While We Have Time

“Brothers, while we have time, let us do good.”

~ St. Francis of Assisi

This quote from St. Francis of Assisi, drawn from Galatians 6:10, became the mantra of the Siller family following the 9/11 sacrifice of their youngest brother, Stephen.

The Tunnel to Towers Foundation (T2T.org) was founded by his family in Stephen Siller's honor. Stephen's story has become a legend. Coming off duty, he was on his way home when he heard the news. Stephen called his wife to say he was heading back to the city.

With tunnels and bridges shut down for security after the planes attacked, Stephen was stopped in the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. He donned full gear and ran to the World Trade Center. He was among the 343 firefighters who sacrificed their lives that day in their efforts to save others.

Let Us Do Good, a book by Stephen's brother Frank Siller, CEO of T2T, has been released in honor of this 25th anniversary of 9/11. Siller relates his family's story and all the wonderful work that has been achieved in memory of Stephen. T2T provides aid not only to firefighter families of 9/11, but to first responders who have since died or are still suffering from 9/11-related illnesses, Gold Star families, and disabled war veterans. This year, in honor of this 25th commemoration, the symbolic number of 343 mortgage-free homes will be presented through the Foundation's Smart Home Program. 

Tunnel to Towers Foundation is one of the charitable organizations I'm proud to support. They have helped thousands of family members of American heroes, from 9/11 and the years following. It would be difficult to find a more worthy cause.

While we have time, let us do good.

      

End of Watch

The radio transmissions capture the last moments of men about to die but thinking only of doing their job.

Battalion Chief Orio Palmer, Fire Marshall Ron Bucca, and the FDNY Ladder 15 team had reached the 78th floor of the South Tower. They were working hard in this burning hellscape and calling on their brothers for immediate help. They didn't have time to think about dying.

Click the FDNY transmission links in the Orio's Story page of the Orio Palmer Foundation website to hear the final few minutes of one hero's life. We didn't deserve such men but were so blessed to have them.

A total of 441 first responders, including 343 firefighters, were killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. May each and every one rest in eternal peace.

The final transmission of FDNY Battalion Chief Orio Palmer
Full video on Instagram

The Hero in the Red Bandana

Welles Crowther lived two dozen years. That's a short life. Yet during his final earthly hour, on 9/11, he saved 18 people from certain death in the flaming heights of the South Tower.

Covering his nose and mouth with the red bandana he always carried, Welles guided people to the one stairway that led down to safety. Then he turned around and went back upstairs into the blazing hell. His body was found months later in the Tower lobby, near those of other firefighters at the command station. It's clear that Welles wasn't planning to leave as long as he could assist in the rescue efforts.

His family established the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust in 2001, bringing forth ongoing good from the depths of tragedy and evil. In 2006, the FDNY Commissioner named Welles an honorary New York City firefighter. This week, President Trump posthumously awarded Welles the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

It would be hard to top his heroic achievement on 9/11, no matter how many years Welles may have otherwise lived. We'll never know. But one thing is certain: it would be far better for us to have more such men as Welles alive today. May eternal light shine upon him.

Full documentary: Man in Red Bandana
The 9/11 hero who saved lives - Welles Crowther

The 9/11 Boatlift

 "A hero is a man who does what he can." 

~ Romain Rolland

I must have heard about this sometime within the tsunami of media coverage following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but I'm ashamed to admit I had forgotten it.

The U.S. Coast Guard issued a call for "All available boats" to assist in the evacuation of lower Manhattan. The maritime response undoubtedly exceeded expectations.

Within nine hours, approximately 150 boats evacuated close to 500,000 people to safety. The nautical heroes of 9/11 should be remembered with honor and respect, too.

Click to watch the 12-minute video
BOATLIFT: An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience

Uncommon Valor

Do you ever ask yourself what you would do in a life-or-death situation that would demand action of you?

Whenever I think of United Flight 93, that thought occurs to me.

I hope I would be as courageous as the passengers and crew that decided to fight back against the terrorists. But I'm in no way sure that I would have done so; I doubt that anyone can be sure of what they would do. That's what makes their actions so extraordinary. 

