On the day well never forget. Tower one, evacuate the building. 9 11. For some, September 11th, 2001 seems a life time ago. For others, it was just yesterday, but for everyone in this country, the ruthless attack that happened on that clear, Sunny Day is seared in our minds. Good evening. Im dennis leary. The entire nation gasped when the twin towers reaching high into the sky symbols of Success And Achievement and possibility were brought crashing down when two hijacked jetliners flew directly into them. Here at the 9 11 Memorial And Museum are the names of the almost 3,000 innocent lives that were lost that day, including 343 of New Yorks bravest. Cnn is honored to bring you the epic film 9 11 that was born when two french bothers, jules and Gideon Oday when James Hanlon were shooting a documentary about a rookie in down on it man mat tan. It was transformed into a gripping minute by Minute Eyewitness Account of the First Responders who rushed to the scene and tried to save people while The Towers burned then fell. The brothers kept their cameras rolling capturing historic footage of Real Life Heroes Headed Towards Danger in the area that became known as Ground Zero. When you work in a firehouse seven blocks from the two tallest buildings in New York, you get to know every step, every staircase, every story. Jim. Couldnt get too close to im James Hanlon. Im a filmmaker and a fireman at ladder 1 downtown. During the summer before 9 11 there were days wed go to the Trade Center five times in a single shift. Well send you some help. My point is, we knew those towers as well as anybody. But nobody, nobody expected September 11th. [ screaming ] the world Trade Center. On that day, guys from my firehouse, my best friends, were some of the first firefighters into Tower One after the Plane Hit. What they did that day, what everyone there did was remarkable. Chief and almost as remarkable, it was captured on videotape inside The Tower. Beginning to end. And Tonight Youll see all of it. The tape was shot by two brothers, jules and gedeon naudet. Theyre documentary filmmakers and old friends of mine. There is always a witness for history, i guess. That day we were chosen to be the witness. The strange thing is the tape, the whole story, it kind of happened by accident. I mean, we didnt mean to make a documentary about 9 11. We wanted to make a documentary about a firefighter. Thats how the whole thing got started. Nine, ten, one, two, three. More to the point, the plan was to follow a rookie. On the job we call them probies. The idea was to show how a kid almost become a man in nine months. My name is paul denver. John carroll. Antonios benetatos. Tony for short. I was police officer. For a while i was a Pizza Man actually. I was Pizza Man in the bronx. This is my first job. Sounds cheesy, i wanted to be a hero. This is really the only thing that you could do where you could do that. This is the kid. This is the kid. Lets go. We got tony assigned to my firehouse, one of the biggest in the city. Thats ladder 1. Plus a whole other company, engine 7. Guys who fought some of the worst fires you can imagine. Whats up with that shirt . Whats the matter with it . Soon theyd face the unthinkable. Question was, would tony be ready . Im terrified. This is what i want to do, but its its scary. You know, im still worried how ill actually react when Theres Fire flying over my head. The thing is when youre a probie what youre supposed to do we change the sheets. Is pretty much everything. More News And Traffic coming up. Its 6 22. Oh i got work to do i got a Job Babe i got work to do i got work to do i got work to do start at top and wash the rig down. I think im doing decently. You know, im still waiting for a fire, thats all. Engine. Ladder. [ sirens ] should we grab that big long thing from the back . Tony was nervous, of course. Terribly nervous. And as the days would pass, tony waiting for his first fire, wanted to prove to the other guys and even more to himself that he was going to be a real great fireman. Were going to break your chops until you laugh about them. Right. Thats how we do it. Thats how we do it. Its all part of learning how to handle people and situations. Say you got up there now. You got your helmet on, your bunker gear, you got to get your mask on. How will you do that without Letting Go . I dont know. Start moving, guys. Hurry up. Not bad. Payday today, baby. Yes. For two weeks i got 672. 25. You got to be kidding me. Cant even buy a sixpack with that. Holy crap. If i wanted to become rich, i would have become a lawyer. But i wanted something that id be able to live with for the rest of my life. This i can live with. A lot of guys feel that way. You get up in the morning and look yourself in the mirror and say youre doing something with your life. Hit the door. You do your job. You risk your life to help people. And to be part of a family at the firehouse. My boyfriends back and youre gonna be in trouble whoa. Oh, man been four weeks i think, five weeks, something like that and im still still no fire. But it will come. Probably when im asleep and not ready for it. Thats when it will come. 2 30 in the morning. You cant sleep. Man. All right. Trust me, when the alarm goes off, well come and get you. Okay. [ sirens ] i got spray water. Like that, its going to be a fun 20 years. Theres a fire here. Theres a fire. See . Start the line. Put out the steaks. By The End of august we knew we had great cooking show, and there were no fires. But every time we talk with some of the senior guys they always tell us, well, be careful what you wish for. Yesterday, a 27yearold Firefighter Staten island he was stationed went to a job and he passed away. Well go to the funeral on saturday. And what can you say . At the time we didnt think there could be anything worse than losing a single firefighter. Looking back, we were all just kind of innocent, especially tony. A bunch of the guys were talking about what different parts usually get you at the funeral. When the coffin went past, that was that was a little i dont know. I know, i hope its my last one. Go straight up right now. A lot of things going on at all times, you know. You have to be on the top of your game. Right. Theres a lot of things to think about, you know . Tunnel vision. Focus, really. Because thats whats going to keep you alive and thats whats going to give you the opportunity to help Anybody Else. Right. Fire or no fire, tony had learned a lot that summer. Sure, he had a ways to go, but wed teach him. As far as we knew, there was plenty of time. A few days later jules cooked a french dinner for the guys. At least he tried to. I decided to cook leg of lamb. I think he cooked one. And we needed at least five. Wheres frenchie. A couple more meals like this, well be able to share shirts. [ laughter ] we stayed up late just telling jokes and busting chops. The best part of the meal. Even though the guys were making fun of us because we didnt cook enough, we were having a great time. We were getting accepted. It was a great