09/11/2026
25 years ago today the unthinkable happened. Our nation was attacked by terrorist on our own soil and 2,977 victims lost their lives. Of that number FDNY lost 343 lives, NYPD lost 23, Port Authority PD lost 37, 8 were lost from private EMS companies, 3 Court Officers, 1 from the FBI, 1 from the USSS, and 1 Fire Marshal. 25 years ago they went to work expecting to have a normal shift. They assumed that at the end of their shift they would be home to be with their families. But that wasn’t what happened. Their lives were cut short by senseless acts of terrorism.
Today, people all across our nation will pay tribute to those who didn’t come home. Some will mourn the life of a family member or friend. Some will wish they could have met their loved one but the loved one left this earth before they were even born. Some will wish they could change the last thing they did or said to someone who died that day. As someone involved in Fire, Law Enforcement, and EMS it may mean more to me although it shouldn’t. We as a nation lost lives, our freedom was jeopardized, and our everyday lives were compromised. We just never know when our last shift will come or when our last day on this earth will happen. Only God knows and we need to make sure we have our hearts right. We need to be sure that we know and trust Him for our Salvation. Today, I’m honored to have a part in a few ceremonies at Hillsdale College with HCFD. The evening event will be a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at the football stadium. It’s a grueling climb in full turnout gear. This will be my third time having the opportunity to do this. Some will climb to prove something to themselves or to prove something to others. That’s fine for them and it’s a noble thing to do. Most of us will climb in honor of someone who died this day 25 years ago. We will carry an ID badge with their name and/or face on it and we will climb because that’s what they did without hesitation that day. We will climb because they no longer can. We will never forget!