It goes without saying that the one year anniversary of 9/11/01 was a very hard day for the majority of us. I spent mine in my own quiet way wishing we never ever have to experience that again. Rage, sorrow, pain, shock, I felt it all over again.

I was at work this morning, doing the NYPD Presidential Visit Detail near the United Nations in Manhattan. At approx. 4am this man approaches me and thanks me for doing the job that I do. He's in a white tank top with a small picture with some writing I pay no attention to, jogging shorts and jogging shoes. He tells me he going for a quick stroll around NYC. This man returns at approx. 5:30am his tank top all sweaty. I take a closer look at his shirt...

What followed absolutely broke my heart:
I ask, "Sir did you know the person printed on your shirt?"

He say's, "Yes, that's my daughter [b]Lisa Frost[/b] she was a passenger on the United Airlines Flight that crashed into the second WTC tower..."

[img]http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2001-10/855416.jpg[/img]

I stand there, tears starting to flow. I should have properly saluted the father at full attention but instead I cried in front of him.

He told me that the Memorial at Ground Zero was wonderful and that he just got great news from the NYC Coroner's Office, they just positively identified 3 [b]parts[/b] of Lisa via DNA that night. He was thrilled to have [b]something[/b] of her to "bring home". He contined to talk about Lisa's promising future...just graduated from college in 4 years with a double major, top of her class, jobs lined up for her. All cut short by these terrorists.

I just stand there crying. He hands me a button of her picture which I'm looking at now as I type this. "In Loving Memory, 12/21/78 - 9/11/01, Lisa Frost".

He thanks me again and leaves. Lisa went back to California this morning...

More about Lisa Frost:[url]http://cf1.newsday.infi.net/911/victimsearchframe.cfm?id=324[/url]
[usa]

Thanks for passing that on, Wave, and for flying the flag for all of us.

Me too.  Damn, Ray.

Hang in there Wave. It was a tragic event, but was made much less tragic by the heroic actions of the brave, disciplined, and professional individuals like yourself.

As bad as it was, you and all the others who were there to respond made sure that it was not as bad as it could have been. Each one of you played an important part, no matter how small you feel your actions impacted the events as a whole I can assure you that your presence there and heroic actions made a difference.

And making a positive difference is what it is all about.

Thank you and and all those who were there with you, the entire nation owes you more than we can ever repay, and we admire and respect you more than we can ever hope to put in words.

Ray, hang in there.

Everyone, here is a copy of a speech that I was asked to give yesterday morning and last night. I was asked how hard it was, it was the toughest one. I told them I had help, a friend named Ray (Wave). Ray told me to post it, I did not know if it was too private.

