The emergency boats and supply boats docked in this area.
Warning: Graphic. Please read at your own risk.
This is a brutally honest account of my experience...
Ready For Anything
The Fires and the Winds From Hell
The Race Against Time
All Hope Is Gone
Sleeping on the Floor
This is a Nightmare
Unfortunately, I made the mistake of trying to talk about my nights at Ground Zero with Johanna who was my fiance at the time.
I finally understood why my Mom's father (my dear Grandfather) never spoke about his heroic service during WWII. It would be ten more years before I spoke about my service again --- I had to speak up while the 9/11 Community was fighting for healthcare.
Lord Help Us
The boats docked in the North Cove Marina on the left. The map above shows where human remains were found. Of the nearly 3,000 victims, less than 300 bodies were recovered in tact. The rest were obliterated into large and small body parts and bone fragments. To this day experts are still finding remains of the victims. Unfortunately, most may never be found, because they may have ended up at the Staten Island Landfill garbage dump with the wreckage and debris. Picture Source: NY Daily News
Imagine a member of your family ended up here at the Fresh Kills Landfill after the attacks?
9/11 victims should not be left in the Fresh Kills garbage dump
This is the area where I got hit on the head. Still not sure how I survived that. Source
Although, I am considered a 9/11 responder or NYC responder, I chose the title "9/11 survivor" for this series instead. I was just a civilian who volunteered to help along with thousands of others, and I'd rather not take anything away from our 9/11 heroes. With my health I feel I should just get it all out there.
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read these excerpts from my journal. I will share more if anyone is interested. I also want to thank our hero firefighters, police officers, Port Authority police, construction workers and all who came together to help, to have hope beyond hope, even when all hope was gone. No words can express the love I felt or the humanity I experienced. That is what I will never forget.
Peace,
Mitch
Excerpts from my Ground Zero Journal:
Part One: The End of the World
Part Two: A Night in Ground Zero
Other links to check out:
My Introduceyourself Post
Visit FealGood Foundation for more info regarding 9/11-related health and other important links: NO RESPONDERS LEFT BEHIND