night. Little did we know. It was the night of september 10th. Introducing xfinity rewards. Our very own way of thanking you just for being with us. Enjoy rewards like Movie Night specials. Xfinity mobile benefits. And exclusive experiences, like the chance to win tickets to see watch what happens live. Hey its me. The longer youve been with us. The more rewards you can get. Like sharpening your Cooking Skills with a top chef. Join for free on the Xfinity App and watch all the rewards float in. Our thanks. Your rewards. When my blonde is luminous, i feel luminous. Thats why i choose preference by loreal. A Liquid Gel Formula with a shine serum. For multidimensional Fadedefying Color that lasts. Preference by loreal paris. Approved by salonlovers. And im worth it. Go with Simparica Trio its triple protection made simple Simparica Trio is the first and only monthly chewable that covers heartworm disease, ticks and fleas, round and hookworms. Dogs get triple protection in just one Simparica Trio this Drug Class has been associated with neurologic adverse reactions, including seizures. Use with caution in dogs with a history of these disorders. Protect him with all your heart. Simparica trio. Before treating your chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month each lasting 4 hours or more, youre not the only one with questions about botox®. Botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine before they even start, with about 10 minutes of treatment once every 3 months. So, ask your doctor if botox® is right for you, and if a sample is available. Effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. Alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or Muscle Weakness can be signs of a lifethreatening condition. Side effects may include allergic reactions, Neck And Injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. Dont receive botox® if theres a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, Muscle Or Nerve conditions and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. In a survey, 92 of current users said they wish theyd talked to their doctor and started botox® sooner. Plus, right now, you may pay Zero Dollars for botox®. Ask your doctor about botox® today. Going to be a beautiful day today. Sunshine throughout. Low humidity. Really a splendid september day. The Afternoon Temperature about 80 degrees. Great weather for the primary election. Tonight clear and cool. Low 60 its begun to sound like some sort of a cliche, but really September 11th started out like every other day. I was off that day. 13 guys from my firehouse were on. Around 8 30. Engine, ladder. I believe the run came in. Get the run for a Gas Leak or an odor of gas in the street actually, i think it was. Odor of gas. You dont think anything of it. You get on the rig and go. Okay. Its an odor of gas. Jules was riding with the Battalion Chief joseph pfeifer, videotaping. Just another call. Im riding with the Battalion Chief. We checked the area with meters. And it was kind of routine. It was 8 46 in the morning. Thats when this stopped even resembling a normal day. Holy shit Holy Shit holy Shit Right then and there i knew that this was going to be the worst day of my life as a firefighter. Go to the world Trade Center. Immediately i knew this wasnt an accident. Oh, my god. That looked like a direct impact. Chief pfeifer made the first official report. We have a number of floors On Fire. It looked like the plane was aiming towards the building. Third alarm. Well have the staging area. Bessie and west street. Everyone he was passing was looking up. It was like the world just stopped. Were getting a look at the world Trade Center. We have something that has happened here, a plane and a lot of smoke from one of The Towers. Whatever has occurred has just occurred within minutes and were trying to determine exactly what that is. As we swung around in front of the World Trade, my mind tells me, wow, this is bad. What do we do . What do we do for this . [ sirens ] we parked right under the awning of one world Trade Center. The chief puts his gear on. I remember asking, chief, can i come in with you . I want to come in with you. And he says yes. Yeah, you stay with me. Come in with me. Never leave my side. I go. And i hear screams. And right to my right there was two people On Fire burning. I just didnt want to film that. It was like No One, No One should see this. Pfeifer was the first chief into the building. Right away a guy from the Port Authority told him the damage was somewhere above the 78th floor. But all you had to do was look around. It was obvious something had happened right there in the lobby. You just saw that all the windows were blown out. The lobby looked like the Plane Hit the lobby. Later they figure out that flaming Jet Fuel had shot straight down the elevator shaft. All this damage was done already. It was all over the place. You knew it was going to be worse when we got upstairs. Flames are shooting out. Smoke is pouring. My main concern was we had 20 floors of people above. And we had to figure out a way to get them out. As it turned out, we had no usable elevators. With the elevators out, there was only one way to get up there. Walk. Companies come in. You see them. Theres a concerned look on their face. And theyre sent up. A firefighter in full gear carrying 60something pounds of Hose And Equipment takes about a minute to climb one flight of stairs. These guys were looking at 80 stories just to get there. Then theyd start working. I thought that we were going to put the fire out. Everyone seemed to be confident. I know i was. We basically looked at it, okay, we got 10, 20 stories of fire. You know, well deal with it. Well get up there. You know, well get to it. There are fire crews just streaming into this area from every conceivable direction. By this time, some of the top chiefs in the department had joined Chief Pfeifer, running the Command Post, sending guys upstairs. One of the men who went up was lieutenant Kevin Pfeifer who was in charge of engine 33 and was the chiefs brother. I just remember we both looked at each other, said a few words, but it was more the look of real concern that this was going to be something tough. It was going to be a tough job. Its going to be a long job. Theyll put it out. Thats what they do. The last time jules had seen his brother was an hour ago at the firehouse. As far as jules knew, gedeon had followed tony, the probie, into The Tower. For me my brother is going up the stairs. It turns out, gedeon was with tony. But tony was still at the firehouse. No, i was off duty. And now hed been ordered to stay there. Everybodys been recalled. All available units must come back to the firehouse. While tony tried to keep up with the phones this is firefighter benetatos. Gedeon took his camera and started walking down towards the Trade Center. He was sure his brother was inside. And he wanted to get to him. What really stick in my mind is passing by these people and filming them and filming their astonishment. I remember tilting