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>> Booher: WITHOUT THE
PHOTOGRAPH, ALL YOU HAVE IS A
MEMORY.
>> YOU'RE WORKING WITH DANGER
CONSTANTLY.
>> THOSE WERE SOME OF THE MOST
CHILLING SIGHTS.
>> THE HARD PART WAS SEEING MY
WIFE AND HAVING HER SAY, "YOU'RE
NOT REALLY GOING, ARE YOU?"
>> THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING
HEROIC ABOUT WHAT WE DID.
>> I WAS IN THE MIDST OF THIS
INCREDIBLE DEVASTATION.
>> IT JUST WAS SOMETHING THAT
YOU JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE YOUR
EYES.
>> IT WAS LIKE WE WERE THE ONLY
ONES AT GROUND ZERO DOCUMENTING
THIS FOR HISTORY.
>> SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE
SAW, YOU'LL NEVER FORGET.
>> MY NAME IS TOM KENNY.
>> MY NAME IS EDWARD KILDUFF.
>> ALESSANDRO MEYNARDI.
>> THOM PRIN.
>> RAMONA ALLEGRINI.
>> ALEXANDRA BRETT MILLARD.
>> GERRY GIUNTA.
>> RICHARD PARKER.
>> FATHER MATTHEW MORREALE.
>> DANIEL SINI.
>> MARK FOSTER.
>> Booher: AND MY NAME IS ANDREA
BOOHER, AND I
PHOTOGRAPHED ALL THESE PEOPLE
AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS AT
GROUND ZERO, AND I KEPT ALL OF
THEIR NAMES IN A LITTLE GREEN
BOOK.
TEN YEARS LATER, I WANTED TO GO
BACK AND FIND THEM AND HEAR THE
STORIES BEHIND THE IMAGES.
>> reporter: IT IS 7:00 IN NEW
YORK CITY TWO DAYS AFTER THE
ATTACK ON AMERICA...
>> reporter: WEARY WORK FOR THE
HUNDREDS OF RESCUE WORKERS...
>> reporter: WEST STREET IS LINE
WITH EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
>> reporter: IT IS AN AGONIZING
WAIT, CERTAINLY.
>> reporter: RESCUERS HOPE THAT
THEY WILL FIND PEOPLE TRAPPED...
>> reporter: NEW YORKERS
CERTAINLY REACHING OUT...
>> reporter: WORKING BY HAND IF
THEY HAVE TO.
>> narrator: IT WAS THE
ASSIGNMENT THAT WOULD CHANGE HER
LIFE.
FEMA PHOTOGRAPHER ANDREA BOOHER,
ONE OF ONLY TWO PHOTOGRAPHERS
GRANTED EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO
GROUND ZERO, ARRIVED THERE LESS
THAN 48 HOURS AFTER THE TOWERS
HAD COLLAPSED.
THOUGH SHE'D BEEN COVERING
DISASTERS FOR MORE THAN A
DECADE, NOTHING HAD PREPARED HER
FOR WHAT SHE SAW THROUGH HER
LENS THAT MORNING.
>> Booher: THE LANDSCAPE AT
GROUND ZERO WAS ONE OF THE MOST
UNFORGETTABLE PLACES I'VE EVER
BEEN.
WHEN I STARTED PHOTOGRAPHING,
THERE WAS SMOKE AND DUST AND
JUST THIS UNBELIEVABLE LIGHT
SHINING THROUGH THE FACADE.
AND I WANTED TO GET CLOSER, AND
THERE WAS THIS FIRE CHIEF WHO
WAS HOLDING EVERYONE BACK FROM
GOING ONTO THE PILE, AND THE
FIRE CHIEF KIND OF LOOKED AT ME
AND SAID, "DON'T WORRY, IT'S
GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS FOR A
LONG TIME."
AND AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, I KNEW
THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO LOOK
LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME.
EVENTUALLY, HE LET ME IN, AND IN
FACT, IT NEVER LOOKED LIKE THAT
AGAIN.
WHEN I LOOK AT THAT PHOTOGRAPH,
IT JUST REMINDS ME OF HOW
HOPEFUL WE ALL WERE IN THE
BEGINNING.
WE JUST REALLY BELIEVED THAT
WERE GOING TO BRING PEOPLE OUT
ALIVE FROM GROUND ZERO.
>> Narrator: IT WAS AFTER THOSE
HOPEFUL AND CHAOTIC FIRST DAYS
THAT THE CITY RESTRICTED ACCESS
TO THE SITE BUT NOT FOR ANDREA.
>> Booher: MYSELF AND MICHAEL
RIEGER, THE OTHER FEMA
PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE TWO
VIDEOGRAPHERS WERE THE ONLY ONES
THAT WERE GRANTED THE CONTINUED,
UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SITE.
I FELT LIKE IT WAS SUCH A
TREMENDOUS HONOR TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE PHOTOGRAPHING THERE.
IT ALSO FELT LIKE THIS HUGE
BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND
IT WAS ONE WHICH I DIDN'T TAKE
LIGHTLY.
>> Narrator: BUT COVERING
GROUND ZERO WOULD HAVE A
LASTING EFFECT ON ANDREA AND ON
MANY OF THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
SHE WOULD MEET THERE.
>> Booher: I DON'T THINK THERE
WAS ANYBODY THAT CAME AWAY FROM
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WITHOUT
SOME TYPE OF POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS.
AND WE ALL DEALT WITH IT IN
DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE DAY AFTER THE FIRST
ANNIVERSARY, 9/12/2002, I TOOK
ALL OF MY PHOTOGRAPHS, I TOOK
ALL OF THE MAGAZINES THAT MY
IMAGES HAD BEEN PUBLISHED IN,
ALL OF THE NEWSPAPERS, EMAILS,
EVERYTHING, AND I PUT THEM IN A
BOX. AND I SAID I'M PUTTING 9/11
BEHIND ME.
I'M MOVING ON.
NOW TEN YEARS LATER, I REALIZE
EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT I HAD
REALLY MOVED BEYOND GROUND ZERO
AND 9/11, I REALLY HADN'T.
AND PART OF THAT WAS, THERE WERE
ALL THESE STORIES THAT I HAD
NEVER HEARD.
I ENDED UP GOING HOME AND
FINDING THIS LITTLE GREEN BOOK
WHERE I'D WRITTEN DOWN
EVERYBODY'S NAME THAT I HAD
PHOTOGRAPHED AT GROUND ZERO, AND
I STARTED GOING THROUGH IT.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I STARTED
FLIPPING THROUGH THESE PAGES AND
I FELT HAUNTED BY ALL OF THESE
PEOPLE'S NAMES AND MEMORIES OF
THEM.
IT JUST BECAME VERY IMPORTANT TO
ME TO FIND THESE PEOPLE.
NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT CERTAIN
SPECIAL PEOPLE IN THAT BOOK.
THIS GUY RIGHT HERE, THIS IS A
FIRE CHIEF.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO CIRCULATE
THIS PHOTO TO FIND HIM.
IN THE GREEN BOOK, I HAVE
HUNDREDS OF NAMES BUT VERY FEW
PHONE NUMBERS.
THE BOOK'S A GOOD STARTING
PLACE, BUT A LOT OF MY NOTES ARE
A LITTLE VAGUE.
FRONT--DOES THAT SAY "FRONT
NOZZLE"?
"GROUP THREE FIREFIGHTERS NIGHT
HOSE."
THERE'S RAMONA.
SHE'S AN IRONWORKER.
AND THIS IS ALLIE.
SHE WAS 15 AT THE TIME.
AND THIS IS RICHIE PARKER.
FINALLY, I SETTLED ON THE PEOPLE
AND PICTURES THAT MEANT THE
MOST TO ME AND HEADED EAST TO
FIND THEM AND HEAR THEIR
STORIES.
THE FIRST PERSON I WANTED TO
FIND WAS THIS FIREFIGHTER ON THE
NOZZLE NAMED THOM PRIN.
THOM?
>> YES, ANDREA.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> Booher: I DON'T RECOGNIZE YOU
WITHOUT A HOSE.
>> IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS.
[laughs]
>> NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE HER
AGAIN, NEVER THOUGHT I'D TALK TO
HER AGAIN, NEVER THOUGHT THAT I
WOULD EVER SEE A PHOTO THAT SHE
TOOK OF ME.
>> Booher: YOU REMEMBER WRITING
YOUR NAME IN HERE?
>> OH, MY GOD.
NO.
>> Booher: THIS IS HOW WE FOUND
YA.
>> SEEING MY NAME IN MY
HANDWRITING.
I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER THAT.
WHEN SHE SAYS, "YEAH YOU WROTE
IN IT.
YOU WROTE DOWN YOUR INFORMATION
IN MY BOOK," NO, I DIDN'T.
>> Booher: THERE YOU GO.
>> THAT'S MY HANDWRITING.
AFTER SHE SHOWED ME THE BOOK,
I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, WOW, NOW
I RECALL THAT.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE ALL
THAT WRITTEN DOWN.
>> Booher: YEAH.
>> THE BOOK ITSELF BELONGS IN A
MUSEUM.
>> Booher: THIS IS HOW WE'RE
FINDING EVERYONE.
I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER FORGET
THE NIGHT I FIRST SAW THOM AT
GROUND ZERO.
IT WAS THE NIGHT OF MY MOM'S
BIRTHDAY.
IT WAS LIKE 2:00 IN THE MORNING,
AND IT JUST LOOKED LIKE A MOVIE
SET.
THERE WERE ALL OF THESE MERCURY
VAPOR LIGHTS SET UP SO IT GAVE
EVERYTHING THIS REALLY EERIE
CAST.
I REMEMBER THINKING IT WAS JUST
ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY
SCENES I'D EVER SEEN.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE I'M POSING FOR
THE CAMERA, BUT I SWEAR I'M NOT.
WHAT I WAS DOING WAS TURNING
AROUND TRYING TO TALK TO DAVE
AND JIM ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I
WAS HITTING THE RIGHT SPOTS, BUT
OF COURSE, THE GUYS IN THE
FIREHOUSE THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS
DEFINITELY POSING, AND THEY'RE
GOING TO GIVE ME CRAP FOR IT
PROBABLY FOR THE REST OF MY
LIFE, SO...
IT WAS THE 19th.
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, PROBABLY
AROUND, I DON'T KNOW, AROUND
2:00 A.M.
WHOEVER THE CHIEF WAS AT THAT
TIME ASSIGNED US THE HOSE LINE,
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
POSITION.
THERE WERE A LOT OF HOT SPOTS
THAT WERE STILL CREATING
PROBLEMS.
UNDERNEATH, THERE WAS STILL A
LOT OF HEAT.
SO NOW YOU PULL THAT RUBBLE OFF,
NOW IT'S SUPPLIED OXYGEN.
YOU WOULD STILL HAVE FIRES
ERUPTING EVERY DAY AND NIGHT.
AND THEY WOULD HAVE HOSE LINES
IN POSITION, MAYBE ONE FROM THE
NORTH AND ONE FROM THE SOUTH
SIDE, AND YOU WOULD HIT THAT
HOTSPOT WHILE THOSE BACKHOES
WERE WORKING WHILE THOSE GUYS
WERE DIGGING, AND THIS WENT ON
FOR HOURS AND HOURS, SOMETIMES
DAYS.
I REMEMBER HAVING TO SWAP OUT MY
BOOTS BECAUSE THE BOTTOM OF YOUR
BOOTS WOULD EITHER WEAR OUT OR
START TO MELT BECAUSE OF THE
HEAT COMING UP FROM BELOW YOU.
>> Narrator: THE PICTURE OF THOM
PRIN WAS ONE OF THE MOST
REQUESTED FEMA PHOTOS FROM
9/11, BUT LIKE MOST PHOTOGRAPHS,
IT ONLY CAPTURED PART OF THE
STORY.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW
THIS, IT'S THE ONLY TIME I'VE
EVER BEEN ON THE NOZZLE.
>> Booher: NO! [laughs]
>> YEAH, I WAS ASSIGNED TO
LADDER 112, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE
A TRUCK COMPANY, SO WE DON'T DO
THE HOSE PART, WE DO ALL THE
TOOLS AND THE LADDERS AND ALL
THAT STUFF.
I NEVER CAUGHT A FIRE WHERE I
HAD THE NOZZLE.
SO THE ONLY TIME I'VE EVER HELD
THE NOZZLE, OTHER THAN THE FIRE
ACADEMY, WAS THAT DAY.
AND THE PICTURE THAT ANDREA
TOOK, TO THIS DAY, I STILL--IT'S
MY ONLY NOZZLE JOB AND THAT'S
IT, AND THE WORLD KNOWS ABOUT
IT.
>> Narrator: NOT EVERYONE ANDREA
MET AT GROUND ZERO PROVED EASY
TO FIND.
SOMETIMES IT REQUIRED A STROKE
OF GOOD LUCK, AS SHE GOT WITH A
NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER NAMED
DANIEL SINI.
>> Booher: I WAS PHOTOGRAPHING
HALF A MILE AWAY WITH A ZOOM
LENS AT THIS UNBELIEVABLE SCENE
IN FRONT OF ME.
YOU HAD ALL THESE FIREFIGHTERS
WITH THESE LADDERS THAT WERE
STRUNG TOGETHER WITH ROPE, AND
THEY WERE CLIMBING UP THIS
MOUNTAIN OF DEBRIS.
THESE PEOPLE WERE LIKE LITTLE
ANTS ON THIS MOUNTAIN.
AND YET I WASN'T CLOSE ENOUGH TO
GET ANY OF THEIR NAMES.
AS IT TURNED OUT, A FEW YEARS
LATER, THAT PHOTOGRAPH WAS IN A
MAGAZINE, AND DANNY TRACKED DOWN
MY NAME AND EMAILED ME.
DANNY?
>> HI, YES.
>> Booher: SURE ENOUGH, I
TRACKED HIM DOWN.
AND YOU HAVE THE MAGAZINE SHOT
HERE?
>> YES, I DO.
