1. September 11th, 2001 (15 Years Later) September 11th, 2016
The 102 Minutes that Changed the Entire World
By: Captain Robert Christian

2. Because I would like to thank you for your service…
Many of you know me as Angela’s husband. Some of you know that I work as a Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technician. For those of you who do not know me; My name is Robert Christian and I serve as a Captain for the Eastwood Fire Department, in Louisville Metro/Jefferson County, assigned to Platoon 1 – Ladder 7 / Engine 5. I have been a Firefighter since 2003…
And I chose to became a Firefighter at 33 years old, because of the events of that Tuesday morning, on September 11th, 2001.
Is there anyone here that has served in the Military, or as a Police Officer, Firefighter or Emergency Medical Technician? Career or Volunteer, it does not matter, if you have then please stand up.
Because I would like to thank you for your service…

3. HOW DID THAT THE EVENTS OF 15 YEARS AGO CHANGE THE WORLD FOR ALL OF US…
I want you to please take a deep breath and close your eyes for a moment…
Do you remember what you were doing on that day?
Do you remember where you were, when you first heard about what had happened?
Do you remember how you felt and what you thought, when you realized what had been done?

4. ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2001; 2,996 PEOPLE WERE KILLED
ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2001; 2,996 PEOPLE WERE KILLED. OF THOSE WHO DIED THAT DAY; 23 OFFICERS WITH THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, 37 OFFICERS WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, 8 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL WITH VARIOUS AGENCIES, 343 FIREFIGHTERS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORK CITY & 1 FIREFIGHTER WITH THE FIRE PATROL OF NEW YORK CITY OF THE VICTIMS WERE OF HISPANIC/LATINO DESCENT, MAKING UP 9% OF THE VICTIMS WHO WERE KILLED FROM THE ATTACKS ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, THOSE VICTIMS THAT DAY WERE FROM; PUERTO RICO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, MEXICO, COLOMBIA, CHILE, VENEZUELA, PERU, EL SALVADOR, HONDURAS, ARGENTINA, ECUADOR, CUBA. THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF HISPANIC/LATINOS KILLED, 47, WERE FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

5. I would like to now show you some of the Hispanic/Latino Heroes; Who Helped Change The World On That Day…
Serving as;
Police Officers: NYPD - 3 / PAPD – 4
Emergency Medical Services – 2
FDNY Firefighters - 21

10. NYPD OFFICER RAMON SUAREZ, 45 Y/O
Suarez: Badge# 12671; a 16 year veteran of the NYPD, who was last seen entering the North Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, He and fellow Officer Mark Ellis, ran from their station to assist in the rescues at the WTC. He was last seen smiling while after calming down a woman who could not walk, that he had just carried to safety. Reassuring her and others that “It was going to be alright." He and his partner Mark Ellis then headed back in and were killed when the North WTC Tower collapsed. Suarez died in the mezzanine between the towers rescuing a woman unable to escape on her own
Officer Suarez' body was found at Ground Zero on Wednesday, December 19, 2001; more than 3 months after the collapse of the WTC. A mass and funeral were held on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2001, with "thousands" of people in attendance. He is survived by his parents, 2 sisters, brother, wife, 2 daughters, son and 2 grandchildren. His daughter Jillian, had just turned 9 on September 9th, She has since followed in her father’s path, and has joined the NYPD. She currently works in Forensics, while waiting to go to the Police Academy.
He was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor, the NYPD’s highest award, for his heroic actions. 10

11. NYPD ESU SQUAD 3 OFFICER JEROME M. P. DOMINGUEZ, 37 Y/O
Dominguez: Badge# 10003; a 14 year veteran of the NYPD, assigned to the elite Emergency Services Unit, whose duties range from Counter-Terrorism to Technical Rescue. He holds the record for the most lives saved; 92. He was also a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force Reserves 105th Security Police. He was last seen on September 11 heading up the stairs to help people trapped in the World Trade Center as other rescue workers were fleeing for their lives. Dominguez, who was with Emergency Services Unit 3, was among police who were on the lower floors of the World Trade Center when it collapsed. The Dominguez family believes Jerome was in World Trade Center #2 for about 40 minutes before it collapsed. He is survived by his fiancé, parents, and brother. Officer Dominguez was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor, the NYPD’s highest award, for his heroic actions. 11

12. NYPD ESU SQUAD 7 OFFICER SANTOS VALENTIN, JR, 39 Y/O
Valentin: Badge# 21630; a 17 year veteran of the NYPD, was a member of the elite Emergency Services Unit, assigned to ESU Squad 7. Whose duties range from Tactical Police Operations to Technical Rescue Services. He is survived by his parents, three sisters, and two brothers. His sister Denise, is an NYPD Patrol Sergeant assigned to the Manhattan South Borough. Officer Valentin was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor, the NYPD’s highest award, for his heroic actions. 11 years after his sacrifice, in 2012, a the United States Coast Guard K-9 was named in honor of Officer Valentin and has been working for 4 years for the canine explosive detection team. 12