United 93 crashed in rural Pennsylvania, as everyday American men and women successfully thwarted the terrorist mission of attacking another target in our nation's capital. These were people just going about their lives and jobs, thrust suddenly into the path of a terrifying death. They chose to devote the remaining minutes of their lives to mount a defense against incomprehensible evil.

Because these brave men and women succeeded in their courageous battle against the terrorists, the United States was spared untold additional loss and suffering on September 11, 2001.

The Flight 93 National Memorial Park is a place I hope to visit one day. The story of United Flight 93 is one of uncommon valor, a legacy of incredible bravery. It should be an enduring inspiration to every American.

Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, USA

Struck to the Core

Amidst the enormity of the World Trade Center attack in New York City and the drama of United Flight 93, the attack on the Pentagon is sometimes overlooked. This is unfortunate for many reasons.

The Pentagon is the seat of our nation's defense apparatus. The dark symbolism in this building being a terrorist target is obvious. There were 184 deaths at the Pentagon on 9/11, including 59 passengers and crew on American Flight 77. These people ranged in age from 3 to 71 years old. Aside from military deaths, the victims included children and teachers on a school field trip, civilian employees, scientists, pilots, and government contractors. They were there that day from all across America and the world.

The Pentagon attack underscored the totality of the nation's vulnerability to terrorist hatred. Although I live on the West coast, I was employed by a defense contracting company. There were coworkers of mine in the Pentagon for a meeting that day; thankfully, they were unharmed.

An engineer I worked with, who was very soft-spoken and mild-mannered, came storming into the office on September 11, visibly upset. He told me that the parents of his childhood best friend had been passengers on American Flight 77. He slammed his backpack onto his desktop with a fierce outburst: "I'm angry!" In that moment, he spoke for every American.

There was a unity in our shock and grief on 9/11 that I'm sad to think would be elusive today. In remembering 9/11 we can strive to rekindle that spark of solidarity among our countrymen. As in any healing process, it will be slow going. But to survive as the nation we love, try we must.

 

9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon

Climbing to Honor

To mark the upcoming 25th anniversary of September 11, the San Diego 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb takes place today. There are similar events all across the USA this weekend. But in years past, when my son climbed, I've attended San Diego's Stair Climb. It was always an emotional experience yet a wonderful day.

There are local, regional, and out-of-state firefighters who sign up to climb, usually wearing full turnout gear. Registration is open to the public also, so there are hundreds of climbers lining up early in the morning. There are also hundreds of family members, friends, and spectators to cheer them on. Besides the ceremonies, introductions, and acknowledgements, a special guest speaker who is personally affected by 9/11 addresses the crowd before the climbing begins.

The climbers are grouped into teams, which begin their journey in stages. Each team is assigned a start time commemorating a significant moment on 9/11:

1. 8:46 AM - American Flight 11 hits the North WTC Tower.
2. 9:03 AM - United Flight 175 hits the South WTC Tower.
3. 9:37 AM - American Flight 77 hits the Pentagon.
4. 10:03 AM - United Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania.
5. 9:59 AM - The South Tower falls.
6. 10:28 AM - The North Tower falls.

Each climber can choose or is given the headshot and name of a 9/11 fallen first responder to be displayed on their climber badge. At the conclusion of their 110-floor climb, each climber rings the fire bell in honor of the fallen they have represented.

The San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel has 32 floors, and the climbers make three trips to the top floor, then climb 14 floors more for a total 110 floors to correspond to the height of the Twin Towers. The annual memorial stair climb is a salute in honor of all 403 emergency responders who died on September 11, 2001.

At the climb's conclusion the climbers are tired, sweating, and aching. But it gives them a good feeling to know that they've paid proper homage to their fallen brethren. It's a good enough feeling that today's heroes can then head over to the beer garden and toast the heroes of 9/11. I think the 9/11 heroes would like that.