the camera back and forth between the people and The Towers in front of me. [ sirens ] both towers of the world Trade Center have been hit by aircraft. Both are in flames. There is black smoke coming from both of The Towers. Its a horrific scene here. Mayday. Mayday, mayday. There were two planes. I saw the second one hit. It hit the other tower. All we knew is that a second Plane Hit, and we had a lot of people trapped. Stay together. Stay together. Second plane. Now the chiefs would have to set up a whole other operation over in tower two. When the second Plane Hit, thats when you could see fear. Both of them are On Fire. You could see it in everybodys eyes. You saw a Plane Go in . Right there. What are those people going to do . All the elevators are blocked out. The staircase must still be, right . Stairs were crowded. People were Coming Down burnt. Upstairs in Tower One, the guys from my firehouse were now ten floors up and climbing. If we did talk, it was to the people Coming Down, trying to comfort them, telling them that its all right. Get out. Stay calm. I wind up finding a woman in the c staircase. Her arms were all burnt. She was just sitting there, basically in shock. So i picked her up under her arms and i put her within a group of guys and i asked the guys to, you know, take her down. I knew we had to get up to help people. We had to get up there. People said pretty much why are you going up there . Get out. Their concern was to get everybody out. That was the key. As much people out as possible. Most of the people in Tower One came out on the mezzanine above the lobby. Then theyd get out through another building. I want the use the lobby as a triage. The chiefs didnt want anyone going through the lobby doors. First, it was because debris was falling outside. Then, it was people falling. You dont see it. But you know what it is. You know every time you hear that crashing sound, its a life which is extinguished. Its not something you can get used to. And the sound was so loud. I just remember looking up. Thinking how bad it is up there that the better option is to jump . The fbi is now investigating reports of a Plane Hijacking before these crashes were telling you about at the world Trade Center towers this morning. Pieces of the building and the planes actually landed blocks away. Gedeon was walking with his camera when he found a chunk of the Plane Engine that crashed completely through tower two. Dont be kicking this stuff. This is evidence. You dont kick it. Just get out of the area. Just go. This is evidence. Youre kicking stuff. Whats the matter with you . That was as close as gedeon would get to the Trade Center, without a firefighter, anyway. Go, move so i decided the smartest thing to do was to slowly walk back to the firehouse and find a way to go to jules. Just getting word now one of the two planes was hijacked after takeoff from boston. Two airplanes have crashed into the world Trade Center in an apparent Terrorist Attack on our country. We have reports of a fire at the pentagon. Fire at the pentagon being reported this morning. I was just saying that officials are calling this an act of terrorism. They are saying thats clearly what it is. Clearly not an accident. Arriving back at the firehouse, and tony is still alone. He has no clue of what to do. The pentagons On Fire . War. This is war. Just by listening to him, freaking out and swearing and behaving like ive never seen behaving. But tony was expressing what we all felt. I cant believe the [ expletive ] pentagon. Somebody has balls. Tony just wanted to go there. In the lobby, the chiefs were trying to run the largest Rescue Operation any of them had ever seen. Is there a phone thats working . The entire world knew more than we did. Everybody had seen the attacks. Everybody had seen The Tower burning. [ speaking foreign language ] Ud Id seen the pentagon. For us, we didnt have a clue. The military, we need that done now. On top of everything else, just talking to the guys in the stairwells was tough. Battalion 7. The towers internal Communication Setup had been knocked out by the crash. That left Fire Department radio. Suddenly you have hundreds and hundreds of firefighters that have radios. Seems to become more and more difficult. When one guy from the wtc who was trying frantically to reach anyone on the elevators. 69, can you respond . Is there anyone to respond . And going through the list. Hello. Is there anyone in this car . Theres about 98 elevators in the world Trade Center. If you Cant Speak in the middle of all this, suddenly an elevator opens up. And we see people not having a clue of whats going on. Theyve been stuck in there since the first Plane Hit. We were seeing the look on the firefighters. It was not fear. It was, whats going on . Disbelief. Panic. Definitely panic. The first time i seen the father judge, the chaplain, as hes called. He was in the lobby with us. And i could tell that he was praying. You know, father judge, he would at least make Eye Contact with you and kind of give you a reassuring look. That wasnt occurring. Almost like he knew that this was not good. Back at the Firehouse Offduty guys were starting to show up. Just waiting right now. Whats that . Were just waiting right now. Tony just had one thing in his mind, to go there. This is bad. And he couldnt. Thats when Chief Burns arrived. Larry burns joined the Fire Department in 1957. He retired in 1998. A Battalion Chief. I couldnt wait. I had to get down there. Because, you know what . Theyre my firefighters. Thats my building. Thats my city. Get a flashlight and a bottle of water. Okay. I remember tony asking me to bring him some gloves, some medical gloves. Go grab a box of gloves. By the time i found them and rushed back, they were gone. The probie and the retired chief were lost in the crowd, headed down to the Trade Center. I think at that point the lobby was pretty empty. There were just a few of us in the lobby, and we were discussing tactics. This is Tower One. This is Tower One. Some of the outlying companies didnt know what Tower One was and tower two. So we were just trying to help them out by writing it on the desk to make it obvious to people. It was just before 10 00. A little over an hour since the first Plane Hit. Firefighters from all over the city were inside those towers. Hundreds of them. I remember im filming Chief Pfeifer, and hes on the radio. [ Loud Crashing ] subway®. Has so much new they couldnt fit it in their last ad. So, we gonna have to go fast. Ready . Theres new steak, delistyle turkey, belgioioso® fresh mozzarella, hickorysmoked bacon, new hearty multigrain, and Steph Curry Juggling Avocados for some reason. Dang, thats too much for 15 seconds. Your moms got to go shes family. Shes using my Old Spice moisturize with Shea Butter and shes wearing my robe. Mom Ahem Ahem Ahem were out. Door Closes Door Closes excited Laughter Ahhh Ohhhh Fridge Closing Crowd Noises cheering laughter in business, its never just another day. Its the big sale, or the big presentation. The day where