New York City – On a quiet Friday evening, three New Yorkers gathered at O’Hara’s Pub, a longtime haunt for first‑responders near the former Ground Zero site, to talk about the day that changed their lives forever. Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, 67, now the chaplain for the FDNY, corporate executive Wendy Lanski, 56, and Bronx volunteer firefighter Ken Corrigan, 59, each recalled the sights, sounds, and deep personal loss of September 11, 2001.
Faith at the Heart of the Memory
Gigantiello, a lifelong minister in New York’s boroughs, described his first moments at the disaster site. After blessing the body of Father Mychal Judge – the first recorded victim of the attacks – he walked an hour to Ground Zero, entered St. Peter’s Church, and prayed. “There was a police officer, a firefighter, and they told me Father Judge’s body was on the altar,” he said. “I actually blessed his body.” The chaplain’s recollection underscores how faith guided his response amid the chaos.
Personal Loss and the Power of Storytelling
Lanski, who worked on the 29th floor of the North Tower, remembered the ordinary Tuesday that turned tragic. “I was a corporate girl, not in a risky job,” she said, recalling the moment she realized the towers had been hit. She lost her close friend Abraham Zelmanowitz, who stayed behind to help a wheelchair‑bound colleague. “It feels like yesterday and like ages ago at the same time,” Lanski added.
Corrigan, a 16‑year volunteer firefighter who also survived the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, spoke of the friends he lost in the aftermath. “My friend Mike ‘Whisk’ Hayes was an ironworker who helped clear debris. I didn’t know he’d been down there for months,” Corrigan said, his voice breaking. He also remembered fellow firefighters who later died of cancer after working on the piles for months.
Finding Solace in Community and Counseling
Both Lanski and Corrigan said that talking with others who shared their experience has been a source of comfort. Lanski tried workplace‑mandated counseling after the attacks, but found it ineffective. “Counselors would cry, I felt guilty, and I clammed up,” she recalled. Instead, she found that simply telling her story to caring listeners helped her heal.
Gigantiello highlighted a small, powerful moment at a triage center: a soot‑covered woman approached him, asking only for a hug. “We embraced for about 30 seconds without saying a word. That stays with me,” he said, emphasizing how simple acts of compassion can leave lasting impressions.
Continuing the Legacy of Service
O’Hara’s Pub, severely damaged in the attacks, reopened and now serves as a gathering place for survivors and first responders. The trio’s meeting there illustrates how local venues can become informal support hubs for those carrying the weight of 9/11.
As the 25th anniversary approaches, these survivors remind us that the wounds of that day are still fresh for many, but faith, community, and the willingness to share stories continue to provide hope and healing.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
