Honor a Living 911 Hero Meme

I haven't participated in many memes, but now I'm going to start one. Those who regularly read my blog are aware I have been both a cop and a firefighter. It occurred to me that some of my friends are still on the job...and right alongside me, they witnessed the towers fall, then we all trooped out, put on our turnouts, and began our day at the training tower.

At the end of the day, one of our captains told us, "Today you witnessed at least 300 firefighters die. You will never be able to claim that you don't know what this job is about. What happened in New York can happen anywhere and any time. This is what we do, every single day. If some of you don't want to come back tomorrow...we will all understand."

All 22 of us in that city's cadet class were there the following day. No one was willing to step down, in spite of what we saw, in spite of the reality of our jobs facing us. This work is a calling, not just a job, and while the stakes are high, the rewards seem few and far between.

This weekend, we are honoring all those who fell 5 years ago, both the 911 heroes and the civilians, and we are celebrating their lives.

We should not wait for people to die in order to celebrate their lives. We should honor them even as they live, and recognize their presence among us, the gifts they provide, and the ways they touch our lives.

The Rules:

1. Honor a living hero
2. Preference given to Firefighters, Police Officers, Paramedics, EMT's, Dispatchers
3. Not everyone is acquainted with someone fitting into these categories. If this is the case, then honor someone else, a hero in your life who is willing to "give all" in some way. It can be a priest, a pastor, a teacher, a relative, a friend...etc.

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When I started firefighter cadet training, I was probably around 26 or so. Anthony was in his 40's. It didn't take long for us to become friends--he was personable, soft spoken but articulate, and charismatic in a quiet way. But anyone could see that hidden behind his mellow exterior was a steel spine and an iron will.

The first part of our training was academic, although some of it involved introduction to the physical parts of our job, such as lifting the 50+ pound fan to hook onto the doorway (for ventilation), and climbing ladders.

Anthony and I shared the same fear...we were both terrified of climbing the ladder, and together, we bonded over this obstacle. I still remember standing outside of the brick wall of the tech college as the ladder was placed against the low parapet. It really wasn't that much higher than a residential roof, but to me, it might as well have been Kilimanjaro. It was when I looked at Anthony, fear in my eyes, my heart beating out of my chest, that he revealed that he was in the same boat.

It gave me courage to see him climb this ladder and step onto the roof. Our instructors were not unacquainted with this particular phobia and quickly saw that I was NOT taking to this like a duck to water. Rather than single us out, they made a general statement that if someone was uncomfortable with the exercise, they could just stop half way and try again next time.

But Anthony's ability to overcome this gave me courage, and there was NO WAY I could be left behind in his dust...if he could do it, I could do it! And so I climbed, step by step I approached the parapet. Just as my sightline passed over the parapet and I saw my friends, there was Anthony, smiling, sweating just like me. He was perhaps among those most enthusiastically encouraging me to step off the ladder and onto the roof, and once I was there, he embraced me in genuine support.

We had to climb down in the same order, and again, I took courage from Anthony. I'm pretty sure that, were it not for him, I would not have been able to overcome this obstacle at all.

Clearly, at 42, Anthony did not start out to become a firefighter. He loved to tell his story--the irony just begged for it to be told. He was walking with his son one day, helping his son discern what to become as he was nearing the point where he had to make these kinds of decisions. While they walked, they passed a fire station in their neighborhood.

Anthony suggested to his son, "Well, there you go! Become a firefighter! Good job, good benefits, a great career path..."

His son glanced at the station, disinterested, saying, "No, Dad, that's too hard."

Anthony stopped. "Too hard?" He took stock of the station and of the job in general, and set out to make a point...and took the test.

Anthony was hired, and in the ultimate twist of irony, was assigned to the very station he and his son had passed on that fateful day.

Anthony was like a brother- meaning that we could butt heads, argue, and still remain close friends at the end of the day. He was a mellow guy, I was an easy-going girl, but apparently we had the same steel spine...and thus, friction can occurr. I remember when we were assigned as a team at a particular evolution in our training at the tower.

I was assigned to carry the hook, he had to grab the pump can. The SOP's said that the pump can had to be brought to the door, then we would both enter, with the hook, leaving the pump can at the doorway for quick access if needed. Anthony maybe forgot that part of the lesson--we all had a lot to learn and we all missed details here and there.

When we were called out we went to the truck, grabbed our assigned equipment, went to the door and donned our facepieces and turned on our air. Anthony turned to me and said, "Now, you're going to have to help me carry the pump can when we go in...I can't do this by myself...not crawling."

I stared at him. "We don't bring the pump can in...it stays at the doorway."

A heated argument ensued, neither of us backing down, even when the captain ordered us in to the fire. When our argument continued and we didn't obey, she approached, settled the disucssion and screamed at us both. We meekly obeyed, leaving the pump can at the door and carrying the hook inside the smoky training fire.

We remained good friends. Whenever I was faltering in something, Anthony (among others) was there to bolster me up, to make recommendations, and to become the very definition of "team". He had his own struggles and I wasn't always able to reciprocate, but I never lost respect for him in his own struggles. It only proved his humanity.

I haven't spoken to or seen Anthony since I left the department, although I have inquired after him via people I knew. I last heard he was doing well, was doing a great job, and remains, today, a member in good standing of a large metropolitan fire department. May God be with him and all those with whom I went through training.

I may not be a firefighter anymore, and certainly he went further than I, (he's still there!), but he's one of those individuals who has touched my life and I will never be the same again. He taught me courage in the face of fear and continues to live it out, even in the aftermath of the massacre of 911.

Thank you, Anthony, and God Bless You. You were a brother to me, and to this day, you remain a hero. Carry on.

I tag Cathy the recovering dissident, Ma Beck, Ray, Julie D. at Happy Catholic, Jen at Et Tu, Jen?, The Rambling Soccer Mom, Jeff Miller, Angela Messenger and last, but not least, Rob K.

I can't wait to read what you all have to say about the heroes in your lives.