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| All words and photos by F LoBuono |
With the approaching 25th anniversary of the 911 attacks, there is no shortage of videos showing the heroic efforts that were made to find potential survivors and then to recover the victims lost on that awful day.
It is right and just to honor these men and women who worked tirelessly,
day after day on that dreadful pile. And they did so, not knowing the terrible consequences
doing so might have on their own health. In the years following 911, more have
died from the illness associated with working at Ground Zero in the days that
followed than on that dreadful day itself. Yet, I feel even knowing the risks,
they still would have done their duty as they were called to do. It is one of
the remarkable lessons we can take from such a tragic event.
With that in mind, I would ask you to honor one more group of people who
risked everything to do THEIR jobs at Ground Zero. And they are the hundreds of
journalists, photographers, producers, engineers, and technicians who spent 24
hours/day documenting everything that was happening in lower Manhattan. How do
you think you saw the incredible video of the destruction at Ground Zero and
the heroes working tirelessly on that toxic pile, making every effort to
salvage anything they possibly could? It was through the efforts of a legion of
news people who have also dedicated their lives to a higher cause, i.e. bringing
people the truth, no matter what the cost.
So, when you see heroic footage (or hear/read a description) of soldiers and first responders running into harm’s way, realize that there is another human being risking everything to make sure the world knows the sacrifice being made at that time. It is often a thankless job. But we do it because we are compelled to do so.
Epilog: the author spent 8 days
(9/12-20) at Ground Zero working as a photographer for CBS News
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