I
would like to thank you for
embarking on this journey with me
through this book. The tragic events
of 9/11 are extremely sensitive,
however if we ignore the pain
surrounding the event, we also
ignore the incredible people who had
the courage to confront them. My
mission is to comfort the loved ones
left behind, and simply recognize
the selfless acts, which were
repeated throughout that day.
I
struggled with the decision whether
to make public my personal diary,
which included many of the events
and people surrounding September 11.
The enormous respect I have for all
the heroes that emerged that day
would be difficult for me to put
into words. So many different people
acted with dignity and honor, it
concerned me that it might exceed my
ability to capture the day’s
reverence.
I am
a paramedic/firefighter as well as a
hospital supervisor who was at
Ground Zero. I have never been
prouder to call myself an American
or to be a member of the public
safety community. The negative image
or stereotype that people sometimes
harbor, especially regarding police
officers, is often very unfair.
Twenty
years as a public servant has given
me the opportunity to witness many
benevolent and compassionate acts
performed by the very same people
who are sometimes vilified by the
public. On September 11, the world
witnessed the true character and the
level of dedication that is at the
core of the emergency services
personnel in the United States.