everything goes right. Or the one where nothing does. With Comcast Business you get the network that can deliver Gig Speeds to the most businesses and advanced cybersecurity to protect every device on it all backed by a dedicated team, 24 7. Every day in business is a big day. Well keep you ready for whats next. Comcast business powering possibilities. A situation starting bad just gets worse and worse and worse. The world Trade Center South Tower, which was hit by a plane and wrecked by an explosion approximately an hour ago has totally collapsed. What happened . If youre just joining us this morning, youre in for a horrific surprise. This is like a movie you see out of hollywood. People walking around with Cell Phones in tears holding their heads looking up whats left of the world Trade Center and shaking their heads in disbelief. Out on the Street Everyone knew what just happened. The South Tower was gone. What the hell is going on . They saw it collapse and ran. I waited. Time slowed down and everything became pitch black. Everybody all right . Yeah, im okay. Hows the way out of here . Then realized, okay, im not dead. Im right here. So lets turn on my Flood Light on top of my camera. All right, Come On down this way. Yeah, lets get out the way we came in. [ coughing ] everybody down. Inside the Trade Center all jules and Chief Pfeifer knew, all anyone knew was that something had gone terribly wrong. You all right . They asked me, you, with the light. Help us out. We got to get everybody out. So i was pointing my light wherever they needed. Right here. I remember seeing Chief Pfeifer. All units, evacuate the building. Calling all units. He gave it right away, very calm. Didnt wait. And for him, it was a precaution. Okay. Something wrong is happening. Lets get everybody out. Lets get a flashlight. From the tone of his voice i knew that it was no normal thing. I knew it was time to leave. I remember saying to the guys, were on our own now. And for the first time i looked in someone elses eyes and saw fear. Woo. Which you dont see with firemen. We orderly evacuated. It was such a long walk. 17, 16, 15, 14, 13. I was going down the stairs. I can remember a Fireman Resting on the landing and telling them, you know, weve heard a mayday, get out of the building. I dont think a lot of them, i know for a fact they did not take it serious. Heat pete Come On. Pete i was not even consciously filming. I just had my camera by my side and pointing the light wherever they needed. Needed my light to actually help someone. And then i realized it was father judge. Guys, we need a hand here. Guy, come back down i saw him lying at the base of the escalator where we were. And i removed his white collar, and i opened up his shirt. And i remember checking for his pulse and realized at that time he was gone. We got four guys. On top of the escalator. Top of the escalator . After that we had to figure out how to get out. Boy, we were because if you go out this way, right where we are now, people are still jumping, debris still falling and its too dangerous. Cant go out this way. World Trade Center, took a hit on that last explosion. Which way . Get out here . Get out this way. Go across. Chief pfeifer tells the people carrying father judge, stay here. Which way . I tell them, ill be back. Wait here. Ill see if the bridge is still here. Chief pfeifer went to check one of the Foot Bridges leading out of the Trade Center. If it was still standing, it would be their best way out. Did you hear what happened to The Tower . The tower collapsed. The top or the whole thing . Looks like the whole thing. Well head down together. Now i wonder for the first time if he is still alive. I never thought about it before. A terrible, Terrible Day. I realized that we could be dead that very moment. I had to find june. Gideon hitched a ride with three offduty firemen determined to get to the Trade Center the only way they could. In a pickup truck. Everybody out. Okay. Battalion 1 to division 1. We walk and we walk and we walk. There are maydays being given, and we start to figure out, okay, its much worse than we think. You cant have that many maydays and that dust and that noise. Mayday, mayday, mayday. Whoa. Hey, hey thats when i saw the danger for the first time. It was all around you. Every single cell of your body is telling huyou you shouldnt here. Something was radically different. It was white powder everywhere. Got masks . Im gonna go in. Just a few people here and there, and just kind much silence. Its straight down. Theres no word on casualties. The ammo is straight down. The loss of life presumably profound. Its straight down. At this Point Everyone concerned is getting north away from the world Trade Center as well as finding out where their families are. The South Tower of the world Trade Center just minutes ago collapsed to the ground. Only one tower is standing at this point. I have a direct line of sight to what is left of the world Trade Center. The fire continues to burn. I can see the flames streaming through the smoke. By this time Chief Pfeifer had found a safe exit. And tried to radio the men in the lobby. No answer. I walked across the bridge back towards the Trade Center. Still trying to call on the radio. The guys that had been there, theyre not there any more. They had already gone out another way, carrying the body of Father Michael Judge down the street to st. Peters church. They laid his body on the altar. Father mikes Death Certificate is number 00001. The first official casualty of the attacks. The chief and juuls walked outside underneath the Foot Bridge they just crossed and into a scene that none of them could even comprehend. And Theres Debris everywhere. Theres dust covering the entire place. And we look and The Towers here. We said, okay, probably something else. The tower is standing. The other one, we cant see it. Its just on the other side and No One tells us. We have no clue. So we look north, just trying to figure out what to place here. And then try to gain some control. And it was just a sense that this was a good place to stay. Chief Pfeifers Priority was to set up a new Command Post and find his men. Right now they were Coming Down the stairs. At some point i started to run. I dont even know if i was touching stairs on my way down. When i got about to three or two is when i started to think of my family, you know. I got to get out of here. When we reached the lobby, i, i joked about it. I said, the Command Post was abandoned. The board was set up and nobody was there. I said, this is not a good sign. I knew there was nothing i could really do. I mean, i was not a fireman. But i was a cameraman. There was something i could do. It was to document what was happening. Strange enough, the only thing, my preoccupation was to clean my lens. Jules was with Chief Pfeifer, who was plotting his next move. The firefighters from my house had reached the lobby and scattered. We were kind of walking at this point. We were out of the building. We felt we were safe. Unfortunately, there