>> Booher: YOU HAVE IT ON THE
WALL?
CAN I SEE?
OH, MAN.
[laughs]
>> THERE I AM UP THERE ON THE
TOP.
>> Booher: THERE YOU ARE.
>> ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, I HAD ONLY
ABOUT 4 YEARS ON THE JOB, SO I
WAS CONSIDERED STILL A JUNIOR
GUY.
YOU GET TRAINING FROM THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, BUT NOTHING CAN
PREPARE YOU FOR WHAT HAPPENED
THAT DAY.
WHEN I FIRST GOT TO LOWER
MANHATTAN, THERE WAS SO MUCH
DUST ON THE STREETS.
THERE WAS JUST DUST EVERYWHERE,
AND THEN WHEN WE FINALLY MADE IT
UP TO WHERE THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER WAS, IT WAS JUST
MOUNTAINS OF METAL AND SMOKE,
AND IT JUST WAS SOMETHING THAT
YOU JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE YOUR
EYES.
WHEN YOU GOT THERE, YOU JUST
WENT IN, AND WHERE EVER YOU
COULD DIG, YOU WOULD DIG WHETHER
YOU HAD A SHOVEL, A BUCKET OR
JUST YOUR BARE HANDS.
YOU JUST DID WHATEVER YOU COULD.
IN THE PHOTOGRAPH, WE WERE ON
WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE SOUTH
TOWER.
IT WAS REALLY TOUGH TO DECIPHER
HOW HIGH YOU WERE BECAUSE YOU
WERE STANDING ON TOP OF 110
STORIES THAT HAD COLLAPSED, BUT
I WOULD SAY WE WERE
APPROXIMATELY ABOUT SIX STORIES
UP, MAYBE MORE.
WHEN I SAW THAT PICTURE, I
COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I WAS
STANDING ON SUCH A MOUNTAIN OF
RUBBLE.
I WAS TAKEN BACK ABOUT WHERE I
WAS.
>> Booher: WHEN YOU GUYS GOT TO
THE TOP HERE, WHERE DID YOU GO?
>> REALLY, IT JUST KEPT GOING.
THERE WAS MORE OF THE COLLAPSED
TOWER THAT WAY, JUST A LOT OF
AREA TO COVER.
IT WAS A VERY LARGE AREA.
WE WERE TRYING TO SET UP A ZIP
LINE TO ATTACH A STOKES BASKET
SO WE CAN GET ANYBODY THAT WAS
FOUND IN THE SOUTH TOWER, WHICH
WAS VERY HIGH, TO ANOTHER PLACE
WHERE THEY CAN BE TAKEN AWAY.
IT WAS VERY HOT AND SMOKY OVER
THERE BECAUSE THERE WERE FIRES
BURNING UNDERNEATH US.
AND IF FELL, YOU WOULD GO DOWN
PRETTY FAR AS YOU COULD SEE IN
THE PHOTO.
>> Booher: WHEN YOU SEE THAT
PICTURE OF YOURSELF, CAN YOU
BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY
THERE?
>> I KNOW I WAS THERE, YES.
BUT CAN I BELIEVE IT? NO.
IT WAS JUST A VERY, VERY
UNFORTUNATE TIME.
AND, UH, I LOOK BACK ON IT NOW,
AND IT WAS A VERY SAD TIME FOR
EVERYBODY.
BUT WE HAD JOB TO DO, AND WE DID
IT.
ON THE PILES OF RUBBLE, THERE
WERE A LOT OF VOIDS AND A LOT OF
PIECES OF STEEL STICKING OUT.
SOME OF THE SPOTS YOU WERE ABLE
TO GO IN, BUT YOU DIDN'T KNOW
HOW FAR YOU WOULD DROP OR IF
YOU WOULD GET STUCK.
AND THERE WAS STILL FIRE BURNING
UNDERNEATH THERE.
IT WAS STILL VERY HOT, VERY
SMOKY.
WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE
TRAPPED, AND IT WAS JUST VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT TO GET TO THEM
BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST BURIED
UNDERNEATH SO MUCH DEBRIS, AND
IT MADE ME FEEL VERY, VERY, VERY
HELPLESS.
SO ONE PERSON WAS LIKE A GRAIN
OF SAND IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF
THINGS THAT WAS GOING ON DOWN
THERE.
>> Narrator: SOMETIMES THE
CONDITIONS AT GROUND ZERO WERE
SO CHAOTIC, ANDREA WAS UNABLE TO
WRITE DOWN THE NAMES OF THE
PEOPLE SHE ENCOUNTERED THERE.
>> Booher: I WAS JUST
PHOTOGRAPHING AROUND THE SITE,
AND THIS CHIEF OBVIOUSLY HAD
GATHERED ALL THESE PEOPLE
TOGETHER AND WAS TALKING TO
THEM, AND I WAS PHOTOGRAPHING
HIM, AND THEN THE SIREN WENT
OFF, AND I THINK I TOOK ONE MORE
FRAME BEFORE WE ALL TOOK OFF
RUNNING.
I ENDED UP CIRCULATING THE
PHOTOGRAPH OF HIM.
AND I CIRCULATED IT THROUGH THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I WAS
SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT HE IS
NOW...
>> HI, ED KILDUFF.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> Booher: CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT,
SECOND ONLY TO THE FIRE
COMMISSIONER.
>> I'VE HAD THIS PICTURE HANGING
UP IN MY HOUSE ACTUALLY FOR A
GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE I FIRST
CAME ACROSS IT, BUT I WAS LIKE,
WHOA, LOOK AT THIS.
I WAS SHOCKED, REALLY, TO SEE
IT, BUT I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE I
WAS.
KNEW EXACTLY WHERE THAT WAS,
WHAT DAY IT WAS WITHIN THE HOUR.
THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN THURSDAY
MORNING, THE 13TH.
I WAS ASSIGNED TO A QUADRANT
AT THE TRADE CENTER THAT WAS UP
BY OUR ENGINE 10, LADDER 10
FIREHOUSE.
I HAD THIS LARGE GROUP OF
FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAD COME FROM
ALL OVER THE PLACE TO HELP OUT,
AND WE WERE BASICALLY PLANNING
OUT OUR DAY.
>> Booher: WHEN I TOOK THE
PICTURE OF CHIEF KILDUFF, A
SIREN WENT OFF JUST AT THAT
MOMENT.
[siren whooping]
HE'S TURNING AND WE'RE ALL
LOOKING PAST HIM BECAUSE WE'RE
WONDERING IF ANOTHER BUILDING IS
COMING DOWN.
>> PROBLEM WAS THAT WE WERE
AFRAID THINGS WOULD SHIFT AND
THAT STEEL WOULD SHIFT AND
COLLAPSE SOMEHOW, PERHAPS A
BUILDING THAT MIGHT NOT BE
STABLE WOULD COME DOWN.
SO THE SIRENS WERE GOING OFF.
THE AIR HORNS WERE GOING OFF
QUITE CONSTANTLY IN THE FIRST
COUPLE OF DAYS, AND THAT WAS OUR
HEADS UP TO BACK AWAY AND JUST
BE CAREFUL, STAY AWAY FROM ANY
BUILDINGS THAT MIGHT BE COMING
DOWN ON US.
>> Booher: AND SOMETIMES YOU'D
TRY AND GET OUT OF THERE FAST,
WHEREVER YOU WERE.
>> YEAH.
>> Booher: YEAH.
>> REALLY A LOT OF THE ISSUE
WAS WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE
THERE, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING TO BE PART
OF THE BUCKET BRIGADE.
>> BUCKET, WE GOT A BUCKET?
>> THE MAJORITY OF FIREFIGHTERS
IN THAT PICTURE ARE NOT FDNY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GOT HERE
BECAUSE THE PLANES WERE NOT UP,
BUT THEY GOT IN THEIR CARS, THEY
DROVE TO NEW YORK.
THEY CAME MARCHING IN BY THE
DOZENS AND WE TRIED TO
ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY.
REALLY, WHAT MY JOB WAS WAS TO
FIND A JOB FOR ALL OF THESE
PEOPLE HERE.
>> Booher: HOW DID YOU DO THAT?
>> I SAID WHY DON'T WE START
WORKING ON CLEANING UP ENGINE
10, LADDER 10 FIREHOUSE?
FIVE SECONDS LATER, EVERYBODY
PICKED UP, AND, IF YOU REMEMBER,
THEY ALL RAN IN LIKE THEY WERE
STORMING THE ALAMO ALMOST.
IT WAS NOT HIGHLY ORGANIZED, BUT
IT WAS HAPPENING.
IT WAS GOING ON.
THE STEEL GUYS WERE DOING THEIR
THING, THE TRADE GUYS WERE DOING
THEIRS, THE TRUCKERS WERE DOING
THEIRS, THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT WAS
COMING IN.
THERE WAS SOME ORGANIZATIONAL
ABILITIES GOING ON, BUT
EVERYBODY WAS SORT OF FEEDING
OFF EACH OTHER TRYING TO CREATE
THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR
AWAY DEBRIS TO START LOOKING FOR
PEOPLE.
>> Narrator: THOSE OUTSIDE
VOLUNTEERS WERE CRITICAL TO THE
OPERATION BECAUSE THE NEW YORK
FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD LOST 343
PEOPLE ON SEPTEMBER 11,
INCLUDING MUCH OF THE
DEPARTMENT'S TOP LEADERSHIP.
>> LOSING OUR LEADERSHIP WAS A
TREMENDOUS BLOW TO US.
NOT ONLY WERE THEY OUR BOSSES
AND OUR SUPERIORS, BUT MANY WERE
OUR FRIENDS AND MENTORS AS WELL.
SO AT THE SAME TIME, THE CHIEFS
AND THE LEADERS OF THE
DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE STILL WITH
US, BASICALLY, THEY JUST CALLED
EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND SAID,
LET'S GO, WE GOTTA GET THIS
DONE.
THE ONLY HEROES WERE THE FIRST
RESPONDERS, THE POLICE OFFICERS
AND FIREFIGHTERS AND THE
CIVILIANS IN THE BUILDING WHO
TRIED TO HELP PEOPLE.
THEY'RE THE HEROES OF SEPTEMBER
11TH, THE FIREFIGHTERS, THE
POLICE OFFICERS THAT WENT UP
INTO THE UPPER FLOORS, TRIED TO
PENETRATE THE BUILDING.
THEY'RE THE HEROES.
NOBODY ELSE IS A HERO.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS A HELPER.
EVERYBODY ELSE WENT DOWN THERE
IN HONOR OF THE HEROES.
THEY'RE THE TRUE HEROES.
>> Narrator: PHOTOGRAPHING
GROUND ZERO WAS THE BIGGEST
ASSIGNMENT OF ANDREA BOOHER'S
LIFE, BUT IT ALMOST DIDN'T
HAPPEN.
ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, SHE WAS
IN A RUN-DOWN HOTEL IN
SOUTHERN UTAH PREPARING TO
SPEND THE DAY PHOTOGRAPHING...
[telephone rings]
A HERD OF GOATS.
>> Booher: HELLO?
I GOT A CALL ON THE MORNING OF
9/11 FROM A FRIEND TELLING ME
TO TURN ON THE NEWS.
>> reporter: ...CLEARLY A JET
PLANE...
>> Booher: AND AS SOON AS I SAW
THE NEWS AND ESPECIALLY AFTER I
SAW THAT SECOND PLANE HIT, I
KNEW I'D BE ON MY WAY.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I
WAS GOING INTO OR HOW I WAS
GOING TO GET THERE.
>> reporter: ...NO IDEA, OF
COURSE.
FIRE KEEPS GROWING, THE SMOKE
KEEPS BILLOWING, AND THIS IS...
>> reporter: MORE JUST COMING
INTO US--THE FAA HAS CLOSED OFF
ALL AIRPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
NO TAKEOFFS...
>> Narrator: THE DAY AFTER THE
ATTACKS, THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WAS
UNDER AN UNPRECEDENTED CIVIL
AVIATION LOCKDOWN, NOTHING
TAKING OFF, NOTHING LANDING.
BUT THEN A MIRACLE.
>> WE ACTUALLY HAD A COMPANY
DONATE THEIR PRIVATE AIRCRAFT TO
BRING SOME OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS
FROM DENVER.
>> Booher: I JUST COULDN'T
BELIEVE IT.
THE OWNER OF THE NEW YORK
GIANTS CALLED FEMA AND SAID, "WE
HAVE A JET IN DENVER.
IT'S BEEN GROUNDED BECAUSE THE
OWNER WAS HERE FOR THE MONDAY
NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME BETWEEN THE
GIANTS AND THE BRONCOS."
[crowd cheering]
"AND IF YOU CAN GET US FAA
CLEARANCE WE CAN FLY, YOU KNOW,
A TEAM, SEARCH DOGS, BLOOD,
WHATEVER IS NEEDED IN NEW YORK."
IT MIGHT SEEM STRANGE SENDING A
TEAM OF PHOTOGRAPHERS AND
VIDEOGRAPHERS TO GROUND ZERO,
BUT IT CAME DOWN TO THE GOOD
LEADERSHIP OF ED CONLEY, WHO WAS
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
AT FEMA WHO RECOGNIZED THAT THIS
WAS A HISTORIC MOMENT WHILE IT
WAS HAPPENING.
>> Narrator: MOST OF ANDREA'S
EARLIEST DAYS AT THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER WERE SPENT WITH THE
MEMBERS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TASK
FORCE, MEN LIKE TOM KENNEY, A
FIREFIGHTER FROM CAPE COD, WHO
VOLUNTEERED TO GO TO NEW YORK.
>> Booher: TOM KENNEY.
>> HELLO, ANDREA.
>> Booher: [laughs] HI.
>> HOW ARE YOU?
>> Booher: GREAT.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M GREAT, HOW ARE YOU?
>> Booher: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU, TOO.
WE WENT THERE WITH THE INTENT TO
RESCUE PEOPLE, TO TAKE THEM OUT
ALIVE.
WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED THERE AT
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, THE DUST
ON THE STREET WAS SO THICK, IT
WAS ALMOST LIKE THE FIRST NEW
ENGLAND SNOW.
OUR FIRST SNOW OF THE YEAR IS
VERY POWDERY, AND YOU COULD
ALMOST BLOW IT OFF OF THE
GROUND.
AND THAT'S JUST WHAT IT WAS
LIKE.
IT WAS LIKE STEPPING IN FLOUR.
[horn blaring, siren wailing]
EVERYTHING WAS SHREDDED PRETTY
MUCH BEYOND RECOGNITION.
THERE WAS DUST, AND THERE WAS
GLASS, AND THERE WAS METAL, BUT
AFTER THAT, THERE WAS NOTHING.
I WAS--HAD A GOOD NUMBER OF
YEARS IN THE BUSINESS BEFORE I
WENT TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.
SO I'VE SEEN THINGS, BUT I HAD
NEVER SEEN NOR COULD IMAGINE
THAT I WOULD BE INVOLVED IN
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
[indistinct shouting]
WE'D BEEN GETTING ALL KINDS OF
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE THAT WERE INJURED AND
BURIED IN THIS COLLAPSE.
AND WE WERE HEARING THESE HUGE
NUMBERS.
>> reporter: TOO MANY PEOPLE
MISSING FOR AN ACCURATE DEATH
COUNT...
>> IT'S OVER 300 THAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR...
>> reporter: THE DEATH TOLL IS
GROWING...
>> reporter: A FEW THOUSAND LEFT
IN EACH BUILDING.
>> reporter: 3,700 ARE STILL
MISSING.
>> reporter: THERE'S WORD NOW
THAT 11,000 BODY BAGS HAVE BEEN
ORDERED BY THE CITY.
RESCUERS ARE FACING NEW
CHALLENGES THIS MORNING...
>> I THINK THE FIRST PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT THAT WE WERE ASKED FOR
BY A CHIEF FROM NEW YORK CITY
WAS OUR LISTENING EQUIPMENT.
AND SO WE MOVED THAT FORWARD,
BUT VERY QUICKLY WE REALIZED
THAT IT WASN'T GONNA BE OF MUCH
VALUE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF
NOISE THAT WAS OPERATING ON THAT
SITE, AND THERE WAS NO WAY YOU
COULD PUT A STOP TO THE NOISE TO
LISTEN FOR SURVIVORS.
SO THEN WE WENT INTO VOID
SEARCH, PHYSICAL VOID SEARCH
WHERE WE WOULD GO INTO THESE
SPACES TO LOOK FOR A POTENTIAL
SPACE WHERE SOMEBODY COULD
SURVIVE.
THERE WAS NOTHING HEROIC ABOUT
WHAT WE DID.
WE JUST DID WHAT WE WERE ASKED
TO DO.
>> Booher: I REMEMBER BEING OUT
ON THE PILE, NOT VERY FAR OUT,
AND KIND OF LOOKING BACK, AND I
SAW THIS FIREFIGHTER AND THESE
TWO URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE
WORKERS, AND THEY WERE STANDING
THERE KIND OF UNDER A FLAG, AND
I JUST WATCHED THEM, AND THEY
WERE JUST SO FOCUSED.
I WAS AT A DISTANCE FROM IT.
SO I TOOK THE FIRST SHOT, AND
THEN I ZOOMED IN A LITTLE
CLOSER.
IT JUST HAD A VERY PATRIOTIC
FEEL TO ME.
>> I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS
A CAMERA THERE.
I HONESTLY DIDN'T.
I WAS FOCUSED ON LOOKING AT THE
PERSON THAT I WAS TALKING ON
RADIO TO, TO GET HER DOG TO GO
IN A CERTAIN PLACE, BUT FROM
WHERE WE WERE STANDING, IT
LOOKED LIKE A GOOD SPOT WHERE
THERE WAS A POTENTIAL TO BE
SURVIVORS.
IN MY CAREER, THIS IS PROBABLY
THE NUMBER ONE PHOTOGRAPH
THAT'S EVER BEEN TAKEN OF ME.
PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY SAY, OH,
YOU'RE THE GUY IN THE PHOTO.
>> Booher: RIGHT.
>> AND DO YOU REMEMBER WHICH
DAY THIS WAS?
>> Booher: THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE--THAT WAS FOR SURE THE 13TH.
THIS WAS EITHER THE 13TH OR THE
16TH.
>> I MEAN, THE DAYS ALL RAN
TOGETHER FOR ME.
I WASN'T SURE WHAT DAY IT WAS
FROM THE TIME WE GOT THERE TILL
THE TIME I WENT HOME.
THAT WAS TAKEN BETWEEN BUILDINGS
FOUR AND FIVE.
WE WERE LOOKING TOWARDS THE TWO
TOWERS.
THEY WOULD'VE BEEN OUT AND TO MY
RIGHT.
AND BEHIND ME, THE BLACK GRANITE
BUILDING THE BROOKS BROTHERS
CLOTHING WAS ACTUALLY ON THE
FIRST FLOOR, AND THAT'S ONE OF
THE PLACES WE WERE ACTUALLY
USING AS A TEMPORARY MORGUE.
ANYBODY THAT WE FOUND, WE WERE
BRINGING OVER THERE, AND THEY
WERE GOING IN THE FIRST FLOOR
THERE.
WE WERE ACTUALLY STANDING ON
SOME RUBBLE, BUT BECAUSE THAT
WHOLE AREA CAVED IN FROM THE
WEIGHT OF THE TOWERS FALLING ON
IT, MAKES IT LOOK LIKE WE'RE
STANDING WAY UP HIGH, BUT THE
REALITY IS WE'RE ONLY A FEW FEET
HIGHER THAN THE STREET.
THE BLACK BUILDING ACTUALLY WAS
A SOURCE OF MANY EVACUATIONS OF
THE SITE.
BUILDINGS THAT TALL, THE WINDOWS
WERE BROKEN SOME THIRTY STORIES
UP, AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WOULD
BE THE WIND WOULD BLOW, AND IF
THE WIND BLEW AND HIT THE
DRAPES OR THE CURTAINS, THEY
WOULD PUSH THE GLASS OUT OF THE
WINDOWSILL, THE BROKEN GLASS.
AND THEN THE GLASS WAS FALLING,
YOU KNOW, SOME THIRTY STORIES.
AND PIECES, BIG PIECES OF GLASS
FALLING THIRTY STORIES, WHEN
THEY START HITTING THINGS LIKE
PARKED CARS AND DEMOLISHED
TRUCKS, THEY MAKE AN AWFUL LOT
OF NOISE, AND THE NEXT THING YOU
KNOW, SOMEBODY YELLS, "THE
BUILDING IS FALLING," AND THEN
EVERYBODY'S TOLD TO EVACUATE.
"EVACUATE" MEANT RUN FOR YOUR
LIFE, AND SO YOU WOULD HAVE
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE RUNNING IN
WHATEVER DIRECTION.
SO IF YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE TO
RUN, YOU WERE OKAY, BECAUSE
EVERYBODY WOULD FOLLOW YOU.
IF YOU WEREN'T THE FIRST ONE,
YOU COULD BE IN TROUBLE PRETTY
FAST.
AND IT WAS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS
FOR US TO ACTUALLY TRY AND GET
OUT OF THAT SPACE AND THEN RACE
UP THE RUBBLE PILE AND MAKE IT
TO THE STREET IN TIME FOR
SOMEBODY TO SAY, "OH, DON'T
WORRY ABOUT IT, IT WAS JUST
BROKEN GLASS."
>> Booher: YOU CAN'T REALLY
TELL, LIKE, HOW FAR DOWN THAT
IS.
I MEAN, THAT WAS LIKE A 30-FOOT
DROP RIGHT THERE.
>> YEAH, AND THEN IT DROPPED OFF
JUST TO THE LEFT OF THIS, IT
DROPPED OFF DRASTICALLY.
AND THEN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
OUT, THIS IS AN AREA REFERRED TO
AS THE PIT, WHICH WAS PROBABLY
THE DEEPEST PART OF THE WHOLE
THING, AND I WAS OUTSIDE OF THAT
SPACE, AND I KINDA TOOK A LOOK
AROUND, AND IT WAS LIKE I WAS
THE ONLY ONE THERE BECAUSE WE
WERE DOWN DEEP ENOUGH SO THAT
YOU COULDN'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE WERE
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THERE, FROM
MY VANTAGE POINT, ALL I COULD
SEE WAS JUST COMPLETELY
SURROUNDED BY THIS BIG PILE OF
RUBBLE AND NO ONE ELSE IN THE
WHOLE PLACE.
THERE WERE PLACES THAT STILL
HAD FREE FIRES BURNING.
THERE WAS THE SMOKE, AND THERE
WAS THE CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE
AIR, AND THERE WAS GLASS, AND
THERE WAS DUST, SO ALL THE
THINGS THAT YOU HAD TO WORRY
ABOUT, IF YOU MOVED SOMETHING,
THERE WAS A POTENTIAL THAT
SOMETHING ELSE COULD MOVE.
ONE OF OUR ENGINEERS THAT WAS
WITH US WOULD EVALUATE AN AREA
BEFORE WE WENT INTO IT, AND HE
KIND OF HAD THIS MANTRA THAT WE
WOULD ASK HIM "IS IT OKAY TO GO
IN THERE?"
AND HE WOULD SAY, "NO, BUT GO
QUICKLY."
A DAY LATER, WE LOCATED A WOMAN
WHO WAS LAYING ON THE RUBBLE
BETWEEN BUILDING 4 AND 5, KIND
OF IN A SMALL SUNKEN AREA.
AND TO ME, IT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE
SHE JUST LAID DOWN THERE.
SHE WAS DRESSED BUSINESS-LIKE.
HER HAIR WASN'T MESSED UP.
SHE WASN'T PHYSICALLY DESTROYED
LIKE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE
SAW THERE WERE.
IT WAS ALMOST AS IF SHE JUST
LAID DOWN ON THIS PILE, AND THE
DUST CLOUD CAME AND COVERED HER,
AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT.
SHE LOOKED LIKE A CHINA DOLL.
WE WENT THERE WITH A SPECIFIC
MISSION, AND THAT WAS TO RESCUE
PEOPLE AND SAVE THEM.
THAT'S WHAT WE TRAINED FOR.
THAT'S WHAT FIREFIGHTERS DO.
THAT'S WHAT POLICE OFFICERS DO.
AND SO THAT WAS OUR INTENT.
AND PROBABLY WHEN THAT PHOTO WAS
TAKEN, WE WERE STILL IN THAT
MODE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN TELL I'M
DIRECTING A DOG.
I'M NOT GONNA DIRECT A DOG WHERE
THERE IS NOTHING FOR THE DOG TO
FIND.
IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO I KNOW BY WHERE I WAS WHEN
THAT PICTURE WAS TAKEN WHAT I
WAS DOING.
AND IT WAS AT A TIME WHEN WE
WERE STILL HOPEFUL THAT WE WOULD
GET SOMEBODY OUT OF THERE ALIVE.
I THINK THAT PROBABLY BY THE
COMPLETION OF OUR FIRST DAY
TOUR THAT WE PRETTY MUCH KNEW
IT WAS OVER.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE WEREN'T
HOPEFUL.
WE WERE HOPEFUL THE ENTIRE TIME.
THERE'S ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY
OF A MIRACLE, BUT THERE WERE NO
MIRACLES THERE FOR US.
>> Narrator: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
TOILED AT GROUND ZERO.
THE WORK WAS REPETITIVE...
THE UNIFORMS SIMILAR...
BUT PHOTOGRAPHER ANDREA BOOHER
SAW EVERYONE AS INDIVIDUALS,
EACH OF THEM MEMORABLE IN THEIR
OWN WAY.
>> Booher: THERE WERE SO MANY
CHARACTERS AT THE SITE.
GERRY GIUNTA WAS THE OPERATIONS
CHIEF FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS TASK
FORCE ONE.
GERRY SEEMED TO BE EVERYWHERE.
THE WAY I ALWAYS FOUND GERRY WAS
BY HIS HELMET.
HE HAD THIS ZEBRA-STRIPED
HELMET, AND YOU COULD LOOK
AROUND AND YOU COULD FIND JERRY,
AND IT KIND OF MADE YOU SMILE.
GERRY?
>> ANDREA, HOW YOU BEEN?
>> Booher: HOW YOU DOING?
>> LONG TIME NO SEE.
>> Booher: GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> Booher: DO YOU STILL HAVE
THAT ZEBRA HARD HAT?
>> YES, I DO, I DON'T HAVE IT
WITH ME.
I HAVE A LEATHER HELMET AT THE
FIREHOUSE, BUT I STILL HAVE IT.
WE HAD TO BUY OUR OWN, SO I
SAID, "WELL, I BOUGHT IT," AND I
WANTED TO MAKE IT
DISTINGUISHABLE SO I JUST--
>> Booher: WELL, IT IS!
>> I GOT SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOME
OF THE PEOPLE AS IT NOT BEING
TOO PROFESSIONAL, "YOU'RE
REPRESENTING THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T DO THAT."
AND I SAID, WELL, I GUESS IT'S
MY HELMET, AND I'LL DO WHAT I
WANT TO WITH MY HELMET.
YOU KNOW, AND IT'S FUNNY.
DOWN AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
WHEN PEOPLE WERE LOOKING FOR ME,
THAT'S HOW PEOPLE SAID, "JUST GO
FIND THE ZEBRA HELMET, AND
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GRAB HIM."
>> Booher: OH, I KNOW.
>> SO IT WORKED OUT WELL.
>> Booher: I KNOW, WHEN I GO
THROUGH THE PHOTOS, THAT'S HOW I
FIND YOU.
I'M LIKE, THERE'S GERRY OUT IN
THE MIDDLE.
