Memories.

Ten years ago, I was not a firefighter/paramedic.

Ten years ago, I was holding my one month old, watching the horrific events unfold.

Ten years ago, I had no idea that one day I would be a part of this exclusive fraternity.

Now that I am a part of it, I wonder if I could have done the same thing.

Could I have run up flight after flight of stairs?  Could I have directed people to leave the inferno I was willingly running into?

Could I come out with a patient, drop him off, and go back in?

On 9/11/01 I lost 343 brothers, all who preformed selfless acts of heroism.

343 made the ultimate sacrifice that day.

Thousand more took time from their family and friends to help the fallen.  Hundreds of those are now sick with specific diseases.

Many tears were shed.  Many great lives were lost.  Heroes are not supposed to fall.

I’d like to think I could give the ultimate sacrifice.  Give whatever is needed of myself to save someone I don’t know.

The events of September 11, 2001 forever changed the course of my life.  I will never forget those who went before me.  All 343 of them.  God bless.

I do realize more than just 343 lives were taken that day.  Police, Port Authority, civilians.  May God bless all of them.

Images taken from LIFE magazine and Google images.