent to Rob Mayo's wife Meryl

Article about Meryl trying to obtain financial aid following Rob Mayo's death

Article about Meryl trying to obtain financial aid following Rob Mayo's death

Article about Meryl trying to obtain financial aid following Rob Mayo's death

Quote by Rob Mayo's son Corbin in a magazine

Article about the children of victims who recited the names of victims at a 9/11 memorial service

Graphic in "Newsday" with the names of victims

Article about Meryl trying to obtain financial aid following Rob Mayo's death

Article about Meryl trying to obtain financial aid following Rob Mayo's death

Article about the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor
Eulogy given by a friend of Rob Mayo's

Eulogy given by a friend of Rob Mayo's

Eulogy given by a friend of Rob Mayo's

Picture of Rob Mayo with his son Corbin and a condolence letter from a coworker

Tributes left for Rob Mayo on Legacy.com

Tributes left for Rob Mayo on Legacy.com

Tributes left for Rob on Legacy.com

Tributes left for Rob Mayo on Legacy.com

Tributes left for Rob Mayo on Legacy.com

Tributes left for Rob Mayo on Legacy.com
Fan from the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor

Fan from the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor

Program for the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor

Program for the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor

Program for the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor

Program for the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor

Program for the presentation of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor
World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

Letter from the Director of the World Trade Center about recovery efforts

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

World Trade Center Fire Safety Guide

Notice about businesses moving back into the World Trade Center following the 1993 bombing

Notice about businesses moving back into the World Trade Center following the 1993 bombing

Notice about businesses moving back into the World Trade Center following the 1993 bombing

Notice about businesses moving back into the World Trade Center following the 1993 bombing

Letter from the FDNY following the 1993 bombing ensuring the safety of the World Trade Center

World Trade Center safety information kit

World Trade Center safety information kit

World Trade Center safety information kit

World Trade Center safety information kit

World Trade Center safety information kit

World Trade Center safety information kit

World Trade Center safety information kit

World Trade Center safety information kit

New Jersey Living Memorial, A Grove of Remembrance
The 9/11 Memorial Bridge
Empty Sky: NJ State 9/11 Memorial
Queen Elizabeth II September 11 Memorial Garden
Conseleya 9/11 Memorial
Dewitt 9/11 Memorial
Montclair State University 9/11 Memorial
East Newark 9/11 Memorial
Fair Haven 9/11 Memorial
Each morning before work, Robert J. Mayo would leave his 11-year-old son, Corbin, a handwritten note reporting how the local sports teams had fared the night before.
On Sept. 11, he scrawled the Giants' 31-20 loss to the Denver Broncos. Mr. Mayo ended the note, as he always did, with "I love you," and then left for his job as a deputy fire inspector at the World Trade Center.
He never came back.
Meryl Mayo, Robert's wife of 17 years, spoke to her husband by cellphone shortly after two hijacked jets rammed into the Twin Towers. Mr. Mayo, who worked for the OCS Group, the company responsible for fire safety at the World Trade Center, was stationed in Building 4. He successfully helped evacuate that structure and then called his wife.
"I begged him. I begged him to leave," said Meryl Mayo. "I told him to get out, that everyone was going towards the water or north. I guess he made a very tough choice. He said, 'Don't worry, I'll speak to you later.'"
Mr. Mayo was last seen in the lobby of the North Tower shortly before it collapsed, working to keep calm and order as he helped evacuate thousands of people from the building.
"He was a great guy. There's a definite hole inside of me now," his wife said. "It's not just that he was my love . . . he was my companion. We would speak sometimes a dozen times a day, and it's as if someone just shut the faucet off."
Meryl Mayo said she and Corbin will preserve the last note Mr. Mayo left for his son, a small reminder of his love for life, his love for family.
Mr. Mayo met his future bride when the two attended Brooklyn College in 1980 and he was a bass player in a garage band that played Led Zeppelin cover songs. They married in 1984 and moved to Marlboro with their son six years ago.
Mr. Mayo, 46, was a devoted father and a fixture at his son's basketball, soccer and Little League baseball games. He even taught his son to fuse his love of music and sports: Before games, father and son would get revved up together by blasting Led Zeppelin's song "Black Dog."
The family also shared a passion for travel. But they steered clear of beach resorts and instead headed to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the Hollywood Studios of California and the historical sites of Virginia and Philadelphia.
"I used to call him the camp counselor. He would be the first one up in the morning and try to get in as much as possible. I always said I would get him a gold-plated whistle and a clipboard," Meryl Mayo said.
But she said that for all of the loving memories, there was so much more they had planned. They thought Corbin was now old enough for a family trip to Europe. Mr. Mayo wanted to teach his son how to play bass guitar. And then there were the Giants that Mr. Mayo mentioned in his final note. Father and son longed to go to a game together at Giants Stadium.
In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Mayo is survived by his father, Irving "Bill" Mayo, and his stepmother, Connie Mayo, of Aventura, Fla.; and his stepbrother, Keith Brown, of Manhattan.
Profile by Jeff Whelan published in THE STAR-LEDGER
Add new Guest Book entry