Remembering 9/11: Stories from Our Guardian Revival Community
September 11th is a day of remembrance, reflection, and resilience. For our Guardian Revival family, the memories and impact of that day are deeply personal.
The tragic events of 9/11 shaped the lives of countless individuals, including many within our Guardian Revival community.
On the anniversary of 9/11, we mourn the thousands that perished during the attacks on the World Trade Center, give gratitude to all the helpers who showed up in the immediate aftermath, and recommit to serving the millions of guardians currently grappling with mental health challenges.
– CEO and Founder, Alex Othmer (former Navy SEAL)
Today, as we pause to honor those experiences of loss, bravery, and enduring strength, we share some stories from members of our GR team. Through their words, we remember the sacrifices made that day and the lasting impact on our veterans, first responders, and their families.
At Guardian Revival, we remain dedicated to supporting the mental health and well-being of those who continue to serve. We honor you today and every day.
In Their Words: Guardian Revival Team Memories of 9/11
Another Summit Hike Leader
“I had just re-enlisted in April after seven in the Navy. I was driving to work at a drywall factory in Seattle as I heard it over the radio. I went back home to grab my go bag, returned to work, and waited for the call, which came an hour later.”
Peer Leader
“My brother finished FDNY Training on 9-10 and burst into my room as I slept on the morning of 9-11. He turned on my TV as we watched the 1st tower smoldering. As the 2nd plane slammed into the South Tower, we heard the explosion like thunder outside our Brooklyn home, just a few miles from Ground Zero. My brother grabbed his gear and rode the back step with the local firehouse. My other brothers, a FDNY EMS Paramedic and Lieutenant Ladder 149, were already en route.
For most of that day, as paper, ash, and soot blocked out the sun in our neighborhood, we got word of those that were missing and unaccounted for. As the list grew, I’m grateful for the sacrifices of the friends & family we knew that so selflessly dedicated their lives so that others may live.”
Guardian Revival Leadership
“I was a brand new 2nd Lt at The Basic School in Quantico, VA. I heard the news on my little radio that I had bought in Manhattan. We were in the barracks and all then watched the 2nd plane hit and then the Towers fell. We stood guard duty at every hatch on that Camp the rest of the day. Then, the Base was shut down for a few days. Since that day, our training and mindset for training and then deployments revolved around the events of that day… some of us, for the next 20 years while in uniform.”
Boots & Paws Team
“I was a sophomore in college at Albany and had just gotten back to my dorm room after an early morning exam. I flipped on the TV as my dad (a police officer) was calling me. While on the phone with him, I saw the 2nd plane hit in real time. One of my college suitemates lost both her parents that day. I remember the terror and frustration of circuits being busy as we all tried to use our very new flip phones and landlines to get a hold of friends and family.
I also distinctly remember my dad getting us to the pile in Dec of 2001 and being overwhelmed at the amount of devastation and the distinct smell… it was something I hope to never experience again.”
Another Summit Hike Leader
“I was a Lt. with the Yonkers Fire Department, running on the treadmill. Spent a lot of time away from my family after that.”
Volunteer
“I was working on the police dispatch desk at Dutchess 911. We always had the news or the weather on, so we saw the first reports of the first plane and wanted to believe it was an accident. But as we watched the 2nd plane hit, we knew.
Our radio/IT person's office was right next to the police desk. He tuned into the transmissions in the city, which was hard enough to hear the emotion in their voices, but the silence when the first tower came down and coms were lost still breaks my heart to this day.
We started receiving 911 calls in our county about family members in the city. The feeling of helplessness in that situation was overwhelming. I've always felt very strongly about dispatcher/first responder stress and how to help mitigate it. This really instilled in me the desire to 'help the helpers.'”
Marketing Team
“I was in the second grade, sitting in my classroom in New Jersey. We all were then moved across the street to the church… I remember hearing one school staff member say to another, ‘If we are going to die, I want to die with my children.’”
Guardian Homefront Team
“I was working as an Executive Assistant in an architecture firm that completed several large jobs for the World Trade Center and the Empire State Building. I have since dedicated my life to working with military, first responders, and law enforcement in many different capacities.”
Guardian Revival Leadership
“I remember sitting in my middle school cafeteria (in New York state) eating breakfast when the principal announced on the loudspeaker that a plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. I vividly remember discussing among my fellow classmates that this was an accident, and there’s no way it was intentional. Then, to my surprise, a second announcement went over the loudspeaker—a second plane had crashed into the South Tower.
My 10-year-old brain was able to piece together that this was no accident, but an attack on our Nation. I recall walking down the hall after we were assembled in the auditorium and seeing a young girl pass me in the hallway, running and crying after hearing news about a family member perishing on that day.”
