Remembering
As I was riding my bike to work on the morning of September 11, 2001 - passing 14th street - I had a clear view looking south of the North Tower of the World Trade Center – billowing black smoke trailing away from near the top of the tower. The West Side Highway next to the Hudson River bike path was empty of cars.
Suddenly, a roaring woosh from behind went past me on the highway. Racing toward the smoking tower was a motorcycle with two firefighters in full gear and no helmets.
They were on their way to help rescue trapped people in the towers and to help their fellow firefighters. Courage and bravery flying down the road towards the disaster. I could see the 90 mph. I could see their black and yellow equipment. I could see their hair flying in the wind.
I have no idea of their fate.
25 years later, it is an image and a memory that I will always remember.
It is one reason why I wanted to document the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) neighborhood 9/11 memorials starting in 2019. How was the “never forget” going? How are we remembering this terrible day?
How should we remember? Relentlessly? Always? The courage and bravery, sacrifice and tragedy. The horror. The victims. Keep in mind the families and friends of those who died– living with the unspeakable tragedy and somehow stitch their lives together each day. They have no choice.
Or should we remember just a bit? Maybe it’s too hard. We are built with emotional coping mechanisms. Many want to move on – the thoughts of that day too difficult. Life goes on. You cannot think about people leaping from the burning skyscrapers for 25 years. We can't recoil as jet planes fly overhead for 25 years.
And those who were born after 2001? How do we commemorate and teach history? What is the “history” of 9/11?
“Remember” or “move on” or “forget” and all variations in between.
As part of the New York Times coverage of the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, I contributed photos to an article about the current state of New York City neighborhood murals that are memorials to the attacks and its victims and specifically the firefighters and first responders.
Many, if not all of the articles of the NY Times coverage of the 25th anniversary have the theme of remembering. All of the articles are terrific and very moving.
Here are the ones that struck me (all links are free):
Above are images from the 100th Street Firefighter 9/11 25th anniversary commemoration on September 11, 2026.
In my opinion, it is important (at a minimum) to commemorate the bravery of the FDNY firefighters that day and memorials to the victims should never fade from our cultural consciousness. There should be a balance of living our lives and remembering. I think these acts of courage, sacrifice, and civic duty should inform us – to teach us also not to repeat mistakes of the past. Their memory is and can be a blessing.
What do you think about remembering the 9/11 FDNY firefighters and the entire 9/11 tragedy?
Let me know in the comments.
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