Good evening everyone, it is an honor to talk to you today and be at this event. My name is Officer Art McFadden, and I am with the Franklin Police Department. I believe one of the reasons I was asked to speak to you today was because of where I am from. I was born in New York City, and raised close by in New Jersey, about 900 miles from here. My family still lives there, along with many of my friends. My father works in New York City, near what we now call Ground Zero and he witnessed the attack on Sept. 11th, 2001 when two planes flew into the World Trade Center Twin Towers. I personally spent the day trying to track down my father and the rest of my family while I was working. Thankfully, they were all ok.
    Last week my wife and I went to New York and saw a very special friend, of mine, Ray. He too, is a Police Officer, just like me, but he works for a very famous Police Department, the NYPD. He took us to Ground Zero and he told us about the events that day, and how they have changed his life and his fellow Officers lives. He told us about the choking dust that he kept swallowing while trying to find people who needed help, and the long hours that he worked. Sleep was replaced with the drive to find victims. Many lives were lost one year ago when we were attacked.
    I asked him how they were able to deal with all that was going on, and loosing his own friends. The underlying lesson he taught me was basically that they did not have a choice. We all must go on and become stronger than ever. Strength must be our companion.
You see, there are very evil people that tried to change the way we live. They wanted make us afraid to go on the way we had, as Americans. These evil people wanted us to be afraid from now on. They FAILED. This country is the greatest in the world. This country has had many events that have been recorded in history and will never be forgotten and September the 11th is now one of them.
    People in many other countries can only dream of having the freedom we know here in America. We must remember that there are many people to thank for making our country the land of the free – the greatest country on earth. Our freedom has not come easily. We must always remember our military men and women who have fought and continue to fight for our country. They sacrifice daily. While we are eating at McDonald’s with our family, there are military men and women lying in holes in the middle of a dessert eating prepackaged food that doesn't taste very good. They're willing to give up the frills to protect our country.
    We must find ways to let them know how much they are appreciated. We must lend support to our president, George W. Bush, and his staff. They are making many important decisions on a daily basis that will affect our future. Being president of the United States is an extremely difficult job and President Bush needs our support in order to do his job effectively.
    One way we can show our support and appreciation to President Bush, our military, our police officers, our fire fighters and the many families who lost loved ones on September 11th, 2001 is to proudly fly the American Flag. Whenever we say the pledge, we need to focus on the flag and speak from the heart.
    On this day one year ago, our country was shaken to its very core. I gladly stand before you today after just returning from New York City and say WE ARE AMERICA, WE ARE STRONG AND WE WILL PREVAIL!
    Frances Scott Key was a soldier who fought for the United States Military. After a long night of battle, he was not sure who had conquered whom. Much to his delight as the sun began to rise over the horizon he witnessed a beautiful site. The American Flag continued to fly and the United States had prevailed. He was so overcome with emotion he sat down on his ship and wrote what we now know as The Star Spangled Banner – our national anthem.
One year after the attacks on New York City and Washington D.C., and the tragedy in Pennsylvania, our flag continues to fly and always will.
    As we get older, younger people will ask us about 9/11. Children will remember what adults had told them. We will remember where we were and what we were doing and what we watched on Television. You will also remember today, and that one-year later we remember those who were lost or hurt, and the heroes that tried to help them.
    But the most important thing you will remember will be that children went back to school and still played outside, we all went back to work, still laughed with our friends, and the American flag still flew proudly. We went on.
    In the future, we will continue to observe Patriot Day, and everything it means to each of us. Remember what it represents, freedom, and our way of life, and should not only be recognized one day a year, but each day.


God bless you and God Bless America.

Here I am, crying again.  This is why we love you, Ray.  I'm proud to call you my brother.

I cried last night watching the colors go up to half mast - and stop there.
I cried last night, as 2 aircraft from my hometown airport - a Stearman and a French V-tail jet - executed a missing man.
I have never heard a more beautiful mixture of sounds - a huge, old radial roaring with power, and those old jet engines that seem to have a low growling whine to them.  I stop now, as I type, and remember how PROUD I was to know the old men piloting those aircraft are Americans.
The other two aircraft apparently had to return to base.
I shook with rage as people around me laughed and chatted and had a good time prior to the service.
The flagwavers do not have any idea.  None.

That was a helluva post, Wave.  Let me know if I can be of help.  You are in my thoughts.

   As I just finished grilling up dinner last night around 7:30 I heard a familiar rumble, that of 5 Air Force Fighters flying over head, escorting Air Force 1.  
   I just stopped for a few minutes and my memories from that day began to reappear.  Me coming back from class and learning what had just happened.  Calling my aunt who works a few blocks from there right out side of battery park and not being able to get in touch with her for a few hours, or failing to get in contact with my dad in upper manhattan really putting me over the edge.  Eventually finding out a few friends of the family, a buddy of mine from high school's brother and clients of my father had been murdered tore me up inside.  Even though I was away at school when all this happened my family, and life back home was smack in the middle.  
   It was a terrible day for all of us and we can only hope that the dead will be avenged.  Until that happens none of us will be complete.

Just thought I'd bump this back to the top in case anyone missed it.

Of all the police officers there today..Lisa Frost's father met one of the best..one of ours. Take care brother.

Wave,
Hang in there brother. Time will heal the pain. You are a good man. And a good LEO! I was proud to get to speak with you while is was in NYC. If you ever make your way south just remember you have a brother in arms down here.

mike

Thanks Ray, I haven't called you because I figured you were working a lot this week. It was a VERY draining day yesterday. I took a walk to ground zero and retraced my steps through the city that I took on 9/11/01. I also passed a few firehouses. Let me tell you guys, you can not walk past a firehouse downtown without getting a sick feeling in your gut. There are pictures of all the men they lost, patches, flowers and candles. Yesterday the wives, all dressed in black, and families were at the firehouses. A friend of mine is a fireman that was out on disability on 9/11/01. He lost a few friends from his firehouse. One of the fireman that was killed his wife ALSO died in one of the towers. Their children were at the firehouse, two beautiful kids that lost their parents on that day. The firemen that survived carry a lot of undeserved guilt. I am very, very emotionally drained. TTYL