13. PAPD OFFICER ANTONIO J. RODRIGUES, 35 Y/O
Rodrigues: Badge# 990; a 2nd year member of the NY/NJ PAPD. On the morning of September 11th, 2001; Rodrigues. PAPD Officers Rodrigues, and 4 other PAPD Officers volunteered to assist in the rescue efforts at WTC 1. The five officers were staging on concourse when at 9:59 A.M. the South Tower gave way. They attempted to seek shelter in a Service Elevator, 3 Officers were able to make it to the elevator and survived the first collapse. Unfortunately, Officer Rodrigues and his partner were unable to reach the elevator in time and both men were killed instantly. His body was found between the collapsed towers on the basement level. He was buried a month later at Knolls Cemetery, near his home in Mount Washington. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter. In 2001 he and his 36 fellow Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officers were posthumously awarded the New York Police Officer of the Year Medal and on September 9, 2005, he and all of the other public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush. 13

14. PAPD OFFICER JOSEPH MICHAEL NAVAS, 44 Y/O
Navas: Badge# 1010; a 20 year veteran of the NY/NJ PAPD. He was also a 7 year Veteran of the PAPD Emergency Services Unit at Journal Square. As a member of the ESU, he was certified in rescue diving, confined space repelling and chemical and biological counter-terrorism. He was awarded numerous commendations for rescues he performed in the February 26th, 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. On Tuesday morning of September 11th, 2001; Officer Navas ran into One World Trade Center with four others in an effort to evacuate the structure, Nava's last transmission was from the 66th Floor of WTC 1. That was the last time he was heard from. He is survived by his wife, daughter, 2 sons, his parents, 2 sisters, and his nieces and nephews. In 2001 he and his 36 fellow Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officers were posthumously awarded the New York Police Officer of the Year Medal and on September 9, 2005, he and all of the other public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush. 14

15. PAPD OFFICER RICHARD RODRIGUEZ, 31 Y/O
Rodriguez: Badge# 1625; an 8 year veteran of the NY/NJ PAPD. Officer Rodriguez was assigned as an Instructor to the PAPD Police Academy. He was on duty at the police academy when the first plane struck. Immediately responding with other officers, he arrived just as the second plane hit. Officer Rodriguez was also a member of the Perth Amboy Volunteer Fire Department, the Perth Amboy Volunteer First Aid Squad, and the Monmouth County Pipes and Drums Band and was a drummer for the Port Authority Pipes and Drums. Officer Rodriguez was credited with saving many lives, before being killed during the second collapse. Officer Rodriguez's body was found January 9th, He is survived by his wife, parents, and siblings. In 2001 he and his 36 fellow Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officers were posthumously awarded the New York Police Officer of the Year Medal and on September 9, 2005, he and all of the other public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush. 15

16. PAPD OFFICER/MEDIC DAVID PRUDENCIO LEMAGNE, 27 Y/O
LeMagne: Badge# 834; a 1st year member of the NY/NJ PAPD. Officer LeMagne spent most of his life helping people. First as an EMT with the Union City Volunteer Ambulance Corps, later as a Paramedic with the Jersey City Medical Center and Newark’s University Hospital, before joining the PAPD in After the first plane struck the North Tower, LeMagne convinced his Sergeant, that he would be more useful at the World Trade Center, than at a triage center in Liberty State Park. He was killed while rescuing patients, as the North Tower collapsed. He is survived by his parents and sister. He has been posthumously honored with the of the Emergency Medical Services Building in Union City is named after him and also a street; The David P. LeMagne Way. And a Park was named for him in North Bergen. His family has also established the David P. LeMagne Foundation, which awards $1,000 scholarship to aspiring paramedics and nurses every year. In 2001 he and his 36 fellow Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officers were posthumously awarded the New York Police Officer of the Year Medal and on September 9, 2005, he and all of the other public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush. 16

17. NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL CENTER PARAMEDIC MARIO SANTORO, 28 Y/O
Santoro: Badge# 8027; was a 10 year EMS veteran. On Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, NYP-EMS unit “10-DAVID” staffed crewed by Paramedic Mario Santoro and Paramedic Keith Fairben, was one of the very first EMS resources on the scene of the after the attacks on the World Trade Center. Medic Santoro rushed to the Towers three times, pulling people out to safety twice. Him, his partner and 2 other Paramedics; James Pappageorge and Kevin Pfeifer, two FDNY firefighters who also worked with NYP-EMS part-time, were killed as they went in for the third time. He was found with a tiny child, he was trying to save, cradled in his arms. He is survived by his wife, daughter, parents and brother. Since 2002, In memory of his and his partners sacrifice, New York Presbyterian Medical Center has placed decals of Santoro’s & Fairben’s badge & numbers, on any/all the medical units that carry the designator “10-David”. He and all of the other public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush. 17

