A while back, I had a conversation with Joe Woyjeck, father of Granite Mountain Hotshot Kevin Woyjeck, wherein he stated that the group we have become a part of is one that you never want to belong to because the cost to get in is far too great; however, you are grateful beyond measure that it exists when you do.
That really struck a cord with me at the time of the conversation, and each time that I have revisited those words throughout the duration of our time on the road. There have been so many variations of reasons for why donors chose to reach out and bless our lives. Some may have family members in the fire service, others have a strong faith in God and feel that He placed it upon their hearts, others may have lost a parent when they were young, and the list goes on and on. Every now and then, you run into those individuals whose reason for donating is because THEY'VE BEEN THERE.
That is the case with our visit today. Perhaps the most talked about, reverenced, gut-wrenching, and remembered tragedy of our day, 9/11/2001, left many people in the same boat that we find ourselves in now. There were survivors of the 343 firefighters lost in the pile whom understand far too well the feelings, nightmares, lessons, journeys and sorrows that we face on a daily basis. When tragedy struck the community surrounding the Granite Mountain Hotshots, we were encircled in love by the survivors of 9/11. They got it. They lived it. AND, they survived it...a phenomena that I wasn't sure was possibly following 6/30/2013.
In May, 2014, we were asked by The Bravest FDNY Football Club to attend one of their football games where they wished to personally deliver the donation they were making to the families effected by the Yarnell Hill Fire. Joe Woyjeck and I were in attendance that day as representatives of the 19 families. It was such a tremendous honor to be with Joe, and to meet these FDNY football players and coaches who had worked so diligently to bless our lives when we needed it most.
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| Joe Woyjeck, Steve Orr, Juliann |
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| Juliann, Joe Woyjeck, and the FDNY Football coaching staff and players |
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| John, Joe, Juliann, Steve, and Troy |
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| John, Joe, Juliann, Steve, and Troy |
Steve Orr, a member of the coaching staff, was the man who spearheaded the fundraiser. In his own words, he tells the story of what went into making this fundraiser such a remarkable success...
The motivation behind raising money for the 19 Arizona firefighters who gave their lives fighting a fire was a no brainer for us. This was the most firefighters killed together since 9/11. The Bravest Football Club lost 22 members that day, so we felt their pain in Arizona. As a team we wanted to do something to show our grieving families in Arizona that we have not forgotten what was done for us after 9/11. From the volunteers around the country who dug in the pile with us, to the brothers that flew in to attend funerals because there were so many going on at the same time that we could not send enough of our own to be there. These acts of kindness and Brotherhood will never be forgotten and we wanted those families to know that they were in our thoughts. We decided the best way to raise money was to make memorial T-shirts and try to get every firehouse to buy them. I spoke with my friend and fellow firefighter Bill Van Gotum and asked him to get me the design that they were using out there. I also wanted to make sure that we were not stepping on anyone's toes by making our own shirts. After getting the okay, we went to our union (UFA) and asked if we could speak at a meeting. They were very helpful and loved the idea of giving back. We asked all the firehouses to put up a list and try to get the Brothers to buy the shirts. It's not an easy task coordinating all the houses throughout NYC but our team did their best and we were able to raise $63,500 for the families of those who gave their lives that day.
As you can see, these men are spectacular individuals who understand the unity that exists among firefighters. They use words such as "our brothers" and "brotherhood" to describe the GMIHC crew. How beautiful a lesson, how remarkable a gift...we belong to a family all around this great country. Every firehouse that we have stopped into have treated us as their own. I feel confident that if anything ever happened to me that my kids would know they have family inside each and every firehouse in this great country.
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| FDNY football team |
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| FDNY Football Team |
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| FDNY Football Team |
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| FDNY Football Team Coaching Staff |
Coach John Rosati has become a cherished friend of mine over the past year and a half. I asked if he would feel comfortable sharing a few thoughts on the events of 9/11 from his perspective. I was humbled and moved to tears as I read his account of these tragic events...
Recently a friend asked if I would share my personal experience of September 11, 2001 and perhaps talk about some lessons learned. As I attempted to gather my thoughts of that day I realized they bounce around in my head like bees invading my picnic table lunch. I can take a swat at a few of them but I’m a little afraid, somewhat apprehensive and ultimately it’s just easier to move away from them. After a second request by my friend I decided to stand my ground and show those bees who’s boss and write about a few things. I’ve learned that no matter what faith you are, the human psyche needs to believe that the people we love and lost are okay and in a much better place. I believe the stories of twists of fate are beyond our control and in the hands of a higher power. I learned the phrase “live life to its fullest” has many layers, but doing what makes you happy is what’s most important.