were people jumping out of windows. You could see them hitting the ground all around you. Debris hitting the ground. Lets move. Come on, officers. Basically, everybody was standing right in the shadow of Tower One. It was 10 28 in the morning. This huge, raw i dont even have time to think at that point. I just run. Then i feel someone jumping on top of me, and then the dust. At that point i realized that i was going to die. Are you there . Yeah. And the only thing i could think about was jules, and i remembered telling myself that if i would survive that, i would, i would be a better brother. Lets go before the Car Blow up. This way and its that time, its nothing, no radio calls, no sound, nothing. And i feel a person was on top of me get up. And i recognized its Chief Pfeifers voice. And i realized he jumped on me to protect me from all this. Chief pfeifer said, okay, lets go now. We get up. The dust starts to clear because the wind was blowing in the opposite direction. After that it was just trying to literally walk around the block and recoup and walk back to the scene and see what we could do. This is the most surreal scene i have ever seen. I cannot describe what took place. A scene just not to be believed. The smoke still billowing. What we do have is a walkdown. You cant get in, you cant get out, you cant go up, you cant go down. I see that im still in the middle of the street and i see there is a little deli seems to be open on the corner. A lot of people injured. Firefighters bloody nose, things like that. And then it hits me that, wheres my brother . I start realizing that i probably lost my brother. So i tried to go back to the world Trade Center. I need to go find my brother. Where are the guys . I have no idea. And im in the middle of the street walking, and a cop approached me and says, who are you with . Im with the chief of Battalion One. Oh, Battalion One . The commissioner. Take your camera and get out of here, all right . Go. So, i go back up, walk north, not knowing where im going. Police department . No, making a documentary on the Fire Department. Come on, this aint disneyland. Lets go. Theres nothing i can do here. I need to, i need to go back to the firehouse. Maybe they have some news. Maybe hes already back there, but at that point i just i think hes gone. It becomes too overwhelming. Dont worry, honey. Its not easy. The guys started to come back one by one. I cant explain why im here and there are so many dead. Yeah. Guys are crying. So many thoughts and emotions. We lucked out. We were in one. They told us to get out. One didnt fall. We got to call our loved ones, tell them we were okay. Its sick. We just got out. We had just got out. I got two blocks. Im still not far enough. You know, you just needed to be with the guys, you know. I couldnt get back in. They wouldnt let me up. I was never so good to see firemen in my life. It was a great thing to know that, that people were surviving this. I thought you guys were dead. Were not the only ones. That was the scariest thing i came out. Oh, god, am i glad to see you. We were the lucky ones. I dont think its luck. Its a miracle that were here. Miracle isnt a word you hear much from firefighters, especially not on that day. But what else could you call it . One guy after another was making it back, safe. Down there looking. I got two ambulances. We ran. I cant believe we all made it out. How did we make it out of that building . 30 seconds, another two flights higher. One guy from the firehouse came to me and i asked him, you know, i said, have you seen jules . Do you know where he is . And he looked at me and he said, yes, hes behind you. I turnover and jules was there in the firehouse. I didnt even see him coming in. And jules was like for the first time. [ speaking foreign language ] i asked jules if hes all right. He tells me yes. He tells me that he was all that time in the lobby and i know now what its like to think youre going to die. And then, and then i tell him i got the first plane, i filmed, and do you have enough tape . Unbelievable. Unbelievable. It was a miracle, you know. I didnt know what happened to you guys. Oh, god. Everybody is accounted for. Right here. Is that everybody . Everybody is accounted for . Everybody came back one by one to the firehouse. Except one. Did you see tony . Tony . Yeah, thats what i heard. We were all accounted for except for tony. Everybody was wondering about tony. There is not anything recognizable of what were the two trade towers, nothing standing out from this plaza at this time. You guys were in the building . Yeah. That day, that day changed everything. I think fibers in there. You have fibers in there. When i came back that day to the firehouse, one firefighter came to me and he said, you know, yesterday you had one brother. Today you have 50. Its hard to even describe the emotion that was in the firehouse that day. The ground rumbled. It was chasing you. You were running. On one hand youre celebrating. Somehow the guys from our house, they got out. We lost so much in that twohour period. How are you doing, all right . And we felt like we got the hell kicked out of us. I dont know what to do, man. Go back down there or what . At the same time, we knew hundreds of firefighters, thousands of people, had to have died in those towers. And every hour that passed, we were more certain Tony Benatados was one of them. Hey, guys, Deputy Chief Hill called, first division. He doesnt want Anybody Else down there right now. But the truth is, the guys had to go back. Had to start digging for survivors. I had to go back. And find the kid. Its gone, man. I got down there. The second World Trade finally collapsed. No sign of tony anywhere. It had to be almost 6 00, nine hours after everything started, that tony just walked in. Theyre walking like a daze. Hey, benatados, are you all right . Are you okay . Yeah, im all right. What happened on your end . I was in the building. Were you . Is everyone from the House Everyone . Everybody is accounted for. I just asked did everyone get back. They were like, yeah. That felt pretty good. I left here right after the first collapse. Turns out tony had been with Larry Burns the whole time. The proby and the retired chief. They were right there when Tower One came down. I checked all the rigs. There were rigs crushed, paramedics flipped. Fires burning everywhere, huge fires. That whole day, i just searched through rubble, lifting things up, checking underneath. Very hard. He proved himself that day to all the guys. Yeah. There was so much we didnt know about that first day, who had attacked us, how, why. All we knew is that nothing would ever be the same. Are you all right, brother . Yeah, im all right. One of the things that sticks with me more than anything i saw is i sat down next to ted. He looked real bad. I said, tell me, man. It was raining bodies. The roof, we were on the roof of the marriott. Its all over the place. Legs, feet, it was nasty. So many had been through hell. Good evening. Today