In memory of all those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in gratitude and in memory of all those who became heroes in a moment’s notice – fire fighters, rescue workers, canine search and rescue teams from all over the U.S., health workers, and the often unsung heroes – all those responsible for evacuating 500,000 people to safety in the Great Boatlift of 9/11, the largest boatlift in human history. You are not forgotten.
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.
This is so moving Jeanne and it is a testament to what ordinary people can do.
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Some years this event moves me more than others; this was one of them. Maybe someday I’ll write about my own humble experiences on that day. There is not one soul in this area that cannot tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when the towers were hit. And so many rushed in to help – some were personal friends of mine, EMTs, went in to the city from across the state, heroes all.
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Moving and powerful and loyal. Thank you for sharing this post, dear Jeanne.
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My pleasure. It’s what gives one – or restores one’s – faith in the human race, eh?
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Wonderful story. I had forgotten about it. Thanks for bringing it back to our collective consciousness. I was in Washington, DC, the day the Pentagon was bombed. Seeing the flag still flying was a signal we would survive this too.
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You’re very welcome. It was a terrible day in our nation’s history. I lived and worked in NYC for a very long time; I’ve been on the observation deck of the World Trade Center. It was all incomprehensible.
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