THERE'S GERRY. [laughs]
>> WHEN I ARRIVED THERE ON
SEPTEMBER 12TH IN THE MORNING,
WHAT I KIND OF RELATE IT TO IS
THE FIRST TIME YOU GO TO THE
GRAND CANYON, SEE THE GRAND
CANYON, IT'S WALKING TO THE
EDGE, AND YOU'RE JUST IN AWE OF
THE BEAUTY THAT GOD'S CREATED.
AND THIS WAS KIND OF THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE COIN.
YOU WERE IN AWE OF THE
DEVASTATION THAT MAN HAS CREATED
THROUGH TERRORISM.
OUR FORWARD BASE OF OPERATIONS
WAS RIGHT IN THE PLAZA ON CHURCH
STREET AND LOOKING AHEAD, WE
WERE LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THE
GLOBE.
SO THE GLOBE BEING THE HUB OF A
CLOCK, WE WERE AT 6:00 WHERE WE
STOOD.
AND WE--WE SECTIONED OFF,
PERIMETERED THE AREA LIKE SLICES
OF PIE, WORKING AROUND FROM 6:00
WHERE WE WERE CLOSEST TO CHURCH
STREET, AROUND 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 IN
THAT DIRECTION COUNTERCLOCKWISE
BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH SMOKE,
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTO TO
THE LEFT.
AND IF YOU NOTICE EVEN IN THAT
PICTURE TO THE LEFT OF ME IS A--
A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LINED
UP, AND WE FORMED LIKE A CONGA
LINE OF PEOPLE TO PASS TOOLS IN
AND OUT.
IT'S A MUCH EASIER WAY OVER A
RUBBLE PILE TO PASS THINGS ALONG
AS IT WOULD BE FOR ONE PERSON TO
CARRY SOMETHING IN AND OUT.
THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF TIME IS
LOST.
IT WAS DEFINITELY A BLESSING
THAT I WAS ONE OF THE CHOSEN
ONES TO GO DOWN THERE BECAUSE I
WAS ABLE TO WORK EVERY DAY,
WORK UNTIL I COULD NO LONGER
WORK ANYMORE, I WAS JUST SO
TIRED.
THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE.
AND WE WERE ALL HOPING THAT WE
WERE GONNA FIND NOT ONE PERSON
BUT MANY PEOPLE, THAT--THAT'S
WHAT WE CLING TO AND THAT'S WHAT
WE HAD TO KEEP IN OUR HEARTS,
THAT THERE WAS HOPE THAT WE
WOULD FIND SOMEONE.
BUT AS WE KNOW, A LOT OF THEM
DIDN'T ESCAPE.
>> Booher: IN TALKING WITH SOME
OF THE PEOPLE THAT I
PHOTOGRAPHED, I FOUND THAT IT
WAS REALLY HARD FOR SOME OF THEM
TO LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS
AGAIN.
FOR THEM, IT BRINGS UP MEMORIES,
AND A LOT OF THOSE MEMORIES ARE
REALLY TOUGH MEMORIES.
>> EVERYBODY DEALS WITH IT IN
THEIR OWN WAY.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE JUST CHOOSE
NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH.
BUT THE PICTURES ARE--ARE REALLY
HARD TO LOOK AT AT A LOT OF
TIMES.
THEY BRING BACK A LOT OF
EMOTION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LOST SO MUCH.
>> Narrator: GROUND ZERO WAS A
WORLD INHABITED BY MORE THAN
JUST FIREFIGHTERS.
ANDREA SPENT TIME WITH
IRONWORKERS, CARPENTERS, TRUCK
DRIVERS, POLICE, AND KEEPING
WATCH OVER IT ALL, THE MILITARY.
>> BASICALLY WHAT WE WERE ASKED
IS TO SUPPORT ANY OF THE SEARCH
RESCUE ACTIVITIES WITH THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND ANYBODY ELSE.
WHEN ANYBODY FOUND ANYTHING,
PLANES PARTS, MATERIAL REMAINS,
HUMAN REMAINS OR ANYTHING, THEY
WOULD BRING IT TO US, AND THEN
OUR JOB WAS TO BASICALLY BRING
ANY TYPE OF HUMAN REMAINS TO THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEN ANY
TYPE OF PLANE REMAINS OR
ANYTHING ELSE TO THE CONTAINERS
THAT THE FBI ANTI-TERRORIST UNIT
PUT OUT THERE FOR COLLECTION
POINTS, AND OF COURSE, WATCH AND
LOOK FOR THE BLACK BOX OF THE
PLANES AND ALSO PROVIDE
SECURITY.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE--THAT I
MET ANDREA.
>> Booher: ALESSANDRO HAD LEFT
THE NATIONAL GUARD A COUPLE
YEARS AFTER 9/11, BUT I MANAGED
TO FIND HIM LIVING IN
PENNSYLVANIA.
>> ANDREA?
>> Booher: ALESSANDRO!
>> [laughs] OH, MY GOSH!
>> Booher: HI, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> SAME, SAME, SAME.
I'M SHOCKED, I AM JUST--
>> Booher: I KNOW.
>> YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, YOU
KNOW, I--IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS.
I'VE BEEN THINKING OFTEN OF YOU
AND, YOU KNOW, OTHERS THAT I MET
DOWN THERE, AND YOU KNOW, I HAD
NO IDEA HOW TO GET A HOLD OF
YOU.
>> Booher: AND YOU KNOW I--
>> AND I'M GLAD YOU DID.
WHEN I DECIDED TO COME INTO THIS
COUNTRY TO COMPLETE MY STUDIES,
YOU KNOW, AFTER I GRADUATED, I
JUST FELT THAT I HAD TO GIVE
SOMETHING BACK TO A COUNTRY THAT
PROVIDED, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUS
OPPORTUNITIES TO ME AND
CONTINUES TO PROVIDE GREAT
OPPORTUNITIES TO ME.
PERSONALLY, ONE WAY THAT I KNEW
HOW TO GIVE BACK TO A COUNTRY
THAT HELPED ME A LOT WAS TO
SERVE IN THE MILITARY.
I STILL REMEMBER WE WENT AROUND
A BUNCH WHEN YOU WERE TAKING A
BUNCH OF PICTURES AND
EVERYTHING.
OF COURSE, THE ONE THAT KIND OF
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WAS A BIT
IMPRESSED WAS WHEN WE HAD THAT--
KIND OF THE WIND TURNED AROUND.
>> Booher: YEAH, I REMEMBER.
>> AND WE HAD THAT SMELL?
>> Booher: RIGHT.
>> I THINK IT'S THE 18TH OF
SEPTEMBER.
I WAS ESCORTING ANDREA AROUND
PART OF THE PERIMETER THAT WAS
BETWEEN BUILDING FOUR AND FIVE.
AND THE WIND CHANGES A BIT.
THE REASON I REMEMBER ABOUT THIS
SPECIFIC PICTURE IS BECAUSE AS
THE WIND CHANGED, IT BROUGHT TO
MY ATTENTION THE SMELL OF,
BASICALLY, BURNED BODY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I
UNFORTUNATELY HAD EXPERIENCED
BEFORE.
THAT'S WHY I STOPPED, AND I
INFORMED ANDREA AND THEN WE GOT
HOLD OF A FIREMAN.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EACH OF US
SAID HIS OR HER OWN PRAYER TO
WHOMEVER THIS PERSON MIGHT'VE
BEEN.
AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR FROM THE
VERY BEGINNING THAT IT WAS BEING
TREATED AS SACRED GROUND.
EVERYBODY WAS VERY GOOD IN
TREATING THAT AREA WITH RESPECT
AND BEING VERY PROFESSIONAL AND
DOING THEIR JOB.
>> Booher: WHAT DID YOU THINK
WHEN YOU GOT THE PHOTOS I SENT
YOU?
WAS IT HARD FOR YOU TO LOOK AT
THEM?
>> I WAS VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THEM
AS A TESTIMONIAL OF WHAT
HAPPENED DOWN THERE.
AND THEN I LOOKED AT IT FOR A
WHILE, AND THEN I PUT THEM AWAY.
SO UNTIL THIS DAY, I HAVEN'T
LOOKED AT THOSE PICTURES AGAIN.
I KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, IN A SAFE
PLACE, BUT I HAVEN'T SHOWN IT TO
ANYBODY ELSE, EVEN MY KIDS.
MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, WHO WAS
BORN IN 2000, DOESN'T KNOW THAT
I WAS DOWN THERE.
PERHAPS THAT'S THE WRONG THING
TO DO, BUT THAT WAS MY INITIAL
REACTION AT THE TIME.
>> Narrator: OF ALL THE PEOPLE
FEMA PHOTOGRAPHER ANDREA BOOHER
MET AT GROUND ZERO, SOME OF THE
MOST UNFORGETTABLE WERE THE
WOMEN WHO WERE DOING SOME OF
THE MOST DIFFICULT JOBS
IMAGINABLE.
>> Booher: WHEN I SAW RAMONA AT
THE SITE, I JUST THOUGHT, WOW,
LOOK AT THIS WOMAN.
YOU DIDN'T SEE MANY WOMEN AROUND
GROUND ZERO, ESPECIALLY ON THE
PILE.
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS SO
AMAZING.
SHE WAS JUST IN THERE WITH ALL
OF THESE MEN, AND SHE WAS SO
STRONG AND CONFIDENT.
THE PHOTOGRAPH OF RAMONA JUST
REMINDS ME OF HOW THE EARLY
RESPONSE WAS, THAT "NOT GOING TO
GIVE UP ATTITUDE" THAT EVERYBODY
HAD.
I REMEMBERED THAT SHE LIVED
SOMEWHERE IN BROOKLYN, AND
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIAZES IN
BROOKLYN.
WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THEM
[laughs] AND DIDN'T FIND HER.
FORTUNATELY, SHE KEPT DIAZ AS
PART OF HER MARRIED NAME.
RAMONA?
>> YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
>> Booher: BECAUSE WE LATER
FOUND HER OUT IN RURAL, RURAL
UPSTATE NEW YORK.
I THOUGHT YOU WOULD'VE BEEN THE
EASIEST PERSON TO FIND BECAUSE
YOU HAD YOUR NUMBER WRITTEN ON
YOUR ARM, YOUR PHONE NUMBER.
>> WOW!
WHOA, THAT'S MY WAIST?
YOU SURE THAT'S ME?
>> Booher: [laughs]
>> WOW, THAT'S A GREAT PICTURE.
>> Booher: DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY
DIAZES THERE ARE IN BROOKLYN?
>> EVERYBODY IN BROOKLYN IS DIAZ
OR MOHAMMED.
>> Booher: I KNOW, I KNOW.
I KNOW THAT, TRUST ME.
RAMONA LOOKED SO FEARLESS IN
THAT PHOTOGRAPH, BUT IN REALITY,
SHE TOLD ME THAT WHEN THAT FIRST
PLANE HIT, SHE FLED THE CITY.
LATER, THE COMPANY THAT SHE
WORKED FOR ASKED HER TO COME
BACK TO THE CITY AND HELP WITH
THE RESPONSE.
AND I WAS LIKE, "COME BACK?
COME BACK?!"
YOU KNOW, LIKE, "BACK OVER
THERE?"
AND HE WAS LIKE, "YEAH."
SO I HAD TO PUT MY LITTLE BRAVE
CAPE ON, GOT IN MY CAR, KISSED
MY DAUGHTER, AND I WAS LIKE,
OKAY, HERE WE GO.
AND AS I WAS DRIVING BACK, YOU
DON'T HEAR ANYTHING, SILENCE.
LIKE, NO CARS, NO ANYTHING.
[imitates wind]
THAT'S LIKE ALL THE SOUND YOU
HEARD.
YOU DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING.
AND NO MOVEMENT.
YOU KNOW HOW THE CITY IS.
WE'RE MOVING, WE'RE MOVING, AND
IT WAS NO MOVEMENT.
EVERYTHING WAS JUST STILL, AND
EVERYONE THAT WAS AROUND STILL
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OF THE
SITUATION.
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I DIDN'T
CATCH UNTIL I REALLY GOT TO
GROUND ZERO AND SAW WHAT I SAW.
I SAW BODY PARTS AND
FIREFIGHTERS, GROWN MEN CRYING
AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY HAD TO
DO, SO I JUST STARTED BURNING
DOWN REBAR, BURNING DOWN BEAMS,
ANYTHING, 'CAUSE I COULD USE
THE TOOLS, SO ANYTHING THAT I
COULD DO AND ANYTHING I COULD
HELP, EVEN WITH THE BUCKETS,
FILLING THEM UP.
I WAS THERE FOR 14 DAYS
STRAIGHT, AND I SLEPT THERE,
DIDN'T GO HOME.
WOW, LOOK AT THIS.
>> Booher: RAMONA HAD NEVER
SEEN THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I
TOOK OF HER AT GROUND ZERO, BUT
AS IT TURNS OUT, SHE'D KEPT HER
OWN MEMENTOS.
>> I WAS BURNING SOME BOLTS
BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO TAKE SOME
BEAMS APART, AND AS I WAS
CUTTING, I WAS KIND OF THROWING
THEM DOWN, AND I WAS TOLD "HEY,
WE'RE DOWN HERE!"
SO I STARTED PUTTING THEM IN MY
POUCH.
SO WHEN I CLEANED OUT MY TOOL
BELT, I LITERALLY FOUND BOLTS...
>> Booher: WOW.
>> THAT I CUT OFF AND SO ON.
SO I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH
THEM, BUT I DON'T KNOW YET.
>> Booher: WOW, CAN YOU TAKE
THEM OUT?
>> WELL, SURE. YEAH.
>> Booher: LOOK AT THE SIZE OF
THAT THING.
>> IT'S HEAVY, YOU WANNA...
>> Booher: OH, YEAH.
WHOA.
>> YEAH, RIGHT?
NO WONDER YOUR ARMS LOOK LIKE
THAT.
[both laugh]
>> MY FATHER CAME AS AN
IMMIGRANT TO THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA WITH NOTHING IN HIS
POCKET, AND HE WORKED VERY HARD.
AND HIS JOB WAS TO WELD, FIX,
AND HE WAS VERY GOOD WITH HIS
HANDS.
