Sadness, again

In the days just after September 11, 2001, our nonprofit Firefighters' Fund "adopted" an FDNY fire station - Engine 24 / Ladder 5 - in Greenwich Village. Members of our nonprofit were involved in fundraising and not much else for several weeks, and after collecting thousands of dollars, we went to New York to deliver grants to the 11 families of Engine 24 / Ladder 5 who lost their firefighters that terrible day. We spent time with them - crying, laughing, sharing meals and stories and hope with them. And when our time there was through, and we left New York to come back home, we knew that we left stronger than we'd been when we arrived. Six years later, not many of the original crew still work there, but this firehouse will always be a special place for us.

And now this, again - not two weeks ago, Engine 24 / Ladder 5 lost two more firefighters who died battling a fire at the former Deutsche Bank building - one of the buildings damaged in the original attacks of September 11. Robert Beddia and Joseph Graffagnino became trapped in maze-like conditions on the 14th floor of the building, which is still undergoing demolition. They suffered severe smoke inhalation and were taken to NY Downtown Hospital in cardiac arrest, where they succumbed to their injuries.

Please keep the families of these firefighters - of all firefighters - in your thoughts. Remember what they do for us, what they give to us. It is everything.