9/11, 25th Anniversary Remembrance: #13 – Oscar F. Nesbitt
By Steve Wilson // August 30, 2026
Nesbitt worked in the South Tower at the World Trade Center in New York City
Oscar F. Nesbitt (pictured) tragically was killed on 9/11 while working in the South Tower at the World Trade Center in New York City. (Image:legacy.com)
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – In remembrance of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson randomly selected 25 people that were killed on that tragic day. Space Coast Daily will release one story per day leading up to September 11, 2026. Today’s story is about Oscar F. Nesbitt who tragically was killed on 9/11 while working in the South Tower at the World Trade Center in New York City. Story courtesy of legacy.com.
“When #13 Oscar F. Nesbitt went to work, he was always impeccably dressed in a suit and tie, with a newspaper in his hands and a greeting on his lips.
He used the newspaper to satisfy his interest in crossword puzzles and stock tables. The greeting was a necessity because scores of people at 2 World Trade Center, where Mr. Nesbitt worked as a tax auditor for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, considered him a friend.
“He’d approach somebody off the street and just strike up a conversation,” said Bill Frederick, a longtime friend and co-worker. “Even people calling with a wrong number, within an hour he would know their whole life story.”
From his native Trinidad to Harlem, where he had bought and refurbished two brownstones, Mr. Nesbitt, 58, was known for his wise counsel. “He was an inspiration,” said a friend, Sherly Abraham. “Every time I had a problem he’d say, `You know you can’t change what’s given to you, but you can change the way you deal with it.’ ”
After Sept. 11, when Mr. Nesbitt’s family went to his house, they discovered a Bible on his bed that was turned to the 16th Psalm.
“It begins with `Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust,’ ” said one of his brothers, Earl Nesbitt. “Whenever you talked to him about death, he would say, `If that’s God’s will, so be it.'”
This article is sponsored by Erdman Automotive and Craig Technologies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia. He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.
Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey, Florida House District 32 Constituent of the Week 4/20/25.
Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.
He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 27 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.
The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.