Movies for the Week

“The past beats inside me like a second heart.” ~ John Banville

There are many films commemorating the events of September 11, 2001, and rightly so. This coming week, which will mark the 25th anniversary of that terrible day, is a perfect time to revisit the films that tell so many personal stories of the people who were there, suffered, and sometimes survived.

I still keep the DVD of 2006's World Trade Center, starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Pena. The movie depicts the true-life ordeal of the two New York City Port Authority police officers trapped deep within the rubble. Their rescue was nothing short of miraculous. 

Another disk I won't part with is the riveting 2002 documentary, 9/11, in which film makers capture real time events as they unfolded for firefighters and other first responders on scene at the Twin Towers. For many years it has been my tradition to watch this video every year on September 11. The footage recorded inside the Tower, in the midst of the initial chaos, is incredibly powerful.

United 93 is a gripping dramatization of the brave actions of the flight crew and passengers who thwarted the terrorist hijackers in their goal of attacking Washington D.C. I saw it in the movies upon its release, and it's very well done. But that was a film too sad to own or even watch again. Yet in honor of this occasion, 9/11's 25th anniversary, I'll watch United 93 on YouTube this year. 

Browse the list of 9/11-themed films and find your own selections. That's just a suggestion of one way to mark this significant anniversary of a tragic day that changed all our lives. September 11, 2001, will always be worth remembering.

Best Friends

"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

~ Charles M. Schulz

It's almost the 25th anniversary of the day that roiled our national history. September 11, 2001, is eternally memorable for millions of reasons. During this week leading up to the 25th memorial year, it's worth marking a few moments of what's come to be known simply as "9/11."

Being a dog lover, I'm starting with the search and rescue dogs that tirelessly traversed the ruins of the Twin Towers in the days following the terrorist attacks. These dedicated animals are trained to find living human beings to be saved. The dogs actually become depressed if they do not succeed in their mission. 

It soon became apparent to first responders and all those working on the wreckage that no one was left alive. It is established that some of the dog handlers occasionally hid themselves under debris so the search dogs could be rewarded by discovering them and thus gain a sense of satisfaction in achieving their purpose.

As is their canine way, the dog heroes of 9/11 became a brief but enduring part of a much larger human story.

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
~ Will Rogers

Goodbye to a Dream Come True

 "I'm not near where I dream of being." ~ Dolly Parton, in a 1977 ABC TV interview

Dolly Parton, a completely unique musical talent and celebrity presence, died today at age 80. To say we've lost an American icon is a weak statement, but it's a start.

No matter how outlandish her appearance might have been, Dolly Parton was as real as they come. Whenever she spoke, she was honest, guileless, always cheerful, often surprising and sometimes even shocking in her openness. 

Dolly Parton, "Queen of Country," achieved the goal of her music crossing over into pop culture with such film hits as the theme song for1980's 9 to 5 (in which she also starred) and her classic I Will Always Love You, which became a massive hit for Whitney Houston from 1992's The Bodyguard movie soundtrack. Dolly wrote the song in 1973 and had a well-established tradition of closing her concerts with it.

One of my favorite anecdotes about Dolly is that, upon hearing Houston was objecting to Dolly singing that song so often, was "I wrote it, it's my song, and I'll sing it any dang time I want." Or words to that effect. As noted, Dolly was real.

Her music has resonated worldwide for more than half a century. She not only wrote her own music, over 3,000 songs; she sang those songs and played guitar accompaniment, too. Among her many roles, Dolly was a singer, musician, actor, comedian, philanthropist, businesswoman, and founder of the theme park Dollywood. It's important to note that she was also a dedicated Christian and devoted to her large extended family. Dolly would probably have mentioned those qualities first.

Her hair, nails, and some notable body parts might have been fake, but Dolly was genuine. She embodied our true American ideal, a rags-to-riches story that stretched from the poverty of an Appalachian cabin to worldwide wealth and fame. Dolly worked hard and earned her way up, something worth remembering in our modern age of entitlement. By her own talent, effort, and determination, she got to where she dreamed of being. Rest in peace, Dolly. You deserve it.

The rude interviewer thought she could rattle Dolly Parton. 
Dolly's grace and charm did not waver.