The days after 9-11 were filled with digging on the pile and short naps. My conscious thoughts were consumed with memories of friends lost. Their faces would flash through my mind and I would think about the last few times I saw them and couldn’t believe I would never see them again. My personal loss was enormous. The football team lost 22 members, many of whom were teammates and very good friends of mine throughout the 5 years I had been playing; In addition to them I lost friends from proby school as well as two fire houses in lower Manhattan where I had worked early in my career. These houses were devastated with losses. As I awoke from some of the naps I realized my dreams were just more of the same. This was my daily cycle and then something bizarre happened.
In a “dream” I was riding on a crowded subway car and through the many faces on the car, I started to notice some familiar ones. They were the faces of my friends lost. They did not speak nor did they acknowledge me. Suddenly a firefighter and friend from proby school whom I had worked with in lower Manhattan, Chris Bopp, approached me on the car. I asked him, Chris what’s going on here? What are you guys doing here? Chris answered, this is what we do, we come see you in your dreams to tell you we are all okay and that we will be alright. When I woke, I could have easily dismissed this as another stress related dream. What made me take notice to this one more than the others was Chris had died at a job known as the “Starrett City Fire’ in December 1998, three years before Sept.11th.
After this dream something extraordinary happened for me. I started to heal. I chose to believe that this was something real and that my friends were really in a better place and they were all okay. I’ve learned that in order to heal, you have to have faith. The human psyche needs the comfort that your loved ones are in a better place. The stories of twists of fate that day are mind boggling. Stories of who lived and who died based on taking a detail for the day to a company that ‘made it’ as opposed to one that didn’t. The stories of who went right vs left. The “miracle of stairway B” of the North Tower. The death of FF Danny Suhr after being struck by a jumper on the way in, thus saving the rest of his company who came to his aid. The stories go on and on and are more jaw dropping than the next. There was no right and no wrong decisions made. Everyone regardless of their fate acted bravely and the living need not feel guilty about having survived. I have accepted the outcomes of these stories, good or bad, as the will of a higher power.
Lastly, an important lesson from that day is the old cliché of living life to its fullest. It took me a while to get this one right. For the longest time I thought if I weren’t making plans to hike Machu Picchu I was failing to live up to that mantra. I’ve learned that “living life to its fullest” is doing what makes you truly happiest. Doing the things you are passionate about. It may be travel and adventure for some and for others it could be simply giving back, donating time to your community, charity, coaching youth sports etc. My good friend Steve Orr taught me this very important lesson through his selfless actions. Here is a guy who rarely leaves Brooklyn but has touched more lives than I can count in a sincere, caring and giving way. I always joke with him that he is the busiest retired guy I know, but yet he seems to have time for everything. Steve is the first person to try and send a group of guys out to a disaster area to help or organize a fundraiser as he did to support the Granite Mountain Hotshot families. He works with the Wounded Warriors and so many other great causes. He runs as well as coaches his neighborhood youth football program comprising of a few hundred kids, none of which are his own. Steve truly lives life to its fullest in his own unique way. At the end of the day if you can say to yourself, wow, that was a great day, I feel amazing, then you’ve succeeded.
We stopped by the firehouse of Engine 28 and Ladder 11 where John works. Being the head coach of the football team would enable him to deliver our gratitude to the others for all that the team has done for us.
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| Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, Juliann, and Choice |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, Juliann, and Choice |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, Juliann, and Choice |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, Juliann, and Choice |
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| Shiloh, Tate, Ryder, Juliann, and Choice |
Unfortunately, John was out of town the day that we were there. We were so sad that we missed him but we left the thank you package we had for him and the rest of the team.
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| Tate, Shiloh, Ryder, Choice, and Juliann |
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| Juliann, Choice, Shiloh, Tate, and Ryder with FDNY Fireman |
The firefighter who welcomed us to the firehouse was gracious to let us walk around and take a peek at an FDNY firehouse. The kids went nuts over how "cool" it was.
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| Juliann, Choice, Shiloh, Tate, FDNY fireman, and Ryder in front of Ladder 11 |
With that I wanted to take the kids to see this intensely captivating city. I personally can only handle the commotion in small doses so we were going to just see where the afternoon took us and how long we would last battling the crowd.
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| Tate, Shiloh, Ryder, Choice, and Juliann |
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| Jason and Juliann |
We first made our way to Central Park. As I have mentioned time and time agian, the changing of the seasons and the colors of the falling leaves has been a true highlight for me on this tour. Central Park was rich in fall colors and brisk fall air. The kiddos collected leaves for Grandma from Central Park just the way their Daddy did when he was a teenager. Grandma still proudly displays those leaves that Andrew brought her from Central Park. Now she can add to her collection.
