Mike and Dan Friedman were only 11 years old when their father, Andrew Friedman, was killed on 9/11. The twins made it through this tragic time with the strength and love of their mother Lisa, the memory of their kind and generous father, and the unwavering support and kindness from their community.
Many years later, now grown adults — standing at 6’9” and 6’11” respectively — the twins felt compelled to fulfill the "tall order" of honoring their father and giving back for all the help they received after 9/11. As a result, their family business, Tall Order Accessories, was born.
Three days after 9/11, when they were still profoundly grieving, Lisa piled the boys into a van and drove into Manhattan to bring clean, dry socks to rescue and recovery workers who needed them. They turned their grief into an opportunity to do something good for others. Socks started to represent hope for the Friedmans, a theme that carries on today.
Tall Order now makes accessories for people of all sizes and then donates a portion of its profits to various health and human services organizations that focus on families and youth in times of need. To date, they have donated more than $300,000 to charitable causes.
Today, you can find Tall Order Accessories in the 9/11 Memorial & Museum store. The company also recently announced an exciting partnership with New York Yankee Aaron Judge — AL Home Run King, 2022 AL MVP, and four-time All-Star — and United Legwear & Apparel Co. Together, the trio will produce Aaron Judge-branded top-drawer basics. The twins and Lisa credit Andrew for watching over them and helping bring so much incredible growth and success to Tall Order Accessories.
As the years pass, it is up to each of us to find ways to continually renew our promise to never forget the lessons of 9/11 – and the Friedman family has found a way to turn their remembrance into action, keeping Andrew “Andy” Friedman’s kind and generous spirit alive.
By 9/11 Memorial Staff