/Two thousand nine hundred seventy four, that is the number of lives taken by the terrorist attacks on the day of 9/11/2001. Of these, 343 were New York City firefighters and 23 were members of the New York Police Department, some of the bravest men and women to ever have walked on American soil. For most of us, that day was an infamous day in history. We will never forget where we were when the first plane crashed, and then the second. The majority of us were probably watching television or listening to the radio from the safety of our own homes or workplace. Others were right there in the heart of New York City. Thousands were left in panic, sheer and utter terror, doing their best to try to escape burning buildings, crashing planes, or call their loved ones to tell them that they love them, one last time. But while the majority of the people were trying to escape those burning buildings, these 365 men and women, with husbands, wives, sons, and daughters of their own, were running into those very same buildings to try to spare one more life. These are true American heroes, whose acts of selflessness, courage, and benevolence I would like to epitomize, but know in my heart of hearts that anything I do in my life will never hold a candle to what these great men and women did. These brave souls sacrificed their families and their own lives so that others could live; there is no greater gift than this.
I told you all about my newfound love for "Rescue Me" and I actually finished up the series last weekend. The closing scene of the series finale was of Firefighter Tommy Gavin, the main character of the show, giving a speech to the newest recruits of the New York City Fire Department in front of the 9/11 Firefighter Memorial. He tells them that they are staring at the names of 343 American heroes who were first responders on the front line of a war that may never end. He then goes on to say, "I want you to stare at these names; I want you to memorize them. Go home tonight, get on the Internet, and look up these names. Find out who these men were and what they did on that day." I actually did this several weeks ago. (The City of New York has a nice memorial site dedicated to firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty, which can be viewed by clicking here.) In remembrance of all of the men and women who died that day, I ask each and every one of you reading this blog to at least take a moment out of your day today, to reflect on that day and to think of all of the people affected by the attacks. Nearly three thousand lives were lost that day, but so many more have been claimed since then as a result of such senseless acts. Whether you live in a city of 100 or one million, if you see a firefighter, police officer, or member of our military today, take the time to thank them for their service. Say a prayer for them and their family, if praying is something that you do. If neither of the aforementioned are options for you, at least take the time to do what so many of the victims and their families wish they had the ability to do; tell your family that you love them.
In April of 2008 I took my first trip to New York City. For those of you who haven't been fortunate enough to visit what is often called the greatest city in the world, add it to your bucket list. There is no other place like it in the world, at least from what I know of the tiny fraction of the globe that I have actually visited. New York City itself has an atmosphere all of its own, but being at Ground Zero was indescribable. When I was there, the area was still under construction, but I can imagine with the memorial there today, that there is an even stronger presence of that day. What was even more chilling for me than Ground Zero, though, was seeing the actual rubble and artifacts pulled from the wreckage of 9/11 and housed at the NYPD Museum. I got chills in that museum like I have never had before, as each artifact felt like it connected me more and more to not only that day, but even more, to the people who survived the attacks, as well as those who weren't so fortunate. It was the most integrated with the country, the closest to my fellow American people that I have ever felt. While I opted not to continue on with a law enforcement career, I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to see firsthand the selflessness of our public servants.
We are the United States of America, and as our American heroes showed us eleven years ago, we truly are the land of the free and the home of the brave. So today, as you go about the hustle and bustle of every day life, please take the time to remember that freedom and safety come with a price. As you lay your children (or yourself) down to sleep tonight, think of those we have laid to rest that made it possible for us to continue on with our tomorrows as we know them. Think of our military men and women fighting in combat zones so that we may enjoy our freedoms, think about the public safety members who put their lives on the line every day to protect ours, and think of those who lost their lives so abruptly and tragically, and be fortunate for each minute you have of your own.
To the 2,974, we will never forget.
Here is a really nice memorial site dedicated to those who lost their lives on 9/11. It is not the entire list of names, but it does provide background stories on the majority of the victims. Click here to view.
A complete list of the victims' names can be found here, courtesy of CNN.
Click here to view the New York Police Department's list of fallen officers due to the 9/11 attacks.
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