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Dispatches

9/11 - ten years after
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"Where Were You When?"

An earlier generation would often ask and answer the question above in relation to the Kennedy Assassination in 1963.

Now, as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, I reflect on where I was when I was at home watching the early news and would remain there for the next four hours and more.

It truly does not seem possible that ten years have passed since arguably the most significant event in post-WW II history took place.

The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and in the skies over Pennsylvania took the lives of more than 3,000 innocents and set the stage for the next decade and counting in international affairs, national security and anti terrorism planning.

In December of 2001, Our Lady of the Mountains Church invited two firefighters from the New York fire department (FDNY)to Whistler for some small respite from the anguish they were still experiencing every day on the job in Manhattan. Whistler Blackcomb set them up with all the pieces for their ski week. Blackcomb Aviation dropped them (and us) on top of Rainbow Mountain in three feet of powder -needless to say something they had never done in Brooklyn or the Bronx. Most importantly, the membership of "Whistler Fire" gained two new brothers - Lieutenant Doug Anderson and firefighter Jim Toelstedt.

In 2001, as the days and weeks rolled on after September 11, firefighters from around the world, including Whistler, felt an indefinable pull towards New York - some to participate in rescue efforts and others to honour the fallen and provide a shared offering of support for firefighters, police and the people of New York. Myself and two other Whistler Firefighters, felt that pull and heeded that call.

Firefighters Chris Nelson, Lance Brannigan and I did not necessarily have shared or even spoken reasons for going to New York that fall. We didn't discuss it much and we couldn't or didn't define the rationales. We just went.

The simple goal of our trips was to attend funerals of the found, memorials for the missing and to offer our individual support as well as the collective support of the Whistler community.

Firefighter funerals are always sad but stirring events, as brothers and sisters from far and wide are drawn to honour the fallen. You usually don't have to ask a firefighter for a hand up - it's already extended. In the aftermath of 9/11, these services were exponentially moving.

I remember attending the funeral for Lt. Charlie Hubbard of Engine Company # 5 up in Nanuet, N.Y. It was a Catholic service with strong, southern, spiritual offerings. There was singing and joy, tears and heartache as we remembered the father, the son, the husband, the brother and the firefighter. The family and FDNY membership were so grateful at our presence coming from so far away. It was a sign of things to come. Needless to say, for the entire five days while in New York, there were frequent unexpected, poignant moments seemingly around every corner from Central Park to Lincoln Center and up and down 5 th Avenue.

While we half expected to be received with a "stereotypical" New York City aloofness, we instead were approached in the street, at funerals and "yes," at a few Irish bars, with such welcome and emotion we were moved to tears. New Yorkers would just come up to us in the street and ask us, "...where are you from?" and "God bless you for coming." We were truly humbled.

On our first night in New York, we wandered down for our first view of the still standing skeletal remains of the World Trade Center. In the cold early hours of December 7, 2001 Lance and I were honoured, and again humbled, to be standing at the WTC sight when the remains of two firefighters were discovered by searchers. The ghostly grey and ash-covered Ground Zero was shut down and a reverential silence descended. Steel workers and equipment operators, police and firefighters and "yes", two guys from the Whistler Fire & Rescue Service, stood to attention, saluted and offered their respect to these two heroes as they left the WTC and began their journey home to their family and friends.

Now, ten years quickly gone, I am going back to New York, back to Ground Zero, back to offer some small evidence that we all still remember and that we all still feel the loss.

There will be numerous anniversary events during the days around September 11 this year. The highlight event will be the opening of the Official World Trade Centre 9/11 Memorial. My family and I will attend the FDNY Memorial Service at the iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan to remember the 343 FDNY members who were lost at WTC 1 and 2.

In 2001, we left a signed, Canadian flag from the Whistler fire guys and a hand made poster covered with messages of love and support from Craig Smith's Myrtle Philip Grade 4 class at FDNY Station #5. On our one night at #5, we ate with about 15 or so firefighters (veal parmesan as I remember), listened to the sad and still fresh stories of "that day," and then slept in New York's second oldest fire station built around 1885. I'll be interested to revisit the 14 th Street Express as they are called, to see if any firefighter's remain in quarters from our brief visit. They all seemed so "New York tough." But beneath that outward FDNY swagger, they had obviously been rocked to their very souls. I will also always remember though their collective welcoming of Lance and myself - their unconditional hospitality. Our shared brotherhood is as strong in my memory today as it was in 2001.

We will, of course, also go down to the WTC. I know something of how the sight has been changed during what has been a much longer resurrection than we could have imagined.

Ten years now gone, in the late summer sun with now flowing waters and maturing trees at the sight, I wonder how the scene and memories will blanket me?

I know I will always remember, "... where I was when" - for as long as I live.

At the Going Down of The Sun

And in The Morning,

We Will Remember Them