Remembering 9/11 through stories of courage, compassion, and the faithful hope of Our Lady of Sorrows. By Deacon Mike Walsh
On this 25th anniversary of that terrible day, there is much to reflect upon. I watched several documentaries this past week, but the ones that stayed with me were not simply historical retellings.
They were the stories of those who were there when the planes hit, and how the kindness and bravery of another person — often a complete stranger — saved their lives.
One of these was the National Geographic series 9/11: Reunited. One segment recounted the experiences of two Pentagon survivors: retired Lt. Col. Marilyn Wills and Cmdr. Craig Powell, a Navy SEAL. Powell caught Wills and others as they escaped through a second-floor window.
Marilyn found herself leading people to a second-floor window, hoping to escape, only to find the glass could not be broken because it had recently been upgraded to be blast-proof.
The group finally forced the window open by kicking it from the frame. Then they faced the next obstacle: the long jump to the ground.
Then a man — Craig Powell — came forward from the crowd and held open his arms, assuring her that if she jumped, he would catch her. It was a literal leap, made possible by another person’s courage.
She jumped, and he caught her and carried her to safety.
In the documentary, Lt. Col. Marilyn Wills and Cmdr. Craig Powell were reunited for the first time in 25 years.
Following her rescue, the long road to recovery began. She had been burned and injured, and later received the Purple Heart. But she found the will and courage to keep getting up and moving forward.
Mary Knows This Road
Our Lady of Sorrows, adapted from Philippe de Champaigne.
This week we approach the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15th. Starting tomorrow, we will begin a three-part series of reflections by Fr. Peter Turrone.
The series looks at moments in Mary’s life when she, too, had to face uncertainty, fear, and pain.
In each of these moments, Mary found the courage to remain a faithful presence amid suffering, even when she could not know where the road would lead. To me, this is one of the great lessons our Blessed Mother teaches us as we accompany her through the sorrows of her life.
The Courage to Keep Moving
The stories that came out of 9/11 offer many examples of courage, trust, sacrifice, and perseverance. Again and again, someone reached out to help a stranger, saving a life that would continue despite the difficulties and memories of that day.
There was the story of NYPD officer John D’Allara, who did not make it. He and firefighter Bill Spade had known each other for only about 25 minutes, but they worked together to save many people trying to escape the North Tower.
Spade and D’Allara were working inside the North Tower after the South Tower had already collapsed. Spade reached the street before the North Tower fell. D’Allara had gone back to ensure that others had escaped and died when the North Tower collapsed.
In the documentary, we see a reunion of the now-retired firefighter with the family of the police officer who had been his companion for less than half an hour.
It was Carol his widow who struck me most. She was the one who had to carry the cross placed before her and raise their two sons through her sorrow. Those boys both became men of service — one in the military, and the other following in his father’s footsteps as a police officer.
On this day, we remember all those who suffered on 9/11, and all those whose lives continue to bear its wounds.
May we all find the courage of Our Lady of Sorrows, remain faithful amid suffering, and entrust our wounds to God’s healing mercy.
