Fifteen years goes by fast, and to many men and women of the FDNY, September 11th, 2001, feels like yesterday.
“We lost seven members, and we have all their pictures up to remind us every day of the sacrifices they made,” said Engine 34 firefighter Derek Harwood. “It’s such an honor to be a part of the FDNY. I couldn’t picture doing anything else with my life.”
Two days after the 15th anniversary of 9/11, nine members of the New York Giants paid a visit to Harwood and the firefighters at Engine 34 Ladder 21 to honor the brave men and women of the FDNY.
“I grew up a Giants fan; I bleed blue,” said Harwood, a Queens native. “It’s such an honor. I feel like a kid in a candy store right now.”
“These guys do so much, and it goes unnoticed a lot of the time,” added Giants defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison. “People just pass by a firehouse and think nothing of it. These guys are here and talking to them about their schedule and learning how often they’re here is amazing. I never knew, and I’ve learned to have a greater respect for what these guys do.”
Harrison, along with Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, Zak DeOssie, Josh Brown, John Jerry, Montori Hughes, Geremy Davis and Adam Gettis spent several hours taking a tour of the firehouse, which just celebrated the 150th anniversary of the engine and 100th anniversary of the truck.
Engine 34 Ladder 21, located at 440 West 38th Street, was one of many hit hard during the attacks – firefighters from Ladder 21 were up by the 40th floor of the South Tower when it collapsed.
Nine members of the Giants take a photo in front of the Ladder 21 truck.
For many, Sunday’s Giants vs. Cowboys game was a welcome distraction.
“It was definitely emotional the other day,” said EMT John Cadotte, a Brooklyn native with 13 years on the job. “It never gets easier. It’s an emotional day, and everyone was hanging out and watching the Giants game when we had the chance.”
Memorials for the fallen firefighters are on display all over the firehouse, as well as pictures, patches/helmets from other stations and even a piece of steel from the World Trade Center.
A pair of Giants even tried their hand at firefighting – sort of. Brown put on the full uniform and Harrison mustered up the courage to go down the fire pole.
“I feel sorry for the pole,” Brown joked. “What’s really funny is he’s the one who’s scared of heights and he’s the one who wanted to come down the pole. It’s probably about an 18-20 foot drop.”
“The pole was a little squeakier with Snacks coming down,” Richburg added. “With a guy that big, it’s even impressive that the pole held up.”
Zak DeOssie looking pretty comfortable behind the wheel.
Laughs and bread-breaking aside, the Giants said they learned a lot about the firehouse and firefighting in general.
“They showed us some of the tools they use and I saw their bunks, their offices upstairs, the equipment they wear and obviously the trucks,” Richburg said. “There’s so much more that goes into it than I actually thought there was, so this was definitely a cool experience for me personally.”
It was an evening both Giants and firefighters will remember for a long time.
“We appreciate it so much,” said Ladder 21 Lieutenant Colin Sheehan. “The Giants coming today and taking time out of their schedule to come and have dinner with us. It’s really great to see the young guys really sit down and see the smiles on their face.”
No comments yet.