our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. Very depressed, dismal, miserable mood. As much as you do a switch, its gone. Its hard to believe theyre not there. Theyre not there. It did happen, right . Its not something that im going to close my eyes and open them again, and im going to see The Tower, right . Its not there. Around midnight we sent tony up to lower the flag to Half Mast again. It was going to be a lot of pain to deal with in the future. A lot of guys we all lost, friends and family. I dont ever want to have to put that thing at Half Mast again the rest of my career. That the it. Thats it. Its 24 hours, 24 hours. We got word wed start digging in the morning. Some of the guys with wives and kids went home just for a few hours. They knew it might be days before theyd see their families again. My son was sleep and i picked him up and put him in my bed. I wanted him to be with me. Normally i would take him out of my bed and put him in his own bed. This night was the opposite. He actually had a big smile. It was wonderful to see that smile again. Probably the best, best entrance i ever made to a place. And the kids came out, and we just kind of all cried in one big hug. We just cried. Get a couple guys out here. Came back to the firehouse the next day. I couldnt wait to get back actually because i wanted to get down. I figured were going to have plenty of people that are going to be trapped for sure. Were going to get them out. We have to. We always do. Were all alive. Thats more than we could have possibly hoped for. So our job now is to go and do whatever needs to be done, and do as much and as hard as we can for as long as theyll let us. Some of the guys took a City Bus down to what the media was already calling Ground Zero. Guys, extra search, put them in your pockets. Some firemen called it the pile. For us it was still the Trade Center even if it was gone. Guys, three 1s, that means something might be Coming Down. Keep your eyes open when youre walking around down there. And i just realized something that i always wanted to deny, is how evil evil can be. I need five firefighters. I went down there, formed companies, five men, an officer. We went to work right away trying to look for survivors. Look for some pockets back here. Guys been digging passing those buckets quick. Digging frantically. Wed be digging and all of a sudden everybody would say, quiet. Hey, hey and the whole place would get quiet and people would look. Hello . And then slowly wed get back to work and start again. Thats how things went down there. Wed clear what we could by hand. And the iron workers would come in, cut the steel beams and lift them out. Then wed just start digging again. You have two 110story office buildings. You dont find a desk, you dont find a chair, a computer. The biggest piece of phony found was half of a Key Pad and it was about this big. The building collapsed to dust. How are we supposed to find anybody in this if Theres Nothing left of the building . We found, we found a body, this girl. She was dead. She was definitely dead. All the clothes had been burned off her. She looked to be pregnant. Some people thought she was bloated, but i dont think so. She was encased in rubble. And we had her about halfway uncovered, getting the Body Bag ready. They told us to run. And we ran. So i never got to see if they got her out. At least i got one person out. One family will be able to have a decent funeral. Quiet our first shift was 24 hours. And in all that time there was one person pulled out alive. One. It was beyond discouraging. It was even hard to understand. Walking back to the firehouse, people were cheering us. But we sure didnt feel like heroes. Every day strangers were showing up with supplies. Somebody said you could still use towels. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I know its early in the operation here, but i just want to thank everyone foreign all the hard work that theyve been doing. How were here, only god knows, but again, guys, thank you so much. You have no idea. [ applause ] check the lockers, bro. All the lockers. Take whatever. Listen, we tried to keep hope, but as days turned into weeks we began to accept there just wasnt anybody to find. Hey, chief. Yes, sir. We have another body over here. Day after day, it pushed guys to their limit, maybe past it. A lot of guys dont know if they can do the job any more. I know its either this or the army now. And i like saving lives. I dont like taking them. But after what i saw, if my country decides to send me to go kill, ill do it now. Every night the Fire Department would put out a list of firefighters confirmed dead. And every night that list got longer. It is with regret that the department announces that the following members. Battalion chief John P. Williamson, firefighter william henry. Firefighter eric t. Allen. Firefighter manuel mojica. Firefighter we lost so many people and everybody has lost their friends, not just one or two, but dozens. Most days there was a Memorial Service for some guy you knew. Some days two or three. Some days four. One of those services was for Kevin Pfeifer, the chiefs brother. He was last seen in the stairs of Tower One, directing guys to the fastest way out of the building. I would say Chief Pfeifers brother saved my life. Saved a lot of lives. And i remember walking down west street. I just remember him saying how much my brother and i used to love being downtown and doing this job. And, and how now i didnt love it any more. Eventually we started going on runs again. Feels good, though. And trying our best to love the job again. But things will never be the way they were. As for jules, its strange how things work out. In the beginning they came to me and said, lets make a documentary About A Boy becoming a man. During this ninemonth probationary period, turns out tony became a man in about nine hours. Trying to help out on 9 11. You know how you can tell that . Hes now bragging about it. Do i feel like its given me more of a sense of selfworth . Yes. Has it made me a man . I dont know. Whats a man . I dont think its so much the severity of an event that alters who you are. I think its how you interpret it that changes who you are. We keep forgetting how many people were saved on that day. On 9 11, firefighters saved 20,000 people. I have that much respect for human life. Im honored. Sometimes i still dont think im ready. But i am honored to be a fireman. Another day, another chance. Make the most of it with the network that can deliver Gig Speeds to the most businesses. And get the advanced Cybersecurity Solutions you need with Comcast Business securityedge. Ask how to get Comcast Business securityedge to help protect all your connected devices. And get started with a great offer on fast and reliable Internet And Voice for just 64. 