It has been six years since the attacks on the World Trade Centers in New York City. It has been six years since many individuals lost those loved- closest and dearest to them. It has been six years that Andy Isolano still vividly remembers that morning of September 11th, when the second plane had hit the World Trade Center. “I was in complete disbelief. Nothing was recognizable” he said as he paused recollecting the memories. “It really felt like WWIII was about to break out. I was afraid for what might happen next”. Andy was born and raised in Long Island, New York City, and is one of the few surviving firefighters to have been commissioned out on duty the morning of the September 11th attacks. A firefighter for 11 years, Andy underwent one of the most painful experiences of his life- losing those closest to him, among them, his best friend, Danny. No one would be quick to assume that Andy, a resident of Clovis, California had underwent the September 11th attacks, but a quick look at his New York Style Family Deli adorned with NYFD paraphernalia suggests that there is a hero among our community; proud, thoughtful, and as laid-back as can be. As I sat down to interview Andy, I could not help but ask if he would mind my asking of questions instilled with curiosity, heart-felt emotion, and anxiousness. “Not at all” he stated, “talking about 9-11 is therapeutic for me.”
For many of us, 9-11 was a repetitive and ongoing movie with devastating effects and continual tragedy. As spectators, we were affected by the images that were being portrayed on television: families shedding tears, people searching for loved ones, lost posters offering rewards, flowers, candles, vigils, and an ongoing search of bodies and answers to questions that could not be asked due to fear and melancholy. “Everything we see on TV is all Hollywood”. Andy stated, “Seeing the attacks on the World Trade Center’s in person was a whole different perspective. It was a definite trigger for all of the senses” he explained. He paused. I can tell that Andy was about to share one of the most intimate experiences of his life. I asked Andy about his feelings during the anniversaries of September 11th and he had one word, “Sadness” he continued, “I lost thirteen of my closest friends- whom were all firefighters. It’s almost like losing your immediate family because I worked with these guys side by side through everything…we were like brothers” he explained through glossy eyes. Another pause.
The September 11th tragedy left Americans wondering if any individuals inside the World Trade Center could possibly be alive. Few stories circulated regarding the survivors, but more of the deaths of countless individuals whom were either not found or had died. “We dug, and dug, and dug, trying to find a person that was alive. It was frustrating throughout the first few days because we could not find a full body” Andy explained. I proceeded to ask Andy what, if any, was the most vivid image that comes to mind when he hears an individual utter the phrase, “September 11th”. Andy looked at me for a few seconds before asking, “Does it have to be an image? What about a smell?” My perplexed look was enough for him to continue his answer. “The smell…the smell of death. As soon as I arrived at Ground Zero, I was in search mode. The times that I spent from the moment I arrived until November when I was released due to health problems related to the search, the smell was something that lingered upon me. Each day that went by, the smell got worse; it was the smell of bodies being incinerated, bodies decomposing, and metal melting…just a number of things getting worse. There were times where I would go home to shower and I would find that I would shower 4-6 times a day and that smell just wouldn’t come off of me. I reached a point where I started to realize that this smell- the smell of death- was more psychological than it was physical” he solemnly stated.
It was nearing noon time at the deli and it started getting busy. Customers began coming in, sandwich orders were being said out loud, customers glanced at us with curiosity. As I stole glimpses around his deli, I explained to Andy that for many Americans, the impact of September 11th was immense, far-reaching, and emotional. It was the most devastating tragedies of our generation. Any one individual can recall what they were doing the day of September 11th, 2001. The gravity of the tragedy seemed to touch every person in America. It was one of the rare moments in history where every American mourned the loss of another American- in unity solidified with hope and respect. I asked Andy what impact did September 11th have on his own life as a firefighter. “I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore like I used to. As cliché as it might sound, life is too short. I know firsthand how it feels to lose those you love and care about the most… in an instant”. I asked if his experience has left any instilled fears for his family who still live in New York City. “Of course. The fear is not for what can happen to me, but what the future is going to hold for them” he stated. Post September 11th, the American government underwent changes for security measures all across the United States. I asked Andy if the consensus was that Americans felt safer post September 11th. He answered, “Americans should feel safer. I feel that this experience encompasses both positive and negative results. Positive in being that people are more aware that life is short. Negative in that people need to realize that they should live life differently- not take it too seriously”. I asked if he felt that the attacks occurring in New York City had anything to do with the way Americans reacted to the tragedy. He stated, “I think New York City became more close-knit. In a way, I am happy that it happened there because the perceptions of New Yorkers are negative. People see them as busy, self-involved and uninterested in the life of others, but to the surprise of many, including myself; New Yorkers became closer because of this. What I realized after coming out to Clovis, California, 3,000 miles away from New York City was that it wasn’t just New York that became close-knit, but the whole country! This was a big something and it’s important to never forget what happened”. He continued, “I think the media handled the situation well and I do think that it should be kept in the media because it could always happen again”. I asked Andy if he could recall any deeds being done by average- everyday people during the September 11th attacks. “Absolutely” he said, “I will never forget seeing this old lady in her late 60’s-70’s holding a bag of bananas and climbing through the rubble to give us (firefighters) bananas to eat because there were times that we did not have the opportunity, time, or energy to eat. Whenever she finished giving out a bag of bananas, she went back for more and reassured us that she would return. She would do this every single day for as long as I remember being there. I also remember many of the expensive multi-million dollar restaurants that surrounded the World Trade Center’s setting up tables outside their restaurants and situating them in such a way so as to make peanut butter sandwiches all day long for us and those who were helping in the rubble. I also remember at one point when I was taking a nap in a ballroom near the Trade Centers that was set up with recliners, a nurse who noticed that the soles of my boots had melted to the point that my socks were made visible. I was so incredibly tired that I did not realize this and she mentioned that I would need a new pair of boots if I intended on going back into the rubble. After falling asleep for a few minutes, I realized that this nurse had brought me a new pair of boots. As a firefighter, I felt I had everything at my disposal- everything and anything I could possibly have or need within the span of a few hours. What is saddening to me is that I can’t say the same for what happened after Hurricane Katrina…”
The September 11th attacks on New York City were an
eye-opener to Americans, and the efforts and strengths of the New York Police Department and the New York Fire Department were closely monitored and held on a pedestal of America’s heroic deeds. I could not resist asking Andy if he considered himself a hero. His answer was surprising. “I don’t consider myself a hero because I was doing my job- I was simply doing something that I was trained to do. I was working as a professional thus it was expected that I do my job”. I smiled and said that for many Americans, including myself, one can only take their profession to such an extent that everything after it comes from within. He then mentioned, “Well, if we are going to go by the definition that society has on a ‘hero’- I guess I can be considered one, but above that, I like the respect that I get from everyone. I think because I was there during 9-11 so I can relate on a personal level”.
About to wrap up my interview with Andy, I asked him for any final thoughts about September 11th. “I really do feel that if people continue to ask me about 9-11, it is a good thing because it means that nothing else that is bad has happened yet” he said. He also added, “I am definitely a wiser person today. I live my life totally different post 9-11. There are many good things in life and I am very appreciative.” Lastly, he stated that one should see the attacks on the World Trade Centers as a miracle- “On an average day, there are about 50,000 people working in the Centers. To have lost only 3,000 people was truly a miracle. It could have been worse”.
Regardless of his views on being a hero, Andy can certainly be considered our local hero. His experience during the September 11th attacks has molded his life in such a way that in lieu of the anniversary has strengthened his perspectives on life. To us, the survivors and spectators of September 11th, we can only remember, hope, and pray, that such a tragedy remain a distant learning of our past- and look forward on to a better, stronger, “wiser” tomorrow.