Men and women rushed to the scene; emergency vehicle sirens wailed in the distance. People scrambled out of the tower, while rescuers rushed in.
One of those brave individuals was my uncle Timmy, a member of the 41st squadron of the New York City Fire Department. Thousands of people were at the scene with him. He was fortunate to come out alive. Many lives were lost, from the people in the planes, to the innocent people inside the tower, including my uncle's fire chief.
He and many others later spent countless, weary hours searching through the rubble after the collapse of the tower. They moved scraps of metal to look for survivors. Debris was scattered for blocks; ash and soot covered the faces of the firefighters, police, and emergency medical members.
Many lives were taken in the event. Survivors’ lives were changed forever. Not only were the survivors’ lives changed, but also the responders’ lives. Many helped people who lost someone on that day for years after. They attended funeral after funeral, honoring the dead.
Whenever someone does something great that should be recognized, and they aren’t, those individuals are called unsung heroes. An example of this is my uncle and all the people that volunteered to provide a helping hand on 9/11. Some were recognized as heroes and were praised. Others thought it was what had to be done and it was their duty whether or not they were recognized. A question to ask yourself: are the unsung heroes more of a hero than the ones who were recognized?