Just One Story From 9-11...
that We Must Never Forget!
By Rudy Zitti
She probably awoke early that morning preparing for work just as she had done hundreds of times before. The commute from South Farmingdale amid the hustle and bustle of a typical work day in New York City was also uneventful. Upon arrival at the World Trade Center Captain Kathy Mazza went about her duties as the Commanding Officer of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Academy. She was unaware of the incredible events, challenges and fate that awaited her.
At 8:46 AM the first hijacked plane struck the North Tower which began to burn. Seventeen minutes later at 9:03 a second hijacked plane struck the South Tower where Mazza was working. Captain Mazza would spend the next fifty six minutes of her life rescuing people who were trapped in the building. Mazza led a group of people down a stairwell to street level. While people were trying to exit through the revolving doors they became jammed. Mazza used her 9mm sidearm and shot out the huge glass panel walls leading to the street enabling hundreds to escape. She went back into the stairwell to assist in the rescue of a wheel-chair bound person when the South tower collapsed. She was found only inches from a door that led to safety.
That same morning my family and I were in New York visiting relatives and friends. It was our last day and we were saying our goodbyes and making preparations for our departure from Laguardia Airport later that afternoon.
A concerned friend called and told us to turn on the television. My wife and I watched in confusion and disbelieve at the images that were being televised and while we were trying to make some sense out of all that was unfolding before our eyes we saw the second hijacked plane crash into the South Tower.
I remember the horrible sickening and helpless feeling that came over me as we watched the towers burning and stared in horror as people could be seen clearly leaping to their death from the North Tower. Then I was paralyzed engulfed in an eerie silence and crushing sadness as we saw the towers collapsed.
We were still numb from the events that we witnessed on television when we decided to drive to another relatives house who was supposed to take us to the airport. We drove along the Ocean Parkway which runs along the south shore of Long Island. As I stated before it was a crystal clear day and as we got closer to New York City you could see the smoke from the burning towers for miles. At one point we stopped with other people on the side of the road. We exited the car and watched in silence as the plume of never ending smoke rose toward the sky. No one said a word but you could tell that they were all thinking the same thing. How many lives were lost? What about all the families who's lives will be forever changed.
In the hours that passed we got phone calls from friends and relatives who told us that they had heard from loved ones and that they were safe. It wasn't until a couple of weeks later that I had learned that Kathy Mazza had perished in the tower collapse.
I knew Kathy Mazza through my long time friend and partner, Nassau County Police Detective Dominic Mazza. While I did not know her well, I did see the effect that the circumstances of her death had on family and relatives. The same was true for my wife who's childhood friend and New York City Firefighter Peter Bielfeld also perished that day.
While there are many stories to be told of events that day and in the weeks afterward the one thing that strikes me still, is how people came together in this time of need. Not just people who lived in New York or people like myself who had some direct or indirect connection to the victims, but people from all over America. People who tried their best to find ways to help by donating blood, sending money, creating memorials, volunteering in any way they could or by simply flying the American flag.
It was a time when, quoting Glenn Beck, “We came together as a nation not caring about red states, blue states or political parties, uniting and standing together to protect the greatest nation ever created.”
We were determined that this horrific act of terrorism would not diminish the American spirit. We would rebuild. We would fight back. We would not let this happen again.
There are three reasons why I am telling this story.
First, we must never forget, the heroes, the innocent, and their grieving families. I keep a link to a very powerful and graphic power point of 9-11 posted on my desktop as a reminder.
Second, although it has taken far too long—nine years—to rebuild something at ground zero, I am proud and uplifted by the start of construction. As I see the memorial features being built and the structures rising from the ashes it has elevated my spirit. Once again the indomitable American spirit can prevail. Even during these times of economic hardship and the divisive political atmosphere that exists in our nation and Colorado, we must fight for what we believe in and never give up. We will likewise prevail.
Third, if we are successful in turning the tide in the next two election cycles we must use it to not only turn our country around but to bring people together as a nation with the same purpose and principles that our founders used in building this great country.
After 9-11 we faced many challenges, today we face more challenges and while the quote below was written for a different reason and time in history we would be better off to change course and follow these words of wisdom from Congressman Charles A Lindberg after WWI:
“The one compelling duty of America is to put its own house in shape, and to stand upon an economic system that will make its natural resources available to the intelligence, industry and use of the people. When we do that the way to world redemption from the folly of present chaos will stand out in our country so clearly, honestly and usefully that we shall be copied wherever peoples do their own thinking.” (Charles A Lindberg, Sr., The Economic Pinch 1923)
If you are part of the grassroots movement then let's never forget those who died on 9-11, let's also never forget those who sacrificed everything in building this great nation, let's get to work like those at Ground Zero and start rebuilding, let's create something better, let's be proud of our founding, let's put our passion to work and return America to a leadership roll and greatness in the world.
Some related facts we should never forget.
A memorial for Captain Kathy Mazza has been built constructed in Farmingdale, LI, NY. The family and donors paid for the memorial that bears Mazza's name, along with the names of the 36 other Port Authority officers who died Sept. 11. The memorial also includes the numbers 23 and 343, representing, respectively, the the number of New York City police and firefighters who died that day.
A third hijacked plane crashed (United Flight 93) into a field in rural Pennsylvania killing all 45 people on aboard when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane.
A fourth hijacked plane (American Airlines Flight 77) crashed in the Pentagon killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel and all 64 people on board.
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