Champions Team
”I was stationed in Marietta, GA and saw on the news that the first tower had been hit. As I continued to watch, all I remember hearing is that a plane from San Diego to Boston just went down. My parents where flying back that morning from a trip to San Diego into Boston. My heart dropped and I grabbed my cell phone and tried to call them but it went straight to this beeping sound. I then tried to call my brothers, and again just beeping. There was nothing I could do to get through I had to just wait and it felt like forever. Thankfully, my parents where not on that flight however, my heart goes out to all those that were lost.”
Marketing Team
”Freshman history class. We lived on the Hudson and remember the F-16’s patrolling Indian Point Nuclear plant … that was the first moment I was actually terrified.”
Media Team
”I was 21, just out of school and had just purchased my first new car the day before. I was taking a buddy/roommate for a ride in it on eastern Long Island to get bagels that morning before heading in to the city, and the tv in the bagel shop was showing the first plane had hit and at that time it was still being reported as a small plane. We got back to our house and turned on the tv just in time to see the second plane hit. We woke up everybody in the house with words like "we're under attack" and were glued to the tv until the towers fell, sitting in shock and disbelief.
I was the manager/bartender at Stan's Sports Bar outside of Yankee stadium at the time, and most of my coworkers were FDNY. I didn't lose anybody I knew that day, but once we were all reunited, I could see the grief in their eyes. I listened to their stories of reporting in that morning without hesitation ("wake up, get to the firehouse, a lot of firemen are going to die today" was the call one guy got from his father who was a chief in the Bronx), I held their photos from that morning that looked like night due to all the smoke. Those days have never stopped resonating with me.”
Marketing Team
”I was in high school (in Texas), taking a practice state test when it was interrupted by the teachers / proctors getting phone calls. We went to our homeroom classes and watched the news on tv. My dad picked me and then my little sister up from our schools, and we sat in a random pub nearby with the news on.
Years later, I was coteaching a summer literature class to high school juniors, and we were reading Falling Man and played the news footage for our class for context. I had lived in NYC for a couple summers by that point in my life. Watching the news footage was like seeing & really understanding it for the first time, and it was devastating. I called my mom afterwards to sob as I tried to process the impact of that day on everyone who was actually there or personally connected to the experience.”
Volunteer
”Sitting at home on day off, I had no idea what was going on. My wife called to tell me, and I spent the rest of the day staring at the TV. Shock and anger are the two words that most describe how I felt. It was my honor [last year] to be the keynote speaker at the 3rd Annual Putnam County Youth Bureau's Youth-Led 9/11 Memorial. I told them how important it was for youth to lead this type of ceremony. None of them were even alive for 9/11. My opening line was "Teach our children. Yes teach our children. God. Flag. Honor. Country.”
Another Summit Hike Leader
”I was at work in the corporate office of SavATree in Mt. Kisco when we were informed of the planes crashing. We had limited internet in the office, and everyone crowded around the one person’s computer who did have access. We had some employees that worked at the World Trade Center and were worried about them (luckily, they were all OK). We were all in shock and I remember standing outside looking at the beautiful blue sky and wondering how something so bad could happen on such a beautiful day. We did not have access to the live information and there were so many questions, but the entire time I was worried about getting to my son who was only 7 at the time and wondering what was going to happen next. The uncertainty was terrifying. I still cry to this day when I see the images of the footage, still feel for those who have lost loved ones and especially those who worked at the towers in the aftermath.”
Guardian Homefront Team
”I was at my apartment in Brewster waiting to go to a 10 am meeting and on the radio I heard them report that the first plane struck the North Tower and being such a clear, blue day, I was in disbelief until I listened to people who were in the building trapped on the upper floors calling the radio station for help and to get messages to loved ones. I subsequently turned on the television and watched, in real time, the 2nd plane approach and hit the South Tower. I will never forget the feeling of terror that came over me at that moment, realizing this was no accident, of course never being able to imagine the scope of the horror that would unfold throughout that day and for days, weeks, and years to come. I was grateful to have gotten a call out early to my brother who was living in lower Manhattan at the time, before all communication systems were lost... grateful to know he was safe in Brooklyn.
To this day, I recognize, respect, and appreciate that guardians run towards the danger from which others are running away. They paid a heavy price that day, along with all of the families who lost loved ones. Thank you to all of our guardians for your service and sacrifice. I will never forget.
Take a minute today to tell the people that you love that you love them. I am grateful for all of you, honored to be part of this incredible team.”
As we reflect on these memories and honor the experiences of our community, we recommit to supporting the guardians who continue to face challenges in the wake of 9/11. At Guardian Revival, we stand with you — today and always.
If you are a guardian, we encourage and welcome you to join one of our upcoming events and participate in our programs. If you are the family member of a guardian, we have events, education, and resources for you in our Homefront program.
