Today marks the 20th anniversary of one of the darkest days in American History. On September 11th, 2001, two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, which led to thousands of innocent people losing their lives. As soon as the planes hit the towers, rescue teams, firefighters, and police officers rushed over to the buildings where they attempted to rescue people. Eventually, both towers collapsed which killed anyone who was still in the Trade Center.
One of the men who showed up to save people in the aftermath of the attack was none other than actor Steve Buscemi. The actor had training as a firefighter and he wanted to help as many people as possible. Now, 20 years later, Buscemi has penned an essay for Time Magazine where he spoke about the events of that day and how it has changed his life, as well as the lives of those who also helped out.
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for New York Magazine
“I was on the site for less than a week, but it wasn’t until I got home that the magnitude of it all caught up with me,” he recalled. “I was already seeing a therapist, and though it was almost impossible to process the enormity of what had happened, just having someone with whom to sit with all the feelings was a consolation. It’s not something first responders usually get. Announcing vulnerability is a hard thing for anyone, but especially for people whose primary identity is as a protector.”
Buscemi also spoke about how the vast majority of 9/11 related deaths came from toxicity poisoning as a result of being near the wreckage. Many first responders have died of cancer or other respiratory illnesses, and it is a stark reminder of the destruction that was caused that day.
In the eyes of many, Buscemi is a hero for the work he did on 9/11 and it is certainly captivating to hear about his many experiences from Ground Zero.
