September 11, 2026marks the 25th anniversaryof the horror known as 9/11.
Most of us experienced that painful day through our televisions, radios, phones, or computer screens. But while the nation watched in shock and sorrow, brave volunteers stepped forward to perform extraordinary acts of service, placing the needs of their communities and country ahead of their own safety.
As we approach this quarter-century remembrance of one of the darkest days in American history, I believe we must also honor the volunteers who helped carry America through those painful days that followed.
Real sheroes.
Ordinary people who answered
an extraordinary call.
Albert Davis’s Getting to Ground Zero: A Volunteer’s Story is not just a book — it is a living memory of what it took to help hold America together when everything seemed to be falling apart.
From the Introduction, I was rooted.
“September 11th –15th, 2001 I wanted to see it with my own eyes. That was my motivation. Heavily guarded police perimeters that had quickly been set up, within hours, miles from Ground Zero, prevented me from getting anywhere close. Even the press was restricted from seeing many areas. Becoming a volunteer seemed to be the answer. Ironically, all over the city, volunteers were turned away, in what must have been record numbers. In spite of the obstacles many citizens did become volunteers and some volunteers managed to get all the way downtown to Ground Zero. I was one of them.”
— Albert Davis, Getting to Ground Zero: A Volunteer’s Story
This is not history told from a distance.
This is history written from the dust, the smoke and the human heartbeat of Ground Zero.
Davis brings us into those early days after 9/11, when ordinary people stepped forward in extraordinary ways, joining firefighters, ironworkers, medics, police officers and construction workers who descended on the site to help however they could.
What this book captures so powerfully is the spirit of service: people forming bucket brigades, searching through rubble, working through exhaustion, grief, confusion, fear and danger.
These were not just rescue efforts.
They were acts of love.
Acts of unity.
Acts of determination in the face of unimaginable loss.
Too often, the story of 9/11 focuses only on the moment of destruction. Albert Davis reminds us of what came next:
Many later suffered from what is now known as World Trade Center illness, lasting health consequences caused by exposure during the recovery effort.
And that is why this book matters so deeply.
But because human beings saw suffering and answered the call for help.
Those volunteers reported to the front lines of a different kind of battlefield, one filled not with enemies, but with grief, smoke, rubble, heartbreak, courage and hope.
I am especially grateful that Albert Davis is still here to tell this story.
That alone makes this book a blessing, because so many who stood beside him are no longer with us.
His voice stands as a living reminder of what it meant for Americans to come together during one of the most painful moments in our nation’s history — helping all of us find a way to rise again.
As we approach this 25th anniversary of 9/11, I invite everyone reading this to share ideas on how we can best honor the quiet, selfless work of the 'grand and glorious' volunteers who stepped forward during that time and beyond.
They deserve a special place in our remembrance too.
No comments:
Post a Comment