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| Tate, Choice, and Juliann |
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| Ryder, Shiloh, Tate, and Choice |
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| Jason, Choice, Tate, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Choice |
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| Juliann, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Juliann and Shiloh |
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| Choice and Shiloh |
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| Shiloh and Choice |
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| Ryder, Jason, and Shiloh |
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| Juliann, Choice, Tate, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Tate |
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| Choice |
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| Choice, Shiloh, Tate, and Ryder |
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| Tate |
The trees invited the kids to swing from their branches...
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| Tate |
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| Tate and Choice |
...and climb up their trunks and limbs.
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| Ryder and Shiloh |
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| Ryder, Shiloh, and Choice |
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Ryder and Shiloh
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The fallen leaves were beckoning them to come and play...
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| Tate, Choice, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder |
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| Choice, Shiloh, Tate, and Ryder |
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| Choice and Tate |
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| Choice and Tate |
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| Choice and Tate |
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| Ryder and Tate (Awkward Family Photo) |
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| Choice, Tate, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Choice, Tate, Ryder, and Shiloh |
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| Shiloh |
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| Tate |
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| Ryder |
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| Ryder |
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| Tate |
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| Choice |
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| Tate |
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| Ryder and Shiloh |
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| Tate, Shiloh, Ryder, and Choice |
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| Ryder and Choice |
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| Choice, Shiloh, and Ryder |
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| Choice |
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| Ryder and Choice |
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| Ryder, Choice, and Shiloh |
This was, until they spotted an actual man made playground in the park. They made a beeline right for it! I was fascinated to contrast the parks found here in NYC to those that my kids are familiar with back at home. It taught me that you adapt and mold to your surroundings. These kids don't know any different than the concrete park surrounded by gorgeous Central Park, just as my kids are comfortable in their little, neighborhood park with plastic toys and a sandbox.
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| Tate, Ryder, Choice, and Shiloh |
The real fun comes in watching Arizona kids try and mingle in the NYC park. Check out Choice (below) getting manhandled by the little boy from New York...
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| Central Park |
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| Shiloh, Ryder, Choice, and Tate |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Juliann, Choice, Shiloh, Tate, and Ryder |
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| Juliann, Choice, Shiloh, Tate, and Ryder |
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| Choice |
As the sun went down and it began to get chilly, the kids were looking for an excuse to get in out of the cold. Their favorite go to for everything...FOOD!
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| Choice, Shiloh, and Tate |
New York style pizza was calling my name so I convinced the others to partake along with me. I can assure you, no one left disappointed or hungry...
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| Juliann |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder |
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| Choice, Tate, Shiloh, and Ryder |
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| Tate, Juliann and Shiloh |
Before calling it a night, we visited the one and only, Times Square. You could see the kids eyes light up like Christmas trees at all that was happening around them. We hoisted them up onto a light post in an effort to keep them confined to one spot so we wouldn't lose track of them.
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| Ryder, Choice, Shiloh, and Tate |
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| Juliann, Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Juliann, Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Shiloh, Choice, Juliann, Ryder, and Tate |
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| Shiloh, Choice, Juliann, Ryder, and Tate |
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| Times Square |
From the podium where they stood, they were able to see more than I could on the ground. Shiloh was mesmerized by the giant baby that caught her eye and asked if we could please go over and say hello. :-)
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| Shiloh and Juliann with the giant baby |
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| Juliann and Shiloh with the giant baby |
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| Times Square |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Tate, Jason and Choice |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Juliann, Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Juliann, Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
Ryder spotted the Toy R' Us mega center. That seemed like a good, and age appropriate way to wrap up the evening.
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| Juliann, Ryder, Shiloh, Choice, and Tate |
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| Shiloh and Tate |
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| Shiloh |
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| Tate |
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| Ryder, Choice, Tate, and Shiloh |
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| Choice |
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| Shiloh, Tate, and Choice |
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| Tate and Shiloh |
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| Choice, Tate, and Ryder |
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| Choice |
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| Shiloh Square Pants |
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| Tate Square Pants |
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| Ryder Square Pants |
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| Shiloh Square Pants |
After a good hour of over simulation and childlike pleasure, we said goodbye to Toys R' Us and Times Square. With all of that under our belt, it's time to kiss the Big Apple goodbye.
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| Juliann |
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| Juliann |
Thanks for the memories. To The Bravest FDNY Football Club, thank you, thank you, thank you. I hope that our boys grow up to be amazing and strong men like you.
Of course...this may take a little training.
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| Choice |
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Choice
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