Lauren LaViola’s feet were propped against the edge of the roof of theWit hotel as she dangled from a harness, studiously avoiding looking down at the sidewalk 27 stories below.

“There’s just one little problem,” said the man who had clipped her into the ropes and prepared her to rappel down the glass facade.

“What!” she screamed.

“You need to smile.”

LaViola looked as though she wanted to hit the guy, but smile she did. She was rappelling to honor her father, Larry, who died in August of lung cancer only 10 weeks after his diagnosis.