By Jennifer Johnson
The sun rose over New York City on Friday morning in hues of yellow and pink.
Twenty-five years ago, that same beauty would be shattered.
On this September morning, the sunrise over Manhattan was a reminder of all that was lost on Sept. 11 — and all that endured.
At Liberty State Park, families of those who lost loved ones on Sept. 11 gathered for a breakfast hosted by the American Red Cross. The families were given white roses and blue-and-white ribbons before sharing a meal and moments of togetherness. Some carried photographs or wore buttons of those they came to remember. Others wore fire station T-shirts or NYPD jackets.
The mood was reflective but peaceful. There were smiles and stories as some families spoke about the people they came to honor. Then, together, they made their way by ferry across the Hudson to the memorial ceremony in New York City.
Nearby, at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City, the 25th anniversary was being marked in another way. People were rolling up their sleeves to give blood at the annual Jersey City Police and Fire 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive, which is sponsored by Suburban Propane.
Some came to honor those lost on Sept. 11 and some because the blood drive was close to work or home. Others were drawn by an American Red Cross x Hello Kitty® plush mascot clip and surprise sticker pack. Whatever brought them through the door, their donations became an act of service that could help save a life.
For the Red Cross, that was the meaning of the day: remembering the lives lost on Sept. 11 while continuing to serve the lives around us.
One of the blood donors was a former New Jersey EMT who knows firsthand what it means to run toward a crisis.
Robert Rivera had started with Edison First Aid & Rescue Squad #1 just three months before Sept. 11. He had just come home from a long and busy shift when his sister called and told him to turn on the TV. He watched as the second plane tore through the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
“I gotta go,” Robert told his sister. He threw his uniform back on and sprinted to the station, one block from his house.
“I just ran into the station, started loading up the gear and equipment, trying to get things ready to go. We had four ambulances plus a rescue vehicle, so a lot to prep for one person. I just was doing everything I could.”
His unit went to a staging area in Jersey City before being sent through the desolate Lincoln Tunnel. Robert remembers,
“There was a cop in front of us, a cop behind us and the emergency lights were just bouncing off the tiles. There was no need for sirens.”
Robert’s team was initially tasked with treating first responders who were in the towers when they collapsed.
“It was really tough,” he says. “We just sat there.” No one came.
The team was there to help. They shifted their focus to the many civilians who needed help and tended to medical needs for hours until they were relieved. After a 14-hour day, Robert returned home and learned that a friend from his Army days had been killed at the Pentagon.
The events of that day were difficult for Robert to process. They also left him with permanent reminders.
“I have scar tissue in my lungs. I’m being monitored constantly. I get recurring pneumonia, I get GI issues,” he says.
But Robert continues to serve.
Now based in Syracuse, New York, he is active with the Red Cross board for Central and Northern New York, along with several other volunteer positions. He also started his own company and recently renewed his EMT certification.
Twenty-five years after 9/11, I asked Robert if he would do it all again.
“No question. That's what we do every day. Whether it's 9/11, or whether it's a car accident, or whether it’s grandma not feeling well. You answer the call. You do what you gotta do. You step up,” he says.
“There are two types of people in this world. And not to say one is better than the other, but if you're one of those people who can give and you have that in you, utilize it. The rewards of it are not dollars and cents. It's very intrinsic. It's very rewarding, fulfilling to be able to do something for someone. And that's why I'm with the Red Cross.”
