Megan Moroney Honors Late Uncle Lost on 9/11 With Emotional Song ‘Heaven By Noon’

Megan Moroney is opening up about the deeply personal inspiration behind her song “Heaven By Noon,” from her album Am I Okay?. The song is reflective of a sudden loss of a loved one and was inspired by the loss of her uncle, Dennis Moroney, who was a victim of the 9/11 attacks. Dennis was a senior vice president at Cantor Fitzgerald at the time and worked on the 101st floor of the north tower. He was 39 and looking to celebrate his 40th birthday with family.

Dennis was a loving husband and father, survived by his wife Nancy and children, Elizabeth and Timothy. A detailed Facebook tribute described him as a humorous, caring, and loving family man from New York. The post, written to mark his birthday, wished him a happy heavenly birthday and emphasized that he would never be forgotten. The tribute reflected on the family bonds he shared and the plans he was making for a family gathering before his very premature death.

Moroney was just shy of four years old when her uncle died, but his memory has profoundly shaped her life and music. She honored him publicly by sharing a photo of his name at the World Trade Center memorial on Instagram. In rare interviews, she has spoken about how she channels her grief through music, with “Heaven By Noon” capturing the pain of final conversations and unspoken words.

“A lot of people don't know this, but my uncle died on 9/11, so I thought about my aunt when I was writing that song because… the last thing they talked about was an oil change. And so that's probably not what she would've said, wanted to say to him if she knew it was going to be the last time,” Moroney shared. ”It's definitely a heart-wrenching song, and I hope that it helps.”

Moroney co-wrote the song with Jessie Jo Dillon and Matt Jenkins. She performed it live at the Country Radio Seminar during an in-memoriam segment for fallen industry members, one of the few times she has sung it publicly.