As we approach its 20th anniversary, Sept. 11, 2001, remains one of the darkest days in American history. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives when terrorists flew passenger airplanes into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. The infrastructural damage was severe, but the damage done to thousands of families across the country was even worse. While 9/11 remains a day of remembrance of these tragic events, it should also be a day to remember the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives to save others. These are just a few of their stories. BETTY ONG AND AMY SWEENEY After five al-Qaida terrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 11, Ong and Sweeney, two flight attendants, used the crew phone to call their colleagues and give them information about their attackers, including what they looked like and what seats they REMEMBERING THE HEROES AMID THE TRAGEDY THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES ON 9/11
had been sitting in. Both attendants perished, but the information they shared helped the FBI jump-start their investigation.
RICK RESCORLA A Vietnam veteran who had earned a silver star for his service, Rescorla was no stranger to stressful life and death situations. As the head of corporate security for Morgan Stanley in the South Tower, he defied orders from Port Authority to stay put and instead escorted 2,700 people out of the building before it collapsed. After that, he headed back in to look for stragglers. That was the last time anyone saw him. PASSENGERS OF FLIGHT 93 While two planes hit the World Trade Center towers and one plane hit the Pentagon, another plane that headed for the White House never reached its destination. That’s because passengers aboard this flight, upon learning their plane had been hijacked, decided to rush the cockpit and overtake the terrorists. They caused the plane to crash in an empty field in Pennsylvania, saving the White House but killing everyone on board. Sad though their deaths may be, these heroic men and women continue to inspire people even 20 years later. We should never forget the tragedy of 9/11, but we should also remember these regular people who decided to take extraordinary lengths to save others.
DWAYNE'S STORY
I’d been working my whole life — construction, maintenance, renovations. And I was working two jobs, as a maintenance supervisor and renovating apartments, when I fell off a ladder and injured myself badly enough that I couldn’t work. While I was compensated for a little while, eventually, the insurance company said they wouldn’t pay me anymore. I was still injured and unable to work, but now I had no source of income. Since I wasn’t making any money, I almost lost the place where I was living, and during that time, I also contracted COVID-19. So, I guess you could say I was under quite a bit of stress. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do until my primary care physician recommended that I seek Frank Kearney’s help getting fair
compensation in court. She gave me his number, and I called him soon after that.
We ended up having to go to court three times because the insurance company kept appealing the decision. Frank prepared me every step of the way for court, so I knew I was ready, and he always told me what to expect, about the judge, the other lawyer, what to wear, you name it. I’m happy to say that regardless of their attempts to keep me from the money I was owed for injuring myself on the job, Frank beat them each time. He remained persistent in defending my case and making sure I was fairly compensated. I tip my hat to Frank; he’s an incredible lawyer. I would honestly recommend him to anyone who’s been injured, whether
you were in a car accident, train accident, fell out of an airplane, or whatever — if you need a personal injury attorney, Frank is your guy. Since receiving my compensation — all the money the insurance company owed me for my medical care and lost wages — it’s felt like a huge weight has been lifted off of me. I feel like I got my life back. I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t called Frank after getting his number from my doctor. He kept fighting for me and my case, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that.
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