HE WELDED IN THE DOCKS, AND HE
WELDED MANY PLACES, AND ONE OF
THE PLACES HE DID DO WORK IN
WELDING WAS AT THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY I KEEP THE BOLTS--
YOU NEVER KNOW IF HE TOUCHED IT,
TOO.
AND I TOUCHED IT.
SO I KEEP IT THERE.
NEVER KNOW.
26--YEAH THAT'S MY OLD
PHONE NUMBER.
>> Booher: TRUST ME, I KNOW.
[laughs]
I TRIED EVERY COMBINATION.
>> YEAH THEY ASKED US TO PUT
OUR SOCIAL SECURITY.
I WOULDN'T DO THAT.
SO I PUT MY PHONE NUMBER ON IT.
>> Booher: IN CASE YOU GOT HURT?
>> YEAH.
YOU WOULD CUT THE MOST SMALL,
LITTLE PIECE, AND THIS WHOLE
ENTIRE--PSSH!--COLLAPSE.
YOU WOULD TAKE OUT THIS HUGE
30-FOOT-BY-WHATEVER BEAM, AND
NOTHING WOULD MOVE.
SO PEOPLE WERE GETTING HURT.
I GOT HURT.
I GOT--YOU KNOW, MY LIP GOT
BUSTED A LITTLE, AND I GOT CUT.
SO WHAT THEY ASKED YOU WAS TO
PUT YOUR NAME AND YOUR NUMBER.
THEY ASKED US TO PUT IT ON OUR
LEG, ON OUR ARM, AND ON OUR
BACK.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENED, THEY
WOULD BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH AND
CALL YOUR FAMILY.
LIKE, THIS COMPANY, THEY CAME
WITH EQUIPMENT THAT THEY COULD
TAKE VIBRATION OF THE GROUND TO
SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING
UNDERNEATH.
AND THERE WAS A MOMENT THEY TOLD
EVERYBODY AS WE WERE CLEANING UP
TO SHUT UP.
>> Booher: I WAS THERE.
>> OH, YOU WERE THERE?
WE WERE HEARING THE PEOPLE
UNDERNEATH, UNDERGROUND.
>> Booher: AND THE WHOLE PILE
WENT SILENT.
>> I STILL THINK ABOUT THAT.
WE WERE HEARING THE VOICES ON
THE MIC.
>> Booher: AND THEY PUT THE
AUDIO DETECTOR DOWN THERE.
>> YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, REMEMBER?
>> Booher: AND THEY SAID, "IF
YOU CAN HEAR ME, YOU KNOW, TAP
ON A PIPE."
>> AND THEY DID. [knocks]
AND WE WERE LIKE [gasps].
>> Booher: AND EVERYONE WENT
QUIET.
I MEAN, THAT WAS AMAZING.
>> SO THAT MADE YOU LIKE, "OH,
MY GOD, WE COULD SAVE SOMEONE!"
SO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, SO I
WOULD UH BURN STEEL, CUT STEEL,
WHATEVER I HAD TO DO.
BUT AFTER A WHILE IT--WE DIDN'T
HEAR THEM BANG ANYMORE.
>> Narrator: DESPITE THE
TRAGEDIES EXPERIENCED EVERY DAY
AT GROUND ZERO, THERE WAS NO
PLACE ANYONE WANTED TO BE MORE.
FIREFIGHTER THOM PRIN IN
PARTICULAR REFUSED TO GO HOME
UNTIL THE LAST BODY WAS
RECOVERED.
>> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WOULD WALK
AWAY FROM THE SITE AND YOU WERE
FORCED TO FEEL THINGS THAT I
DIDN'T WANT TO FEEL, AND I'LL
BE HONEST FOR YOU, IF IT WASN'T
FOR THE WORK, I DON'T THINK I
COULD'VE KEPT MYSELF SANE.
YOU WOULD DO THESE 12-HOUR
TOURS AND THEN GO HOME, COME
BACK FOR 12 HOURS, YOU KNOW, 12
ON, 12 OFF, 12 ON, 12 OFF.
SOME DAYS WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE
WE WERE DOING ANYTHING.
YOU JUST--YOU DID WHAT YOU DID,
YOU KNOW?
IT WAS THE ONLY WAY WE STAYED
SANE.
HAD TO KEEP YOUR HANDS BUSY.
I JUST WANTED TO HELP.
I JUST WANTED TO DO WHAT
EVERYBODY ELSE WAS DOING.
I JUST REMEMBER I WANTED TO
JUST--I WANTED TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE, AND I WANTED TO
BRING SOME OF THE GUYS HOME THAT
I KNEW.
>> Booher: IN TALKING WITH THOM,
IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT WHILE
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF US
TO PUT GROUND ZERO BEHIND US,
IT'S EVEN MORE OF A STRUGGLE FOR
THOSE WHO WERE ACTUALLY THERE ON
THE MORNING OF 9/11 TO PUT IT
BEHIND THEM.
[sirens wailing, bells clanging]
THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, I
ARRIVED DOWN AT THE TRADE
CENTER WITH THE GUYS THAT I WAS
WORKING WITH.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE WERE A LOT
OF GUYS THAT I SAW THAT
MORNING, A LOT OF GUYS THAT I
HEARD ON THE RADIO...
>> MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY...
>> A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT ON.
CAN WE STOP FOR A SECOND?
I DON'T--I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT
MOMENT, THAT MORNING.
I'M--I'M SORRY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST--
I'M NOT COMFORTABLE SHARING, FOR
ME ANYWAY, ONLY BECAUSE A LOT
OF THE GUYS I WORKED WITH THAT
MORNING DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT.
AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY
FROM THEIR STORY 'CAUSE THEIRS
IS THE STORY WE SHOULD BE
TELLING TODAY AND EVERY DAY
AFTER.
>> Narrator: THE SON OF A NEW
YORK CITY FIREMAN, THOM PRIN
COULDN'T EVEN COUNT ALL THE
FRIENDS THAT HE LOST ON
SEPTEMBER 11TH, BUT THE ONE THAT
HIT HIM HARDEST WAS A MAN HE'D
KNOWN MOST OF HIS LIFE, CAPTAIN
PATRICK BROWN.
>> PADDY BROWN, CAPTAIN OF
LADDER 3, HE WAS A FIREMAN,
AGAIN.
WENT THROUGH THE RANKS WITH MY
FATHER, AND THEN WHEN I CAME ON,
WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT PUT
HIS HAND OUT, CONGRATULATED ME.
ALWAYS MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO
ME FOR ADVICE OR WHETHER I WAS
GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES.
THIS DAY IN DECEMBER, I
REMEMBER WE WERE WORKING.
IT WAS A NICE DAY OUT.
SUN WAS OUT.
>> SPREAD IT OUT AND STAY
CLOSE...
>> WE HAD COME ACROSS THIS
SECTION, AND WE HAD FOUND WHAT
LOOKED LIKE WAS A BUNKER COAT.
SO WE KNEW WE--WE OBVIOUSLY HAD
A FIREMAN.
EVERY FIREMAN HAS THEIR NAME IN
THEIR COAT.
I COULD NEVER IMAGINE THIS IS
WHY WE WERE TOLD TO PUT OUR
NAMES IN OUR COAT.
BUT THEY FOUND HIS NAME IN HIS
COAT.
[indistinct shouting]
WE KNEW NOBODY ELSE WAS WEARING
PADDY BROWN'S COAT, YOU KNOW?
[chuckles]
THAT WOULD BE UH--THOSE ARE
SHOES YOU DON'T EVER WANT TO
FILL, SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY
HAD THE COURAGE TO EVEN TRY TO
PUT ON PADDY BROWN'S COAT.
WE DRESSED HIM UP WITH THE
AMERICAN FLAG.
WE GOT INTO FORMATION.
THE MEMBERS OF HIS COMPANY
BROUGHT HIM OUT OF THAT PILE,
BROUGHT HIM HOME TO HIS BROTHER,
TO HIS FAMILY.
I REMEMBER AS SOON AS WE BROKE
FORMATION, I ASKED, UH--I ASKED
PERMISSION TO TAKE FIVE MINUTES,
STEPPED AWAY FROM THE PILE, AND
I WAS ABLE TO CALL--CALL MY
DAD...
[chuckles softly]
AND, UH...
TELL HIM THE GOOD NEWS.
[clears throat]
I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM SAYING
IT.
IT WAS A GOOD DAY...
'CAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO BRING
PADDY HOME.
>> Narrator: BY THE TIME PATRICK
BROWN'S BODY WAS FOUND, THE
RESCUE OPERATION HAD LONG SINCE
ENDED.
THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT IT WAS CLEAR
THAT THE EFFORTS WERE BEING
SCALED BACK.
FOR MEN LIKE THOM PRIN, IT WAS
TOO SOON.
>> WHEN THEY DID THAT, TO ME, IT
WAS LIKE--A LITTLE BIT WAS
GIVING UP ON HOPE.
AND WE WEREN'T READY TO GIVE UP
ON THAT, BUT I JUST REMEMBER THE
GUYS THAT I WAS WORKING WITH
AND, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE
FIREMEN THAT I KNEW, WE DIDN'T
ACCEPT THAT.
IF I COULD TELL THAT WIFE OR
THAT DAUGHTER OR SOMEONE THAT,
HEY, MAYBE DADDY'S COMING HOME,
YOU KNOW, WHO ARE YOU TO TELL
ME--I'M GONNA GIVE UP ON THAT?
YOU KNOW, SO I GUESS IT DID
CHANGE THE--THE MENTALITY OF IT.
BUT FOR ME, IT WAS ANGER AND
RESENTMENT, AND THAT'S A POISON
FOR ME.
THAT WASN'T FAIR, YOU KNOW?
WE STILL HAD A JOB TO GET DONE.
WE STILL HAD BROTHERS DOWN
THERE.
WE STILL HAD PEOPLE THAT HADN'T
BEEN BROUGHT HOME YET.
I MEAN, THERE'S OVER 1,000
PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL
UNIDENTIFIED.
ALL THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE
CLOSURE, AND THAT SUCKS.
YOU KNOW, AND TO THIS DAY,
THAT'S A JOB I FAILED.
I REMEMBER GOING HOME, AND DID
I--DID I MAYBE HAVE A COUPLE TOO
MANY BEERS SOME NIGHTS?
YEAH, YOU KNOW?
WAS I ISOLATING?
DID I SHUT OUT MY FAMILY
SOMETIMES?
YES.
YOU KNOW, THE WORK WAS THE
HEALTHY THING THAT I DID AT THAT
TIME OF MY LIFE, YOU KNOW?
AND YOU'RE THE ONLY PROOF OF
THAT.
>> Booher: I'M NOT THE ONLY
PROOF.
YOU'RE THE DOCUMENTED PROOF, YOU
KNOW, AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO THANK
YOU.
I'M SO--I'M VERY PROUD, YOU
KNOW?
AND IN A GOOD WAY.
I'M HUMBLED TODAY BY YOU AND
THAT PICTURE.
>> Booher: IT MEANT SO MUCH TO
ME WHEN THOM PRIN THANKED ME FOR
THE PHOTOGRAPH.
I MEAN, I WAS--I WAS JUST--I WAS
SO TOUCHED BY THAT.
AND I GUESS IT'S BECAUSE I'VE
ALWAYS BELIEVED SO MUCH IN THE
IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTING THE
HISTORIC MOMENT, AND THE FACT
THAT HE THANKED ME JUST--IT SORT
OF VALIDATED EVERYTHING FOR ME.
THE HANDLING OF THE DEAD AT THE
SITE WAS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
AND EVERYBODY TREATED IT AS
SUCH.
THERE WERE CLERGY AND PRIESTS AT
THE SITE AS WELL.
I WAS ON CHAMBERS STREET, AND I
SAW THIS FRANCISCAN FRIAR
WALKING DOWN IN HIS LONG BROWN
ROBE WITH THE HOOD AND A ROPE
TIE AROUND HIS WAIST, AND I
THOUGHT, HOW ODD IS THIS?
I APPROACHED HIM AND STARTED
TALKING TO HIM, AND HE TOLD ME
THAT THE FIRST TWO DAYS, ALL HE
DID WAS CRY.
>> I JUST FELT THE URGE THAT I
WANTED TO BE AT THE SITE.
YOU KNOW, I WAS ANNOYED AT
MYSELF THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO
FUNCTION OR DO ANYTHING, JUST
SIT THERE AND LOOK AT IT, YOU
KNOW, FROM FIVE MILES AWAY.
IN NEW YORK CITY, MOST OF YOUR
FIREMEN AND POLICEMEN ARE ROMAN
CATHOLICS, AT LEAST A MAJORITY
OF THEM.
SO I WENT OVER TO THE 50TH
PRECINCT, THE POLICE STATION,
AND ASKED THEM IF I COULD GO
DOWN WITH THEM.
>> Booher: FATHER MORREALE HAS
CHANGED PARISHES MULTIPLE
TIMES, BUT WE FINALLY FOUND HIM
IN A PARISH IN CONNECTICUT.
FATHER MORREALE?
>> HI, ANDREA.
>> Booher: HI.
HELLO.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> Booher: YOU TOO.
>> HOW ARE YOU?
AFTER TEN YEARS I'M IN SHOCK
THAT YOU REMEMBER ME.
>> Booher: I DO. [laughs]
YOU'RE A HARD MAN TO FORGET.
[laughs]
I BROUGHT YOU SOME PHOTOGRAPHS.
SO THERE YOU ARE IN YOUR HARD
HAT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.
[both chuckle]
>> Booher: A BROWN ROBE AND
A HARDHAT.
>> WELL, THAT WAS AN ORDER.
THEY SAID, "YOU HAVE TO WEAR
YOUR HARDHAT."
>> Booher: WE ALL HAD THEM ON.
>> I HAD TO DO THAT.
>> Booher: AND YOU WEREN'T
WEARING THOSE SANDALS YOU HAVE
ON, RIGHT?
