The following is a conversation with Niels Jorgensen, a New York firefighter for over 21 years

who was there at Crown Zero a September 11th, 2001.

He was forced to retire because of the leukemia he contracted from cleaning up Crown Zero.

This podcast tells his story and the story of other great men and women who were there that day.

Some of the stories we talk about are part of a new limited podcast series that Niels hosts called 20 for 20, with 20 episodes for the 20 years since 9-11.

To support this podcast, please check out our sponsors in the description.

As a side note, please allow me to say a few words about the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001.

I was in downtown Chicago on that day, lost in the mundane busyness of an early Tuesday morning.

At that time, I was already fascinated by human nature, the best, and the worst of it.

Exploring it through the study of history and literature.

In the years before, as a young boy growing up in Russia, I saw chaos, uncertainty, and desperation in the Soviet Union of the 1990s,

wrapping up a century of war and suffering. But after coming to America for me, there was a sense of hope.

Like all of it was behind us. A bad dream to be forgotten as we enter into the new century.

On 9-11, when I saw the news of the second plane hitting the towers, my sense of hope had changed.

I understood that the 21st century, like the century before, would too have its tragedies, its evil doers, its wars, and its suffering.

And unlike the history books, these stories will involve all of us. They will involve me.

And however small an insignificant role, but one that nevertheless carries the responsibility to help.

I became an American that day, a citizen of the world. I felt the common humanity in all of us.

I felt the unity and the love and the days that followed, and I think most of the world shared in this feeling,

that we are all in this together. Evil cannot defeat the human spirit.

There were many heroes, song and unsung on that day, and in the years after.

Often politicians failed to rightfully honor the service and sacrifice of these heroes.

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