The World Trade Center Memorial Grounds, NYC

February 2020

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“They were willing to go up the stairs.

Because that was their job. Because that is what they were trained to do. But most of all, they went up the stairs because they held the lives of any citizen in that building to be more precious than their own.

Greater love hath no man than this.

They went up.

But most of them did not come back down.

Many lives were taken on that tragic morning, but some were freely given.

How can we earn this? We can learn, strive, and prepare ourselves, but in the end we can never truly earn it.

We can, however, strive to do our best to dedicate ourselves, ahead of time, to master survivors guilt and lead the full, rich, and productive life that has been purchased for us at such a dear cost.” -Lt. Col. Dave Grossman