>> NO, AND THEN I WAS TOLD AFTER
THE FIRST OR SECOND DAY IT WAS,
THEY SAID, "FATHER, YOU HAVE TO
COME IN WITH BOOTS IF YOU'RE
GONNA COME AT ALL."
SO I HAD THE HARDHAT AND THE
BOOTS.
>> Booher: YEAH, YOU DEFINITELY
KIND OF STOOD OUT.
>> YES, BUT THEY DIDN'T SAY
ANYTHING ABOUT MY FRANCISCAN
ROBE, AND I KEPT THAT.
[both laugh]
ONCE I WAS PRESENT AT GROUND
ZERO, I JUST WENT MY OWN WAY.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WENT WHERE I
THOUGHT I MIGHT HAVE BEEN
NEEDED.
MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WAS THERE WAS
SIX PALLBEARERS.
THEY WERE FIREMEN, AND THEY HAD
A BODY BAG, AND THEY ASKED ME TO
ANOINT.
WE HAVE A VIAL OF HOLY OILS, AND
WE PLACE THE OILS ON OUR THUMB,
AND WE BLESS THE FOREHEAD AND
THE PALMS OF THE HANDS.
THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO OPEN THE
BODY BAG FOR ME.
THEY WOULDN'T.
AND SO I JUST WENT THROUGH THE
PROCEDURE AND ANOINTED THE HEAD
OF THE PERSON THROUGH THE BODY
BAG.
I BEGAN THE PRAYERS, AND I
IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO CRY.
I BECAME VERY EMOTIONAL, AND I
ATTEMPTED THIS ABOUT THREE TIMES
BEFORE I HAD MYSELF IN CONTROL.
AND IN DOING SO, I COMPLETED THE
PRAYERS, AND AFTER THAT I, THESE
POOR SIX PALLBEARERS WHO WERE
VERY RUGGED, BIG MEN, I HAD THEM
CRYING ALSO.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST COUPLE OF
MINUTES THAT I WAS THERE.
I DIDN'T ANOINT AT ALL TIMES
COMPLETE BODIES.
I WENT ONE PLACE WHERE IT WAS
LIKE A CAVE.
I HAD TO BEND DOWN AND GO IN,
AND THERE WAS JUST A HAND
STICKING OUT OF THE GROUND.
ANOTHER TIME, THERE WAS A
DECAPITATED BODY OR THERE WERE
BODY PARTS.
CHRISTMAS EVE, I WENT BACK, AND
THERE WERE ELDERLY MEN WHO WERE
RAKING UP WHAT THEY PRESUMED WAS
THE INCINERATED, CREMATED BONES.
AND WE JUST GATHERED TOGETHER IN
A CIRCLE, AND WE SAID PRAYERS
HOLDING EACH OTHER'S HANDS.
THAT WAS VERY--IT'S VERY
EMOTIONAL.
YEAH.
>> Booher: HAVE YOU BEEN BACK
DOWN GROUND ZERO RECENTLY?
>> I WAS THERE LAST SEPTEMBER
THE 11TH.
IT'S STILL A HURTFUL SITUATION,
AND IT'S STILL A HURTFUL MEMORY.
THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS, IT WAS
HARD.
IT WAS DIFFICULT, BUT
AFTERWARDS, IT WAS A BIT
INSPIRING BECAUSE I SAW SO MANY
PEOPLE PRESENT.
IT WAS LIKE GOD CALLING PEOPLE
TO HELP, AND IT WAS LIKE ALMOST
A HOLY PRESENCE.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT TO ME WAS
DISASTROUS, AND IT BECAME
SOMETHING VERY KIND.
SO IT WASN'T FAITH SHATTERING.
IT WAS FAITH RESTORING.
>> Narrator: IN THE WEEKS AFTER
SEPTEMBER 11TH, ANY HOPE OF
FINDING SURVIVORS VANISHED AND
GROUND ZERO TURNED INTO A
CONSTRUCTION SITE.
BUT IT WAS ALSO THE FINAL
RESTING PLACE FOR 2,753 PEOPLE.
THERE WAS A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT
GROUND ZERO.
I DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE
PHOTOGRAPHING IT, AND SO I KIND
OF WANDERED AROUND THE BACK
SIDE OF THE SITE.
THE SITE WAS CONSTANTLY
CHANGING.
ONE DAY YOU WOULD GO SOMEWHERE
AND PHOTOGRAPH SOMETHING, AND
THE NEXT DAY YOU'D RETURN, AND
IT WOULD LOOK COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT.
PEOPLE HAD WRITTEN MESSAGES IN
THAT FINE CONCRETE POWDER THAT
COVERED EVERYTHING INCLUDING
THE WINDOWS.
AND I PHOTOGRAPHED THESE ONE
DAY AND DECIDED TO GO BACK THE
NEXT DAY AND PHOTOGRAPH MORE.
AND WHEN I WENT BACK, SOMEBODY
HAD WASHED THE WINDOWS, AND IT
WAS LIKE A PIECE OF HISTORY HAD
BEEN WASHED AWAY.
AND IT WAS JUST LIKE THAT EVERY
DAY AT THE SITE, CONSTANTLY
CHANGING.
AS I WAS WALKING AROUND, I SAW A
FIRE CHIEF ESCORTING TWO WOMEN
AND A YOUNG GIRL.
IT WAS SORT OF UNUSUAL BECAUSE
YOU NEVER SAW CIVILIANS AT THE
SITE.
AND THEN THE YOUNG GIRL SAID TO
ME, "DO YOU MIND TAKING A
PICTURE OF ME BY MYSELF?"
>> I THINK IT WAS IN OCTOBER,
EARLY OCTOBER, THERE WAS SOME
CEREMONY OR SOMETHING FOR THE
FAMILIES, SOME SORT OF VIGIL OR
SOMETHING AT GROUND ZERO.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE
THINGS THAT I DID BECAUSE MY MOM
TOLD ME TO, AND I KNEW THAT SHE
NEEDED ME WITH HER.
BUT IT WAS SORT OF VERY
UNCOMFORTABLE TO ME.
YOU CAN TELL HOW THRILLED I AM
TO BE THERE BY THE EXPRESSION
ON MY FACE. [chuckles]
>> Booher: RIGHT WHEN I WAS
TAKING THE PICTURE, SHE PULLED
OUT THIS PHOTOGRAPH OF HER
STEPFATHER, WHO'D BEEN THE HEAD
OF PORT AUTHORITY.
IT WAS ONLY LATER THAT I
REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A
RAINBOW BEHIND HER.
EVERYTHING JUST CAME TOGETHER IN
THE PHOTOGRAPH.
>> IT WAS THE PROGRAM FOR HIS
MEMORIAL SERVICE WHICH WAS
PROBABLY ONLY A DAY OR TWO
PRIOR.
PART OF ME LOOKS AT IT, AND I
FEEL ALMOST ASHAMED TO ADMIT
THAT THERE'S SOME VANITY THAT'S
LIKE, OH, MY GOODNESS, I
SHOULD'VE COMBED MY HAIR, AND I
WAS SUCH AN AWKWARD CHUBBY
TEENAGER.
YOU KNOW I WAS 15, AND THIS WAS
MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH GRIEF
OR LOSS.
I THINK I MAY HAVE JUST BEEN TOO
YOUNG OR TOO DISTRACTED OR TOO--
MAYBE I JUST HAD NUMBED MYSELF
TO NOT FEEL IT.
LIKE, I WAS SORT OF WAITING FOR
THIS EMOTIONAL WAVE OF
SOMETHING, BUT IT NEVER REALLY
CAME.
>> Booher: THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN
A PHOTOGRAPH THAT WAS KIND OF
SPECIAL TO ME, AND I GUESS I
JUST ASSUMED THAT SHE REALLY
LIKED IT AS WELL, BUT I CAME TO
FIND OUT THAT I WAS WRONG.
>> Booher: ALL RESPECT TO
ANDREA, I DON'T REALLY CARE FOR
IT BECAUSE IT IS A VERY
SENTIMENTAL-LOOKING PHOTOGRAPH.
I MEAN, IT'S A VERY POSTCARD-
LIKE PHOTOGRAPH.
I JUST REMEMBER AROUND 9/11
BEING CONFUSED, BEING VERY
CONFUSED ABOUT, LIKE, WHY WOULD
THIS WOULD HAPPEN, WHEN ARE
PEOPLE GONNA START MOVING ON,
WHEN ARE THE TRAINS GONNA START
RUNNING, WHEN ARE THINGS GONNA
GO BACK TO NORMAL?
I WASN'T AS HURT AND DESTITUTE,
I THINK, AS THAT PHOTOGRAPH
PORTRAYS.
TO ME, I LOOK AT THAT
PHOTOGRAPH, AND I LOOK SAD, I
LOOK CRUSHED.
I DON'T LOOK CONFUSED.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE TO
WHAT I WAS FEELING.
>> Booher: I WAS KIND OF
SURPRISED BY HER REACTION, BUT I
WASN'T REALLY BOTHERED BY IT.
SHE MADE A REALLY IMPORTANT
POINT, THAT THIS IMAGE FREEZES
HER IN TIME, AND THAT WASN'T
HOW SHE REALLY FELT.
CLEARLY, I DIDN'T PUT THE
PICTURE OF HER STEPFATHER IN HER
HAND, NOR DID I PUT THE RAINBOW.
THAT'S JUST WHAT I SAW AT THE
MOMENT.
>> FOR AN IMAGE OF 9/11 IN MY
HEAD, THAT'S NOT WHAT I SEE.
I SEE A GIANT GAPING HOLE THAT
DOESN'T LOOK VERY PRETTY WITHOUT
ANY RAINBOWS.
THOSE ARE MY POIGNANT IMAGES OF
9/11, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
[alarm beeping]
>> Booher: THE MASSACHUSETTS
TASK FORCE WAS SORT OF LIKE MY
FAMILY AT GROUND ZERO, AND MARK
FOSTER IN PARTICULAR WAS THE ONE
THAT REALLY BROUGHT ME IN AND
MADE ME FEEL KIND OF LIKE A
PART OF THE TEAM.
MARK?
>> HEY!
>> Booher: HOW YOU DOING?
HEY, BUD!
>> GIMME A BIG, BIG HUG.
HELLO!
OKAY, JACK, SHE'S A FRIENDLY.
>> Booher: YOU CAN COME WITH US.
SEARCH DOG?
>> NO, A PET.
THE TRADE CENTER WAS OUR FIRST
BIG MISSION.
IT WAS OUR FIRST SIGNIFICANT
MISSION.
IT WAS THE FIRST MISSION THAT
EVERYBODY WENT TO.
IT WAS THE FIRST MISSION THAT
WAS A BOLT OUT OF THE BLUE THAT
WE WENT TO WITH NO PREPARATION.
THAT'S KIND OF THE LAST OF THE
WORLD TRADE CENTER VEHICLES.
WHEN THE ORDERS CAME DOWN TO GO
TO NEW YORK CITY, THE TRUCKS
WERE OLD, NONE OF THE PAINT
MATCHED.
>> Booher: IS THIS THE ONE YOU
TOOK TO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER?
NO WONDER YOU HAD TO DRIVE 50
MILES AN HOUR.
>> I THINK WE LOST A MUFFLER ON
ONE OF THE BIG TRUCKS IN NEW
YORK CITY WHILE WE WERE DOWN
THERE.
MATTER OF FACT, THE ONLY TRUCK
THAT WAS A NEW TRUCK WAS--WE
RENTED A CAMPER FROM A LOCAL
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE RENTAL
PLACE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE AM/FM RADIOS.
SO GUYS HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS
HAPPENING.
EVERYBODY'S LISTENING TO THE
RADIO, OUR GUYS ARE JUST
SITTING, DRIVING DOWN.
>> Booher: IT WAS REALLY AMAZING
TO SEE HOW MUCH THE TASK FORCE
HAS GROWN.
THEY HAVE THIS RUBBLE PILE FOR
TRAINING, AND WHEN WE WERE
WALKING AROUND IT, IT KIND OF
BROUGHT A FLASHBACK TO WHEN I
PHOTOGRAPHED HIM AT GROUND ZERO.
BUT OF COURSE, THE CONDITIONS
THERE WERE VERY DIFFERENT.
>> IN THAT PHOTO, WE'RE ON THE
PLAZA.
BEHIND WHERE I STOOD WAS THE
FAMOUS SPHERE OR BALL THAT WAS
IN THE CENTER OF THE PLAZA.
IF I WERE TO TAKE 10 STEPS
BACKWARDS, I WOULD FALL INTO THE
ABYSS OF THE TRADE CENTER.
ALL OF THE MATERIAL THAT WAS
COMPRISING, OTHER THAN THE STEEL
IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, IT
GOT PULVERIZED AND TURNED INTO A
DUST.
AND THAT DUST FLOATED AROUND
UNTIL THE VERY HEAVY RAIN THAT
FELL.
THE GOOD PART OF THAT WAS THAT
IT KIND OF CLEANED MOST OF THE
DUST OUT OF THE AIR.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME SMALL
FIRES THAT BURNED FOR MONTHS
BELOW IN THE TRADE CENTER.
AND MOST OF THE SMOKE YOU SEE IS
FROM SOME OF THE FIRES THAT
STILL HAD NOT BEEN EXTINGUISHED
SEVERAL DAYS INTO THE FIRE.
IF YOU LOOK AT MY PICTURE, NEXT
TO MY HEAD IS A TRI-BEAM THAT
COMES UP THAT HAD COME OFF
PROBABLY FAIRLY HIGH UP ON THE
WORLD TRADE CENTER.
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS A
VERY UNUSUAL METHOD OF
CONSTRUCTION FOR THE TIME.
IF YOU NOTICE, IF YOU LOOK AT
THE RUBBLE, THE BEAMS OCCUR IN
CLUMPS OF THREE, AND THAT'S THE
WAY THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS
BUILT.
THE TRI-BEAMS WERE PROBABLY THE
ONLY THINGS IN THE WORLD TRADE
CENTER THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY
LOOKED BEFORE THE COLLAPSE.
