A year after the tragedy of 9/11, I had the privilege of interviewing three first responders—men who were among the very first on scene at Ground Zero that fateful day. In remembrance of their courage, and in honor of all the brave first responders who sacrifice for us every day—often at great personal cost—I am reposting their stories. I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect on their service and, if you can, thank a first responder. It’s a calling that leaves deep scars, yet they continue to serve. Here are just three of their stories…
Embedded Files
Tell Them to Never Forget
As told by Gary Smiley, NYC Paramedic
Thoughts on September 11, 2001
It started out like any other day. I arrived at the station at 0630 and said good morning to the off-going crew. We chatted about the shift, the two to three calls they’d run since midnight, what the truck needed and other routine stuff like that, then they handed over the keys and my shift began. My partner, Danny, and I checked the ambulance and then headed over to Engine 207 to get some gas. Danny topped off the tank and removed the nozzle. I was just replacing the fuel cap when we heard a police officer shouting over the scanner saying something about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. Danny glanced at me and frowned. “A plane?” I just shrugged. Who knew? Curious, I keyed my radio mike.
“Thirty-one V,” I said to the Brooklyn Borough dispatcher. “We’re available for coverage at the plane crash if you need us.”
After a short pause the dispatcher responded.
“Thirty-one Victor, ten-four. Start responding to the M-C-I…One World Trade Center.”
Danny and I exchanged glances and just said to each other, we’re going! “Ten-four,” I said climbing behind the wheel. “Show us [en route] ten-sixty-three.”
Danny jumped in the passenger seat and buckled up, and before I could even get the ambulance turned around the guys from the firehouse started pouring out of the station. And then everyone just started going over the bridge. Fire trucks. Rescue vehicles. And you could see the smoke coming out of the building, and I remember saying to Danny, “That just looks really bad.” And I don’t even know why I said it, because I figured it was just a small plane. Big deal, right? Stupid Cessna pilot. But it turns out it was a very big deal. That day changed my life.
Danny and I were the first paramedic unit from Brooklyn to arrive on scene. And as we pulled up the streets were littered with bodies, and I’m just like, what’s going on here? Stuff was raining down out of the building, people were screaming, it was just chaos. And there were some other ambulances and no one seemed to know what to do, so I just said to everyone, “Listen, put on your jackets, put on your helmets, and just start taking care of people . . .”
(Read Tell Them to Never Forget by Gary Smiley, NYC Paramedic)
It Wasn't Hell
As told by Charlie Edmond NYPD
Thoughts on September 11, 2001
. . . God is good. Fallen humans did this, God didn’t do it. He allowed it because we turned away from him. I forget who said this, but someone once said, God is a gentleman. He’s a gentleman. And if we walk away from him he’s not going to force himself on us. God’s not the one who did this, we brought it on ourselves, all those years ago when we decided in the garden of Eden, “Hey, take a bite.” And this nation, a Godly nation founded on Christ, fell asleep and we walked away from him. And when these bad things happen, it’s not God punishing us so much as we didn’t put on our seatbelts. You know you’re riding in the car, you don’t put on your belt, you have a wreck and you’re going through the windshield. But if you call to Christ, he will grab you every time. And I don’t believe God sends people to hell either. He’s done everything he can to get us right. Look at the cross. But if you reject God, where else are you going to end up? God has no choice but to say, “You can’t come live here [Heaven] because you didn’t want any part of it.”
I’ve heard people say, “9/11 was hell.” But for me, it wasn’t. Hell is hopeless. Down there I saw lots of hope. The outpouring of help was just unbelievable. Like I said, they came with their little cart. There was so much help they had to turn people away. That was the Christian spirit. That selflessness. You remember Trudy from Facts of Life? She was there spooning out food for us. That meant a lot. She wasn’t there saying, look at me. We had to ask her, “Are you…” Yeah. She wasn’t boasting, she just wanted to do her part. And that’s why I say it wasn’t hell, because people just wanted to pitch in and help. And that was encouraging. It helped. No, 9/11 wasn’t hell. Christians across America awoke, and in the end, Christ was glorified. There’s still hope.
(Excerpt from: It Wasn't Hell by Charlie Edmond, NYPD)
A Day of Disaster
As told by Mitchell Stern
"The Shark"
Retired NYC Paramedic
It was September 11, 2001. The air felt crisp, and the drive from one side of Staten Island to the other was absolutely fabulous. I remember thinking about the onset of fall. Soon the leaves would be changing. It’s favorite time of year. As I had done every day for the past month, I arrived at the store at 5:00 am, fired up the grill and turned on the coffee to get the morning started. My new restaurant, Uncle Mitch’s Kitchen, was quickly becoming a popular spot, and soon my regulars began to arrive. Like me, they were early birds. After a 24-year career in EMS, I was used to getting up early.
“Good morning,” I said as my customers began to arrive. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”
“Gonna be,” one of my new friends said. “Let’s get that coffee going, Mitch.”
“Way ahead of you,” I said pouring from the freshly brewed pot. We stood around and chatted for a while. I served a few breakfast orders and told a few jokes. We were just beginning to discuss the Giants’ upcoming season when the phone rang. I glanced at the clock as I was reaching for the receiver—8:50.
“Mitch,” my wife said. “You need to turn on the television.”
“Which channel?” I said reaching for the remote.
“Any of them,” she exclaimed. “All of them!”
I turned on the TV, and for the next fifteen minutes we all stood in silence and watched the scene unfold. Smoke and flames poured out of the tower. Emergency crews were arriving in droves. I felt a rush of adrenalin as I tuned the radio to 1010 WINS in hopes of gathering more information. The reporter added some details and said that fire and police requested all retirees and available personnel to report to the closest firehouse for mobilization. I had recently retired from EMS, following a 24-year career. I had done my part, but I knew in my heart that I had to go back.
“That’s me,” I said turning to my waitress. “Hold down the fort.”
“What?” she said glancing at the customers. “Where are you going?”
I tossed her my apron and pointed at the television screen. “There!”
(Coming Thursday 9/11/25 A Day of Disaster by Michell Stern Edmond, NYC Paramedic)
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