On September 11th2001 I was just four years old and naturally I don’t have any substantial memory of the tragic day. Nevertheless, I have many recollections surrounding 9/11, specifically of its aftermath and response.
Living in Breezy Point, a community packed with firefighters, my parents knew many of the attack’s victims. Although I was ignorant and did not truly learn about what 9/11 really was until a few years later, even as a little kid I could sense that something was wrong. The grief in the faces of my parents and neighbors was obvious.
As I grew up I became more and more aware of what happened on that fateful September morning. The car stickers and “Never Forget” t-shirts finally started to make sense, and the reality was a tough pill to swallow. When I was old enough, my Dad told me about his experiences on 9/11, rushing from his hospital in Brooklyn to the financial district to help provide urgent medical care. Although I certainly wasn’t there myself, my Dad’s memory of his experiences helped make the events seem more personal to me. As a New Yorker, the 9/11 attacks were not merely staged against those in the towers, but against our entire city.
This September, I ran theTunnels to Towers5 k的晚了Stephen Siller. After missing his truck, Stephen felt such an obligation to go help that he ran from Brooklyn to Manhattan, 3.2 miles through the tunnel, wearing his full gear and SCBA, an absurd amount of weight.
The race is held every year in honor of his brave actions. As I exited the tunnel and entered lower Manhattan, the FDNY lined the streets in uniform and held up banners with the names of the 343 firefighters who perished that day. This subtle action hit me hard and reminded me again why I, along with so many others, was running.
Editor’s Note:Mark Kindschuh was recently in the news for his actions during theLondon Bridge terror attack. Kindschuh was inside a Borough Market bar with classmates when terrorists rushed in and started stabbing patrons. As many fled, Mark stayed to help a victim who was bleeding severely.
