Michael Pescherine was many things. He was a graduate of Penn State's Smeal College of Business. He was a bond salesman. He was a runner. He was a Nittany Lion football fan. He was a husband, a son, a brother and was soon to be a father.

Michael Pescherine did a lot of living in his 32 years.

Tom Pescherine, Michael Pescherine's brother, said words like ambitious and intelligent come to mind when he thinks of his brother.

"He had that combination of smart and hard working," Tom Pescherine said.

"He had a lot of natural ability, but he also worked very hard."

Michael Pescherine was working at the investment-banking firm of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc. in the World Trade Center the morning of Sept. 11.

Charlie Crowley worked with Pescherine for more than six years at various investment banking firms.

Crowley remembers Pescherine for his commitment to his job, but also for the strength of his character.

"Honest, hardworking -- these are words that you don't say lightly about Mike. Some people throw them around, but with Mike there was a real integrity about him," Crowley said.

Though Crowley said Pescherine was an outstanding student in college, he said Pescherine was humble about his accomplishments.

"He was very modest. I think he got something like a 4.0 GPA at Penn State, but you'd never know it. He was very unassuming," Crowley said.

Pescherine received his undergraduate degree in 1991 and his M.B.A. in 1994, both from Penn State.

"He loved Penn State. He loved it so much he went back there for grad school," Tom Pescherine said, laughing.

Crowley said Pescherine remained an avid Nittany Lion football fan after graduating.

"Come this time of year, he was always talking about Penn State football," Crowley said.

"He always kidded about [Joe] Paterno, about when he was going to retire and how he was asleep on the sidelines," Crowley said.

Crowley said Pescherine enjoyed his work.

He said he liked coming up with strategies for his clients and loved numbers.

But Crowley said Pescherine also valued his time off.

"He put in a lot of hours during the week, so on the weekends he really spent time with his family," Crowley said.

Tom Pescherine called himself Michael Pescherine's "very big brother" because of the seven-year difference in their ages.

He said some of the best times he spent with his brother were in the last 21 months of his life, when Michael and his wife moved into Tom's apartment building.

"Because he was downstairs we had lots of dinners; we spent a lot of time together. He got to know my kids really well," Tom Pescherine said.

Despite back and neck injuries, Michael Pescherine was an avid runner, racing in the New York City Marathon in 1999 and 2000 with his wife, Lynn.

He took up running to spend more time with his wife, Crowley said.

Lynn Pescherine gave birth to their son, Ryan Michael Pescherine, in February. Crowley said the baby looks like Pescherine.

"He's a very happy little baby," Tom Pescherine said.