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Learning on the Job

Antonio Alvarez and his wife, Filiberta Barragan, met more than five years ago at a garment factory in Queens. His job was to unpack and distribute the pieces of garments that came bundled together. Her job, after seamstresses had stitched them together, was to repackage them to send off to another factory.

The two were newly arrived immigrants from Mexico. They both believed in hard work and family closeness. "He was very serious, but always in a happy mood," Mrs. Barragan said.

They began living together, and four years ago had a son, Giovanni. They married a little more than a year ago. Mr. Alvarez, 23, liked to play soccer with friends or join in pickup basketball games in his neighborhood in Jackson Heights, Queens.

At one point, Mr. Alvarez was laid off from the garment factory, and he went to work for a restaurant. About a year ago, a friend helped him get the job as a grill cook at Windows on the World. He went to work at 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 11, earlier than usual, because there was a special event.

"He was very happy working there," his wife said. "He said he was learning so much."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on December 14, 2001.