>> Booher: SO THIS IS THE BEAM,
HUH? WOW.
>> YEAH, THIS IS THREE FLOORS OF
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.
>> Booher: WOW.
>> LAST YEAR, SOMEBODY SENT TO
ME AN ARTICLE FROM ONE OF THE
FIREHOUSE MAGAZINES THAT SAID
THE PORT AUTHORITY IN NEW YORK
AND NEW JERSEY WAS CONSIDERING
RELEASING PIECES OF STEEL TO
WORTHY AGENCIES THAT WOULD
DISPLAY THEM IN A MANNER THAT
WAS BEFITTING THE 9/11 TRAGEDY.
IT ACTUALLY HAS A SERIAL NUMBER,
SEE?
>> Booher: OH, YEAH.
>> THIS IS CALLED IMPACT STEEL,
BY THE WAY, MEANING IT WAS ON
THE FLOOR THAT THE PLANE FLEW
THOUGH.
AND THE PLANE HIT PART OF THE
STEEL.
WE FLEW DOWN TO NEW YORK CITY.
WE LOADED THE BEAM ON THE TRUCK,
COVERED IT WITH AN AMERICAN
FLAG, AND DROVE IT BACK TO OUR
TASK FORCE HERE IN BEVERLY.
>> Booher: THIS IS AMAZING.
>> SEE THERE'S A HOLE IN THE
MIDDLE?
THAT'S A WINDOW ON THE 93RD
FLOOR.
AND THEN THAT HALF UP THERE IS A
WINDOW ON THE 94TH FLOOR, AND
THAT'S A WINDOW ON THE 92ND
FLOOR.
WE KIND OF LIVE THIS STUFF HERE.
I MEAN, EVERY MORNING I PARK MY
CAR IN FRONT OF THE PIECE OF
METAL FROM THE 94TH FLOOR OF THE
WORLD TRADE CENTER, AND YOU GO
INSIDE, AND THE WALLS ARE NOT
COVERED, BUT THERE ARE QUITE A
FEW MEMENTOS ON THE WALL.
THIS END, IS WHERE THE PLANE
HIT.
>> Booher: AMAZING.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE ISN'T A DAY
THAT GOES BY THAT I WATCH A
PLANE FLY--LIKE, SEE OVERHEAD?
AND YOU JUST--IT'S KINDA SPOOKY.
SOMETIMES YOU LOOK UP, AND YOU
SAY, "IT'S THE WAY THEY LOOKED
JUST BEFORE THEY HIT THE TRADE
CENTER."
I DON'T SAY IT'S A HAUNTING--I
GUESS IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A
REMINDER THAT, YEAH, THAT'S KIND
OF WHAT PEOPLE SAW IN NEW YORK
CITY, I GUESS, ON 9/11.
I LOST FRIENDS IN THE WORLD
TRADE CENTER.
HOW IT AFFECTS ME, I'M NOT TOO
SURE.
WHAT DO THE PICTURES ON THE WALL
MEAN?
I'M NOT TOO SURE.
WE ALL JUST ASSUME EVERYBODY
THINKS THE SAME, BUT WE DON'T.
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN STORY,
AND THEY'RE NOT ALL HAPPY
STORIES.
>> Booher: THE LANDSCAPE AT
GROUND ZERO WAS ONE OF THE MOST
UNFORGETTABLE PLACES I'VE EVER
BEEN.
AND SEEING ALL OF THESE PEOPLE
MADE ME REALIZE THAT IT WASN'T
JUST THE PEOPLE I WANTED TO
SEE, IT WAS GROUND ZERO.
SO WHEN I CALLED RICHIE PARKER
FROM MASSACHUSETTS TASK FORCE
ONE, I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD
MEET ME THERE.
IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY WHY, BUT IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SEE RICHIE.
I FELT LIKE IN SOME WAY, HE WAS
THE KEY TO SOMETHING, AND IT
WASN'T UNTIL I STARTED GOING
BACK THROUGH THE PHOTOGRAPHS,
THAT I STARTED TO UNDERSTAND.
AND I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE
RICHIE WAS LIKE A BRIDGE TO
GROUND ZERO.
AT GROUND ZERO, ESPECIALLY ON
THE PILE, YOU JUST COULDN'T BE A
FREELANCER.
YOU COULDN'T BE OUT THERE ON
YOUR OWN.
YOU HAD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A
SEARCH TEAM OR THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT OR THE FIREFIGHTERS,
AND RICHIE AND THE MASSACHUSETTS
TASK FORCE ONE WERE SORT OF MY
FAMILY.
>> HELLO, ANDREA, HOW ARE YOU?
>> Booher: RICHIE!
WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?
BEEN WAITING FOR YOU FOREVER.
>> 10 YEARS.
>> Booher: A COUPLE OF DAYS
AFTER THE TOWERS COLLAPSED,
RICHIE WAS ASSIGNED TO GO WITH
ME AS I WALKED THE PERIMETER
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> THAT WHOLE SCENE, THE WHOLE
SIXTEEN ACRES WAS UNBELIEVABLE.
YOU CAN'T BE AN INDIVIDUAL AT A
SCENE LIKE THAT.
YOU HAVE TO BE PART OF A
SOMETHING, AND SO I HELPED GIVE
HER THAT ACCESS.
>> Booher: TEN YEARS LATER, WE
WANTED TO TAKE THAT WALK AGAIN.
I GOTTA GET A PICTURE OF YOU TEN
YEARS LATER.
THE PLAN WAS TO RETRACE OUR
STEPS, BUT IT TURNED OUT NOT TO
BE THAT EASY.
OKAY, NOW LOOK RIGHT HERE.
IS THIS, OKAY--WASN'T THAT WHERE
THE SPHERE WAS RIGHT OUT IN THIS
AREA?
>> I THINK WE NEED TO BE A
LITTLE MORE IN FRONT OF THE
MILLENNIUM HOTEL HERE.
>> Booher: WHERE WAS YOUR
MASSACHUSETTS TENT?
I HAVE A SHOT OF THAT.
IT WAS RIGHT HERE BY THE--
>> I THINK PROBABLY JUST ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THIS GREEN WALL.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO BUT LIKE A
HUNDRED FEET AND BE SURPRISED,
ALMOST.
IT WAS--YOU KNOW, YOU TOOK THAT
FIRST CORNER, AND THERE WAS,
LIKE, A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT
THAT, YOU KNOW, NYPD, YOU KNOW,
HEADQUARTERS.
>> Booher: HEY, RICHIE, DO YOU
REMEMBER, THAT WAS THE--THAT WAS
LIKE THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS,
THAT BURGER KING, YOU REMEMBER
THAT?
>> YOU TOOK A PICTURE, I WAS
STANDING RIGHT THERE.
WHEN YOU TRANSFORM A FAST FOOD
RESTAURANT INTO A POLICE
HEADQUARTERS, IT SHOWS THAT
SITUATION'S PRETTY DRASTIC,
RIGHT?
>> Booher: YEAH.
BACK IN 2001, WHEN WE WERE
WALKING AROUND THE SITE, RICHIE
AND I WERE COMING AROUND THE
NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PILE,
AND I JUST, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
KIND OF LOOKED AROUND US, AND IT
WAS LIKE WE WERE OUT THERE ALL
BY OURSELVES, YOU KNOW?
IT WAS JUST LIKE THIS MOONSCAPE.
AT THE TIME, I DIDN'T EVEN
NOTICE, BUT THERE WAS, LIKE,
THIS AMBULANCE BURIED.
IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE
CHILLING DETAILS THAT I SAW
LATER.
>> WE HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WORKING AT THE SITE ON GRADE,
BELOW GRADE.
AND THEN YOU HAD MORE THOUSANDS
SURROUNDING THE SITE.
THE SITE'S ALIVE.
IT'S STILL BURNING, SMOKE
BILLOWING, AND YET SHE TOOK THAT
PICTURE.
I JUST--WE BOTH WALKED ACROSS
THE DEBRIS FIELD.
SHE STOPPED AND TOOK A PICTURE
OF ME, AND NO ONE'S THERE
EXCEPT FOR ME.
I MEAN, THAT TELLS YOU HOW BIG
IT WAS.
IF YOU COULD HAVE THAT MANY
PEOPLE WORKING AND THAT BIG A
DISASTER, AND I'M ON THE ONLY
PERSON IN THE PICTURE THAT
ENCOMPASSES FIVE ACRES OR SO, IT
WAS AN INCREDIBLE, ALMOST
UNBELIEVABLE SIGHT TO SEE.
>> Booher: ISN'T IT AMAZING THAT
YOU'RE, LIKE, THE ONLY PERSON
OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT?
I MEAN, ISN'T IT--
>> WE WALKED ACROSS THE FIELD.
SEE THAT CRANE, BLACK?
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU WALKED
ACROSS THE DEBRIS FIELD, AND
LIKE, NO ONE THERE, AND THE
BACK'S ALL STILL SMOLDERING IN
THE BACK, AND THEN YOU JUST CAME
IN FRONT OF ME AND TOOK THAT
PICTURE WITH ALL THAT IN THE
BACKGROUND.
I STILL--I LOOK AT THAT PICTURE,
I STILL GET, YOU KNOW, FEELINGS
FROM IT.
THIS WAS LIKE BUILDING FOUR.
ANOTHER THING ABOUT THAT
BUILDING THERE WAS THAT--I
DON'T KNOW WHAT DAY IT WAS, BUT
WE HAD DONE A BODY RECOVERY TO
THE RIGHT OF WHERE THAT SPHERE
WAS, AND STANDING THERE, WE HAD
THIS BODY IN A BODY BAG, AND ALL
OF A SUDDEN, THERE'S A LIKE AN
INTERIOR COLLAPSE IN THIS
BUILDING.
>> Booher: RIGHT.
>> THE BUILDING WASN'T COMING
DOWN, QUITE SURE OF THAT, BUT
UM, ANYWAY, THEY SOUND THAT
EVACUATION SIGNAL, AND
EVERYBODY'S RUNNING DOWN THE
STREET AGAIN.
AND THERE YOU ARE RUNNING DOWN
THE STREET WITH A DEAD BODY IN
YOUR HANDS.
AND WE DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT
THAT FOR, LIKE, 3 MONTHS, I BET,
'CAUSE IT WAS LIKE AN EVERYDAY
THING.
MAYBE IN WARTIME, YOU EXPECT TO
RUN DOWN THE STREET WITH A BODY
IN YOUR HAND OR SOMETHING, BUT
NOT IN NEW YORK CITY, AND...
ANYWAY.
>> Booher: ARE YOU DOING GOOD?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO DEEP
INTO THAT BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE A
PROBLEM...
JUSTIFYING ANY NEGATIVE FEELINGS
I HAVE WHEN OTHER PEOPLE HAVE
GONE THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, THE
PENTAGON, PENNSYLVANIA.
>> Booher: I KNOW.
>> SO I THINK THERE ARE SOME
ISSUES, BUT IN THAT SCALE, IT'S
NOT--NOT THAT BIG A DEAL.
I THINK UNDERSTANDING STRESS IS
AN IMPORTANT THING FOR NOT ONLY
OUR TROOPS AT HOME BUT ALSO FOR
THE RESPONDERS THAT CAME HERE,
NOT JUST PEOPLE LIKE ME FOR
EIGHT DAYS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE
WORKED A LONG TIME IN THERE
DIGGING OUT AND THAT'S--YOU
KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT.
YOU KNOW, ALL INJURIES AREN'T
VISIBLE.
>> Booher: AT GROUND ZERO,
NOBODY TALKED ABOUT WHAT
TROUBLES THEY WERE HAVING
BECAUSE, I MEAN, HOW COULD YOU,
YOU KNOW?
YOU WERE WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO
WERE LOOKING FOR THEIR SONS AND
BEST FRIENDS AND FATHERS, AND
YOU JUST FIGURED NOBODY COULD
HAVE IT WORSE THAN THEM.
>> I WENT THROUGH A PHASE OF
WITHDRAWING FROM THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW FOR WHAT REASONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RELATED OR
NOT.
ALMOST, LIKE, EVERYTHING THAT I
WAS INVOLVED WITH BACK THEN, I'M
NOT ANYMORE, INCLUDING MY
MARRIAGE AND, UM...
THE TASK FORCE.
ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING THAT I
WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT PERIOD,
I'M DONE WITH.
SO--SO THE ANSWER'S, YES, I'M
DOING OKAY, BUT ARE THERE
ISSUES?
YES.
ARE THEY RELATED TO THIS?
I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY LEFT THERE
NOT BEING CHANGED, AND IF THEY
SAY THEY ARE, THEY'RE PROBABLY
NOT BEING HONEST ABOUT IT.
>> Booher: YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE
MADE DRASTIC CHANGES IN THEIR
LIVES, OTHERS, IT WAS MORE
SUBTLE.
FOR ME, I PUSHED ALL OF MY
PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES, HEALTH-
WISE.
I PUSHED THEM, AND ON AN
EMOTIONAL LEVEL, I LEARNED...
I LEARNED ABOUT, I GUESS, A
PLACE OF SORROW.
I LEARNED--OR A DEPTH OF SORROW
THAT I HADN'T KNOWN BEFORE.
AND...
AND HOPE TO NEVER KNOW AGAIN.
I DON'T WANNA TALK ANYMORE
BECAUSE I MIGHT START CRYING.
I GOTTA STOP.
SOME OF THE MEMORIES ARE REALLY
HARD, BUT I WENT ON THIS JOURNEY
TO HEAR PEOPLE'S STORIES,
WHATEVER THEY WERE, AND I'M
THANKFUL THAT I DID.
EVERYONE'S MEMORIES ARE
DIFFERENT, BUT THE EXPERIENCE OF
9/11 IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL
SHARE.
NICE.
>> DID YOU HEAR HIM SAY, "DON'T
LEAN ON THE FENCE"?
