I would like to thank you for embarking on this journey with me through this book. The tragic events of 9/11 are extremely sensitive, however if we ignore the pain surrounding the event, we also ignore the incredible people who had the courage to confront them. My mission is to comfort the loved ones left behind, and simply recognize the selfless acts, which were repeated throughout that day.

I struggled with the decision whether to make public my personal diary, which included many of the events and people surrounding September 11. The enormous respect I have for all the heroes that emerged that day would be difficult for me to put into words. So many different people acted with dignity and honor, it concerned me that it might exceed my ability to capture the day’s reverence.