99 a month. Plus, ask how to get a prepaid card up to 500. Call or go online today to learn more. Comcast business. Powering possibilities. When my blonde is luminous, i feel luminous. Thats why i choose preference by loreal. A Liquid Gel Formula with a shine serum. For multidimensional Fadedefying Color that lasts. Preference by loreal paris. Approved by salonlovers. And im worth it. This is the tempurpedic breeze. And its mission is to make sleep feel cool. So, no more night sweats. No more nocturnal baking. Or polar Ice Cap Airconditioner mode. Because the tempurpedic breeze delivers superior cooling. From cover to core. Helping you sleep cool, all night long. Dont miss our best offer of the year, and experience your best sleep of the summer. All tempurpedic mattresses are on sale, with savings up to 700 on adjustable mattress sets. Learn more at tempurpedic. Com here in the 9 11 Memorial Museum, the last column as its known reminds visitors of the 343 members of the f. D. N. Y. That lost their lives. The largest loss of firefighters in this countrys history. 9 11 was a day that defined The End of an era, making us understand we were vulnerable as a nation. Ever since weve been adjusting to our new normal. Wars overseas. Acts of terror at home and abroad. And an ever present fear of where the next attack will come from. Tonight we meet again some of the firefighters from the documentary who Lived The True Meaning of heroism every day of their lives. The firefighters of Engine Ladder 1 have a new responsibility soaring over the neighborhood, the freedom tower. World Trade Center one. The firehouse on Duane Street is busier than ever. Only a handful from 9 11 are still there. One of them is john. The new guys coming on are just as good as the guys we had before. Theyre going to learn and work. Now well be the old guys in the firehouse. Theres nothing like getting on a rig, blowing down the highway with the lights and sirens. Johnny mack as hes called in the firehouse had been there eight years on september 11, 2001. It was just a Terrible Day and its tough being the hero, or thats why i dont like that whole thing and whatever anybody says about that. We were there. We saw it firsthand. For me the best thing i ever did was stay at the firehouse and stay down there. I think that was my therapy, you know. A lot of guys after 9 11 had a lot of trouble. Drinking and depression. Posttraumatic stress. Thats real. Its definitely real. We had a lot of Support Groups, but the only real Support Group for the firemen were the other men. Thats all, you know. The firehouse for me. Still, that same firehouse for steve rogers, too. The firehouse is a big family. You have your family at home, the family is at the firehouse. Something happens, the guys got it together, everybody steps up and does the right thing. Thats what a family does a. He and thats what steve did when he rushed into work on 9 11. His day off. I think truly 9 11 should be a national holiday. A lot of heroes that day. Extraordinary things. They should be remembered. Driving to work for 31 years, the changing skyline has meaning for him. I used to come over the bridge, come to work, and look at the skyline, see the Trade Center, The Towers and everything. And for a long time there was nothing there. Now actually it fills a void. It just makes you proud. Surely were not going to stand for it. Dennis tardio retired in 2002. Even if 9 11 never happened, its a tough job to leave. Theres no other job like it. The brotherhood, camaraderie. N he said a not a day goes by without remembering. When my head hits the pillow at night, i see The Tower. Theyre not there. Theyre not there. Its etched in my mind, and always will be. The memories also used to haunt ron. He was pro moumoted to chief a after 9 11 and asked for a transfer. It felt like i wanted to leave because every Day Youd be driving by the site. It was a reminder of my 343 gaze. Guys. But the f. D. N. Y. Had other plans for him. I thought for sure id be moved. And the chief of department said, we lost so many guys im going to ask you to stay. Stay for two years and help us out down there to rebuild, rebuild the Fire Department, get us back to where we were. So i did. And after the three years was up, i stayed. And i became the Battalion Chief and i watched the firehouses grow again. When you walk through here and it was like a breath of Fresh Air to see the young guys coming back into the firehouse again. But it took years and years for us to rebuild and to get back to where we were. Its quite a view. Now you look at the entire landscape down here. Its changed so fast, so rapidly. The high rises that are going up, one building is bigger than the next. Seems like they cant build them big enough and cant build them fast enough. Were looking at new ways of getting firemen up faster to the fires. Theres that many more people in the building to worry about. Worrying about the public safety is also front and center for Chris Conore who retired from the f. D. N. Y. And became a Safety Expert on construction sites. As my luck would have it, i was assigned to work back at the world Trade Center. I was back at the scene of the crime, so to speak, back at a place i never wanted to go again. He spent seven years within the 16acre site. When i started to work there, it was still very much a hole in the ground. You had to literally Walk Down a tenstory ladder into the bottom of what we called The Pit as firefighters. Eventually when the below Grade Construction was completed, and the buildings started to come out of the ground, for me thats when the magic happened. You really saw these beautiful, beautiful buildings. The first of five towers planned for the site opened in 2014. World Trade Center one, at 104 stories, 1776 feet high, its the tallest building in the united states. With a bombresistant base. And like most new highrise, a concrete core. Theyve gone Above And Beyond the new York City building code, which is very strict. Also now open, the Marble Transportation Hub with its starling sculpture oculus. It took ten years to complete and the most expensive Train Station to build. Cost . 4 billion. Safety for the rebuilt area as well as all of new York City rests on the shoulders of f. D. N. Y. Commissioner daniel nygro. Since 9 11 buildings have become stronger, and the record of highrise buildings is that they are safe. As the city continues to grow vertically, and thats happening at such a rapid pace, we hope we have the ability to keep up with it, but it is certainly taxing to our people. Chief joseph pfeifer, who lost his brother kevin, a lieutenant in the Fire Department, has turned that personal trauma into purpose. The thought of my brother losing him on 9 11 actually shifts a lot of my own thinking of how we can make it safer for our firefighters. It was the f. D. N. Y. Chief of Counterterrorism And Emergency preparedness. He was invited to speak around the world and went to paris after the november attacks. Let me tell you some of my nightmares. To share strategies with the french First Responders. The thing were worried about is the vertical threat, multiple floors. One of the things that we need to prepare for is to deal with a Terrorist Attack on highrise buildings. The use of Automatic Weapons and