Henrico firefighter reflects on 9/11, a $200K 'Fill the Boot' drive, and a son inspired to serve

When the Twin Towers fell, New York City firefighters were tasked with an impossible mission.

Continue to sift through the wreckage while fighting fatigue and remaining alert for other emergencies… in a city that never sleeps.

All of that was made harder by the fact they were mourning the loss of hundreds of their brothers who had been killed in the line of duty.

While fire crews from across the country were dispatched to Ground Zero to assist with the search and recovery, others would eventually make their way to Manhattan to help say a final farewell.

“You just feel that same compassion anytime we see firefighters lost anywhere in the United States,” said Henrico Battalion Chief Doug Reynolds. “Probably one of the first things we started seeing was all the memorials that popped up at every one of our fire stations.”

And he’ll never forget the way Central Virginia rallied to help the loved ones of the fallen heroes, particularly a “fill the boot” project to raise money for the public safety families in New York.

Click here to continue reading on WTVR.com, a Henrico Citizen partner organization.