In memory of all those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in honor of all those who became heroes in a moment’s time, I am re-posting this video from earlier on my blog. So few people are aware of the Great Boatlift of 9/11, the largest boatlift in human history, evacuating 500,000 people by boat to safety.
With the towers in flames and everyone running for their lives, it soon became clear that Manhattan was an island and that there weren’t many places to run. But that it’s an island also meant something else. There were boats. This is such an amazing film, made 10 years after 9/11 by Eddie Rosenstein and narrated by Tom Hanks. When the call went out for help, hundreds of tugboats, ferries, fishing boats, coast guard cutters, party boats and others sped to Manhattan to take as many people as they could for as many trips as they could make. People who could not refuse the call to help – who were honored to assist the thousands of people, standing desperate on the edge of Manhattan – became largely unsung heroes. This video sings their praises and so beautifully. It’s nearly 12 minutes long but worth every second.
Still A Dreamer 