explosives. And the use of fire as a weapon. The 9 11 firefighters who now make up the f. D. N. Y. s top Brass Talk about managing the next attack. Terrorism is always on your mind today. So when this does happen again, i think we will be a little more prepared. Prepared so that nothing resembling that devastating death toll, losing 343 in one day, ever happens again. There is such a thing as Survivors Guilt and i would have to say most of us who made it out that day have it. As somebody who was in charge that day, i probably had the biggest case in the department, but its something one meft learn to live with. New York Firefighters were also learning to live with the physical toll working at Ground Zero took on so many of them. Diagnosed with a variety of cancers linked to breathing in that 9 11 dust. In 2006 we talked to retired chief Larry Burns about the Gathering Storm of disease. Theres something out there cooking in all of us, and i fear for what ten years are going to bring us. Our beloved chief Larry Burns died from a 9 11 related cancer. The third from the Duane Street firehouse. Now their names are inscribed at the f. D. N. Y. Headquarters. Firefighters who died from 9 11 related diseases. Among them, John Sullivan who died of pancreatic cancer. His son mike is a legacy kid. The f. D. N. Y. s term for the new generation, related to firefighters who died in the line of duty 9 11. Its not the day he passed away, but its the day that made him pass away. Mike works in upper manhattan, ladder 34, the same firehouse as his father and grandfather. What i like most about being on the job is handsdown the family and where i am, seeing the guys In The House. Theyre so amazing. My uncles now are brothers. Theyve taught me a lot, between cooking. Thats a big thing. You know, the hot Coffee Guy before. Now watch out. Id spend my career hooking ladder 34. Thats what i love. Its the most beautiful rig. On the job, those pillars, thats sexy right there. The Firehouses Street has been named for his father, John P. Sullivan way. The only thing that i can hope that one day is that i make an impact at The End of my career, i can put my boots next to his. I dont want to fill his. I can never fill his. Im too emotional to fill his. Hes tough, tough box of nails, that guy. Id do anything to have him back. He could have my job if it meant my Father Standing in front of me today. All legacy kids are special. It says a lot about whats inside them. It most likely says a lot about their parents, and their parents, how they lived their lives. And it was after 9 11 when i knew that i had to make sure that i get on this job for me wanting to always be a firefighter, but for me also wanting to carry on my fathers legacy. Another legacy kid, josephine smith. Her Dad Kevin was a hazmat specialist. Her father rushed to The Towers after the first Plane Hit. He never came home, and his body was never recovered. Im always looking for my dad. Im going to see you, dad. Im going to be a firefighter. Im going to work with you. He never said no. He never said, no, i dont want you to be a firefighter. You cant be a firefighter. Girls cant be firefighters. He never said that. He would smile. Just look down at me and smile. Josephine is now on the job with more than 11,000 men. Im small and petite, but i can still do the job. I want them to be able to Trust Me that i can have their back just as much as they can have my back. I dont think theres one guy In The House that doesnt believe i can do the job just as much as they can. My father is a hero. Hes someone i look up to still every day. Joseph looks up to a hero, too. His brother, carl henry joseph. My brother being on the job is probably the number one reason i became a firefighter. His rig was found at Ground Zero crushed. No remains have ever been recovered. He finds solace visiting the 9 11 memorial. Being on the site, trying to imagine like where he was, now knowing im a firefighter and trying to imagine like how he felt that day. His Brothers Name is inscribed with all those who died at the reflecting pools next to the 9 11 Memorial Museum which opened in 2014. It holds a collection of more than 11,000 artifacts, including visceral reminders of all those firefighters who headed straight towards danger. A crushed Fire Truck that we remembered seeing in the street that day. Chief Pfeifers Helmet is on display, as is Gideon Odays camera. To see braveness, to see Courage Right in front of you. For me is more of an imprint than the fear i experienced on that day. The oday brothers were made honorary members of the f. D. N. Y. They live in New York and make documentaries together. Its about hope, the best of humanity at a moment when the worst is there. I am now a director in hollywood. I go to work now and i direct television and i go home at The End of the day. And when i lie in bed and my head hits the pillow, im like a firefighter. And everyone always asks about tony benetados, the proby from our film. Now being a in the Fire Department and being able to make a difference is the best, best profession i can ever hoped to have. He finally answers the question, what makes a man . Maybe getting up for Work Everyday and Coming Home and reading to your children or doing the dishes and taking care of your family. Maybe thats what the defines it. Family is at the center of the lives of all these firefighters we have the privilege to get to know over these years. Chiefs son is now a firefighter in manhattan. You had to go up 60 flights . I go to work and i go fight, you do your job. Until my son gets on, thats when i realized what my wife goes through the next 30 years. I go off to work and shes wondering if i am Coming Home. The hardships they witness and the challenges they face. Everyday is a great day in the Fire Department. But, the danger is always there. [music playing] Door Closes Door Closes excited Laughter Ahhh Ohhhh Fridge Closing Crowd Noises cheering laughter and there you have it woah. Wireless on the most reliable network nationwide. Wow big deal . We get unlimited for just 30 bucks. Sweet, but mine has 5g included. Relax people, my wireless is crushing it. Thats because you all have Xfinity Mobile with your internet. Its wireless so good, it keeps one upping itself. Switch to Xfinity Mobile and save hundreds on your wireless bill. Plus, save up to 400 when you purchase a new Samsung Phone or upgrade your existing phone. Learn more at your local xfinity store today. Tonight the Strength And Beauty of this place is on display once again. A symbol of this nation resolves and rebirth and resilience. Thank you for watching and good night. The following is a cnns special report. 16 kids. My mom took a little bit of extra time getting me prepared for the day. The children were facing President Bush and myself. School kids with the Front Row to history. Good morning. When he walked in the room i was like oh my gosh, thats him. This is actually the president. I can touch him if i wanted to reach out. Until the unimaginable happened. The plane had crashed