We will never forget...
Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 1:09PM 10 Years ago today just about everyone in America can remember where they were when they first heard that our country was under attack. At the time I was working for Sears selling appliances. I typically worked the closing shift and didn't go to work until noon. On the morning of 9/11 I was in bed fast asleep. My phone kept ringing, but the answering machine was on the other side of my apartment so I couldn't hear the messages. It wasn't until the fifth or sixth call that I finally decided to get out of bed and find out what was going on. I went to the living room and hit "play" on the answering machine while I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Like so many other I couldn't believe what just happened... America had been the target of a terrorist attack.
9/11 was no doubt one of the saddest days in American history. But what came forth from the ashes was truly remarkable. Instead of becoming broken, we became united like no ther time in my life. Our heros shifted from movie stars and sports icons to firefighters and police officers. Our resolve and our courage as a nation was immense and our enemies quickly found that you can't break the spirit of this great country.
This morning I had the opportunity to document something unlike anything I have ever photographed in my life. A few months ago our department was given the gift of a piece of steel from one of the World Trade Center towers. A massive I-beam that now sits in front of our administration building as part of an incredible memorial hornoring those who fell on that terrible day a decade ago. That beam was pulled from the wreckage and re-purposed to give the citizens in the area a place to visit and a place to remember.
I work alongside dozens of heros that would gladly sacrifice their lives to save someone elses. And even though I don't ride on a big red truck to put out fires and my life is not constantly on the line, I have still been accepted into a brotherhood that is comprised of some of the finest men and women you could ever meet. As much as I wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with them this morning, I knew that today my job was to capture what we meant a decade ago when we promised "We will never forget..."
It was so cool to see that so many people brought flowers and flags to lay at the base of the monument...
We didn't know how many people were going to show up, a handful? A few dozen? Turns out we had a packed house.
Fire Deparment in Community
Reader Comments (6)
These are great Ken!
Ken, these photographs are fabulous. Second best thing to being there. Thanks!
Ken, these pictures are awesome. I hate that I missed the memorial commemorating the 10 year anniversary of 9-11. I was out of town and unable to attend but looking at your pictures makes me feel like I was there. These pictures are so moving and the number of citizens and individuals that were there was amazing. 9-11 touched so many lives, in many different ways and we will never forget that day. Again thanks for capturing such amazing and moving pictures and a great big Thanks to all those individuals who continue to put their lives in harms way to save the lives of many.
theese photos are awesome very moving you did this memorial justice i am very pround of you
Ken you captured every moving moment that we all experienced. You took us back to a time 10 years ago when we all realized how drastically our lives were changed and will be changed forever. Thanks for all you do,
I'm always impressed with the quality of your work! You captured the mood and the moment!