>> WHEN I MEET A NEW PERSON, YOU
KNOW, WHEN THEY FIRST FIND OUT
THAT, UH, I WAS A NEW YORK CITY
FIREMAN AND THAT I WAS A FIREMAN
ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, THEY WANT TO
KNOW MY STORY, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY, THEY WANT TO TELL
ME THEIRS.
AND I ALWAYS FOUND THAT
SOMETIMES I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE,
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT
TO BE REMINDED OF IT BECAUSE I
GUESS IT WAS STILL SO PAINFUL.
BUT THAT'S THE CONNECTION WE ALL
HAVE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL AMERICANS,
AND WE ALL WENT THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 11TH, YOU KNOW?
SOME, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT MORE THAN
OTHERS, BUT THAT'S THEIR
CONNECTION, YOU KNOW?
AND THEY GET TO TELL ME THEIR
STORY.
TODAY THEY GET TO HEAR A LITTLE
BIT OF MINE.
>> Booher: IN SOME WAY, EVERYONE
I PHOTOGRAPHED AT GROUND ZERO
HAS BECOME A PART OF ME, AND
GROUND ZERO HAS BECOME A PART
OF ALL OF US.
YOU CAN NEVER FORGET IT, AND
CAN'T PUT IT BEHIND YOU, BUT YOU
CAN LIVE WITH IT.
AND MEETING EVERYONE AGAIN TEN
YEARS LATER, I'M LEARNED THAT
THEY'RE ALL MANAGING TO LIVE
WITH IT IN THEIR OWN WAY.
>> I WAS HAUNTED WITH NIGHTMARES
FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS
AFTER I CAME HOME.
I WOULD WAKE UP WITH NIGHT
SWEATS.
I WOULD WAKE UP SCREAMING.
AND MY WIFE AND FAMILY WERE VERY
CONCERNED, BUT ULTIMATELY, THEY
WENT AWAY.
WHEN YOU'RE WORKING, YOU'RE
FOCUSED ON WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
SO I GUESS IT WAS A CHANCE FOR
US TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE
WHEN THEY FINALLY SAID ON THAT
BUS, "YOU'RE NOT GOING BACK HERE
TOMORROW, YOU'RE GOING HOME."
WAS IT SAD?
ABSOLUTELY.
UM, I CAN REMEMBER BEING ON THE
BUS GOING BACK, AND THERE WASN'T
A DRY EYE ON THE BUS.
WE'RE ALL GROWN MEN, AND NOBODY
WANTED TO SHOW THEIR EMOTION.
SO IT WAS THE TOUGHEST BUS RIDE
IN A SCHOOL BUS THAT I EVER HAD.
I OFTEN WONDER ABOUT THAT WOMAN
THAT WE FOUND THAT WAS ALL IN
ONE PIECE AND COVERED IN DUST.
WHAT WAS HER NAME?
I NEVER FOUND OUT.
THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIND OUT.
WHO DID SHE BELONG TO?
WHAT KIND OF FAMILY DID SHE
HAVE?
HOW THANKFUL MUST THEY HAVE BEEN
THAT THEY ACTUALLY GOT SOMEBODY
BACK THAT THEY COULD'VE HELD A
WAKE AND FUNERAL FOR, WHERE
OTHER FAMILIES GOT ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING BACK TO THIS DAY?
SO THERE'S REMINDERS OF IT IN MY
LIFE EVERY DAY, AND I HOPE THERE
IS.
SEEING THE PICTURES, THEY DON'T
STIR UP BAD MEMORIES.
THEY JUST STIR UP THE FACT THAT
I HAPPENED TO BE INVOLVED IN
SOMETHING THAT WAS THAT BIG.
I MEAN, THERE ISN'T A
FIREFIGHTER IN THIS COUNTRY WHO
AT THE TIME OF THAT THING
HAPPENING DIDN'T WANT TO BE
THERE TO HELP.
AND IT PROVES THAT I WAS THERE
TRYING TO HELP.
>> Booher: WAS IT WEIRD WHEN I
CALLED YOU?
>> OH, MY GOD, I COULD NOT
BELIEVE IT.
YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS LATER, I
WONDER WHERE YOU BEEN, WHAT
YOU'VE DONE.
YOU KNOW, WOULD I EVER HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU
AGAIN AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE STUFF BECAUSE YOU
WERE THERE.
HISTORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD, NEEDS
TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT I THINK I
JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE WAY TO BE
ABLE TO TELL THE STORY.
ANDREA, A PERSON WHOM I TRUSTED
AND I FELT WAS VERY HONEST AND
SINCERE IN WHAT SHE WAS DOING
DOWN AT GROUND ZERO WHEN WE MET
AND THE CONTRIBUTION THAT SHE
MADE TO DOCUMENT WHAT HAPPENED
DOWN THERE, I FELT THAT THIS
WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO
COME AND TELL THE STORY AS IT
WAS.
FRANKLY, I THINK THAT I WILL GO
BACK HOME, AND I WILL LOOK AT
THOSE PICTURES, AND I WILL SIT
DOWN WITH, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY,
AND I WILL EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT
HAPPENED AND EXPLAIN--TELL THEM
THE STORY.
>> Booher: FOR THE NEW YORK FIRE
DEPARTMENT, GETTING PAST 9/11 IS
PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE.
THEY LOST 343 MEMBERS THAT DAY,
AND VISITING CHIEF KILDUFF IN
HIS OFFICE, IT WAS LIKE BEING IN
A 9/11 MUSEUM.
I LOOK AROUND, AND IT'S LIKE,
YOU KNOW, 9/11 WAS 10 YEARS AGO,
BUT DO YOU STILL THINK ABOUT
9/11 EVERY DAY?
>> I MEAN, AS A DEPARTMENT, FOR
US, WE BASICALLY DEDICATED
EVERYTHING WE DO TO THE EVENTS
AND TO THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT
WERE KILLED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH.
SEPTEMBER 11TH IS NOT JUST ABOUT
SEPTEMBER 11TH AND THE MONTHS
AFTERWARDS.
IT'S ABOUT THE YEARS AFTER, AND
IT'S WHAT YOU LEARN DURING
THOSE YEARS AFTER.
IT BASICALLY THREADS ITS WAY
THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT.
A LOT OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENT
DOES IS BASED ON CARING FOR THE
FAMILIES AND CARRYING FOR THE
LEGACY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH AND THE
FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE KILLED.
I WORRY THAT PEOPLE FORGET.
I THINK IN NEW YORK CITY, PEOPLE
DON'T FORGET BECAUSE WE ALWAYS
HAVE THIS TERRORISM ELEMENT
THAT'S AROUND, BUT FROM A
NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, FROM A
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, I THINK
PEOPLE TEND TO--I DON'T THINK
THEY FORGET.
I THINK IT JUST FADES.
>> I DON'T THINK ABOUT 9/11
EVERY DAY.
I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT EVERY DAY.
I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT EVERY
WEEK.
IT DOESN'T MEAN I DIDN'T LOVE
NEIL AND I DON'T MISS HIM.
9/11 TO ME ISN'T JUST A
TERRORIST ATTACK OR, YOU KNOW, A
BUILDING COLLAPSE.
IT IS THE DAY THAT MY STEPFATHER
DIED.
YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT THE
BIGGEST TRIBUTE TO HIM IS NOT
SITTING AROUND SULKING.
IT'S--YOU KNOW, HE BOUGHT ME MY
FIRST CAMERA.
ON 9/11, I THINK IT'S A LOT MORE
MEANINGFUL AND A LOT BETTER OF A
TRIBUTE TO GO OUT AND TAKE SOME
GREAT PHOTOS AND ENJOY THE
WORLD.
>> Booher: I THINK FROM ALL THE
PEOPLE THAT I MET AT GROUND
ZERO, THOM PRIN HAD THE MOST
PAINFUL MEMORIES, AND SO I THINK
FOR HIM, IT WASN'T SO MUCH A
MATTER OF MOVING ON BUT MORE HOW
TO LIVE WITH THE MEMORIES THAT
HE HAD.
>> IN 2005 I FELL THROUGH A
FIRE ESCAPE IN BROOKLYN, AND I
FRACTURED MY VERTEBRAE.
I HAD THREE BACK SURGERIES THEN,
AND I HAD TO RETIRE FROM THE
NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND NOW I TEACH TACTICAL
MEDICINE TO THE MILITARY.
MY SON JUST TURNED THREE, AND,
UH... [chuckles]
WE JUST FOUND OUT WE'RE
PREGNANT ON TUESDAY SO, UH,
YEAH, YOU GUYS ARE THE FIRST TO
BE HEARING THIS.
MY FATHER'S JUST FINDING OUT
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND, UH, YEAH, DAD, YOU'RE GONNA
BE A GRANDPA AGAIN.
[laughs]
YEP! [laughs]
I WAS TRYING TO HOLD OUT, BUT
HOLY COW!
OHH...
MY LIFE IS VERY GOOD TODAY.
>> YOU CAN'T FORGET, BUT YOU
HAVE TO MOVE ON.
YOU CAN'T STAY THERE, AND BE--
'CAUSE WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?
YOU'RE GONNA BECOME SOME
DEPRESSED HUMAN BEING, YOU KNOW,
AND THEN YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD.
YOU GOTTA MOVE ON.
YOU NEVER FORGET THE PEOPLE THAT
WERE THERE AND HOW HARD THEY
WORKED.
YOU NEVER FORGET THE PEOPLE THAT
WERE SITTING IN THEIR OFFICE AND
WORKING JUST LIKE I DO EVERY DAY
IN MY JOB TO PAY THE BILLS, AND
YOU DON'T FORGET THE FAMILIES.
BUT YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT BODY
PARTS AND DEBRIS AND THE STUFF
BECAUSE THEN WHAT ARE YOU GONNA
DO?
YOU'RE GONNA CRY, AND YOU'RE
GONNA BE ALL HATE, 'CAUSE IT
MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT HATE.
SO IF YOU SIT DOWN, YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT, I SAY IT'S NOT MY
JOB.
MY JOB IS TO GET UP, BUILD.
>> Booher: WHERE ARE YOU
WORKING?
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, I'M STILL IN
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AREA.
SO, YEAH, I'M STILL THERE.
>> Booher: WOW.
>> I'M STILL THERE, EVERY DAY.
>> Booher: SO YOU'VE SEEN ALL
THE CHANGES?
>> YEAH, OH, A LOT OF CHANGES.
YOU SEE EVERYBODY GOING TO WORK
LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED.
THEY FEEL SECURE.
YOU CAN SEE THE SECURITY AGAIN
ON EVERYBODY.
AND YOU SEE NO ONE IS AFRAID
ANYMORE OF COMING THERE.
THEY COME EVEN MORE.
WE HAVE SO MUCH TOURISTS, IT'S
RIDICULOUS.
[laughs]
>> Booher: IS IT NICE TO SEE
TREES AND THE BUILDINGS GOING
UP AND THE CHANGE?
>> I WISH THE TWO BUILDINGS WERE
THERE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE
CITY.
YOU JUST WAKE UP.
IT'S LIKE A SLAP, YOU KNOW?
IT'S LIKE IT HAPPENED.
WE HAVE TO MOVE ON.
>> Booher: RAMONA'S RIGHT.
I'VE COVERED DISASTERS FOR OVER
20 YEARS, AND THERE'S DEFINITELY
A DIFFERENCE IN COVERING A MAN-
MADE DISASTER VERSUS A NATURAL
DISASTER, BUT I GUESS WITH
EVERYTHING, EVENTUALLY, THINGS
COME BACK.
AFTER A HURRICANE, YOU KNOW,
LEAVES WILL COME BACK ON THE
TREES, THE FLOOD WATERS RECEDE,
FIRES ARE EVENTUALLY PUT OUT,
AND IN WALKING AROUND WITH
RICHIE, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT
EVEN GROUND ZERO WAS GOING TO
COME BACK.
>> SO IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A GOOD-
LOOKING BUILDING, BUT IT'S GOOD
TO SEE THAT THE SITE'S COMING--
COMING BACK.
I THINK IT SHOWS THE RESILIENCE
OF NEW YORK CITY, RIGHT?
>> Booher: YEAH.
>> AND IN THE COUNTRY AND--
THIS IS WHERE FOUR WAS, RIGHT
THERE, AND THEY'RE ALREADY
BUILDING UP.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN
ON THE OTHER SITE.
I GUESS THE MEMORIAL'S GOING
THERE SOMEWHERE, RIGHT?
IT'S TAKEN A WHILE, BUT THE
BUILDING'S GOING UP.
THE AREA WHERE BUILDING NUMBER
FOUR WAS, THERE'S ANOTHER
BUILDING THERE, AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S LIKE, WHEN WE WERE THERE,
IT WAS DISASTER.
IT WAS LIKE THE BIGGEST DISASTER
I'VE EVER SEEN OR IN THE UNITED
STATES.
I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT
OPENED MY EYES WAS, LIKE, THE
TREES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF
THEY'RE JUST TEMPORARY OR NOT,
BUT I'M GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT
ALL HER PICTURES AGAIN BECAUSE
YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME THAT I
CAN VIVIDLY--I CAN DESCRIBE THEM
TO YOU RIGHT NOW AND OTHERS
THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T SEEN
IN A WHILE.
I'M GONNA LOOK BACK ON THIS IN
HINDSIGHT AND SAY, "THAT WAS
GOOD FOR ME TO COME."
>> Booher: FOR ME IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO BE THERE WITH HIM.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SEE THE
SITE, SEE THE TREES, YOU KNOW,
SEE THAT IT WAS BECOMING
SOMETHING ELSE.
ALRIGHT. GREAT TO SEE YOU.
SEE YA.
>> Booher: OKAY, BYE.
>> BYE.
>> Booher: I'M NOT SURE IF THIS
JOURNEY HAS BROUGHT ME CLOSURE
WITH GROUND ZERO, BUT
RECONNECTING WITH ALL THESE
FRIENDS HAS BROUGHT ME A KIND
OF PEACE.
AND I FEEL LIKE NOW I CAN CLOSE
THE GREEN BOOK.