18. METROCARE EMS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN YAMEL MERINO, 24 Y/O
Merino: Shield# 2002 ; was 3 year EMS veteran. Merino began her career, as a professional EMS provider with Metro North Ambulance in She was promoted to the position of Field Training Officer in 1999 and named the agency’s EMT of the Year in Merino was also on the path to fulfilling her dream of becoming a nurse. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, Merino lost her life trying to save others at the World Trade Center attack. According to NYPD Officials, EMT Merino repeatedly ran into the North Tower, saving dozens of lives before the building collapsed, while she in the act of calming a hysterical survivor before the first tower collapsed. Her body was found Wednesday, September 12th, One, of the only three women First Responders who were killed at WTC that day, she was also the youngest female rescue worker to die and was among the first heroes buried. She is survived by her son, mother and father 2 brothers, 2 sisters, nieces and nephews. Merino’s heroic action earned her numerous posthumous awards, including a 2001 Glamour Award for Women of the Year and on September 9, She and all of the other public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush. 18

19. Rescue 1; Lieutenant Dennis Mojica, 50 Y/O
Mojica: Badge# 810; a 28 year veteran of the FDNY. Since 1990, he had been a member of the elite FDNY Rescue Companies; assigned to Rescue Company 1. The oldest established Rescue Company. His body, along with several members of his crew’s bodies, were found in the stairwell of the North Tower. The first hit and the last to fall. He is survived by his daughter, his fiancé, and her 3 children.
Engine 5; Firefighter (Lieutenant) Manuel Del Valle, 32 Y/O
Esposito: Badge# 3925; a 7 year veteran of the FDNY. Upon his graduation from the Fire Academy in 1994, he was immediately assigned to one of the FDNY’s busiest and oldest Engine Companies; Engine Company 5 in Manhattan. He was last seen on the 10th floor offering oxygen to an evacuee. He was the only member of Engine 5 to not make it out. His body was recovered on October 8, 2001 with two other firefighters. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. He is survived by his mother, father, stepfather, brothers, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Lt. Manuel DelValle St. & Scholarship at University Of Maryland named for him. 19

20. These are the other 19 FDNY Firefighters
Battalion 2; Faustino Apostol, Jr., 55 Y/O
Battalion 9; Carl Asaro, 39 Y/O
Engine 1; Lieutenant Andrew Desperito, 43 Y/O
Engine 33; David Arce, 36 Y/O
Engine 40; Steven Mercado, 38 Y/O
Engine 54; Jose Guadalupe, 37 Y/O
Engine 74; Ruben D. Correa, 44 Y/O
Engine 226; David Paul De Rubbio, 38 Y/O
Engine 279; Anthony Rodriguez, 36 Y/O
Ladder 5; Gregory Thomas Saucedo, 31 Y/O
Ladder 7; Charles Mendez, 38 Y/O
Ladder 12; Angel L. Juarbe, Jr., 35 Y/O
Ladder 21; Benjamin Suarez, 34 Y/O
Ladder 118; Peter Anthony Vega, 36 Y/O
Ladder 132; Sergio Villanueva, 33 Y/O
Squad 18; Manuel Mojica, 37 Y/O
Squad 18; Lawrence Virgilio, 38 Y/O
EMS Battalion 49; Paramedic Carlos R. Lillo, 37 Y/O
EMS Battalion 57; Paramedic Ricardo Quinn, 40 Y/O

21. Others Heroes Bombero / Paramedico Rafael Hernandez
Rafael Hernandez, was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, who came to the United States in He used to work as a Firefighter / Paramedic in Mexico City. He was living in New York City on the morning of September 11th, After the first tower was hit, Firefighter Hernandez went to the now infamous FDNY Station; Engine/Ladder Company 10 and showed his Federal District Mexico City Firefighter Identification & Badge and volunteered to help. He was given some spare gear and assisted the FDNY Firefighters with rescues & evacuations. Later, after the towers collapsed, he then assisted with the rescue & recovery efforts at Ground Zero for several month. He died in in October 2011, possibly from 9/11 related health issues.

22. FDNY Chaplain Father Mychal Judge
Father Mychal Judge was appointed as a Chaplain for the FDNY in On the morning of September 11th, 2001; On September 11, 2001, upon learning that the World Trade Center had been hit by the first of two jetliners, Judge rushed to the site. He was met by Rudolph Giuliani, the Mayor of New York City, who asked him to pray for the city and its victims. At World Trade Center North Tower, where an emergency command post had been organized he offered aid and prayers for rescuers, the injured and the dead. When the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 am, debris went flying through the North Tower lobby, killing many inside, including Judge. At the moment he was struck in the head and killed as he was administering last rites to a a fallen Firefighter. He was the first victim recovered and the first recorded FDNY death on September 11, ,000 people attended Father Judge's funeral Mass on September 15, 2001, at St. Francis of Assisi Church.

23. Hollywood Actor & Former FDNY Firefighter Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent Buscemi; was an FDNY Firefighter from 1980 to 1984, assigned to Engine 55 in Manhattan’s “Little Italy”. While his company was standing by as Fire Watch on the set of a movie, the director asked him to play a small role. He eventually left the FDNY to pursue acting full time.
On Wednesday, September 12th, 2001; Steve Buscemi went back to FDNY Engine Company 55, which had lost 1 Lieutenant & 4 Firefighters on September 11th, and voluntarily donned fire gear to assist with the recovery efforts at Ground Zero. He worked twelve-hour shifts for a week, digging through rubble, looking for missing firefighters. He refused to do any interviews while there. Nowadays, he uses his fame to help support FDNY Firefighter causes & charities.