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9/11: Former FOX 2 photographer shares memory of response effort
Volunteer first responder Jim Kelel talks about helping with the rescue efforts in New York on 9/11.
FOX 2 - Twenty-five years have passed since the 9/11 attacks, but we will never forget those vivid images of what happened.
The backstory:
Former FOX 2 Photographer Jim Kelel was one of those who helped with the rescue efforts at Ground Zero in New York.
"She came and woke me up and said something is happening in New York," he said.
That something is what changed the world, changed our country, and changed how we look at being American.
For Kelel, a volunteer first responder, that meant packing a bag and heading to New York. Two other co-workers were behind him. The drive was long.
And getting into the danger zone to cover this tragedy was tough, with the bridge closed.
"Across into New York, they weren't letting anybody in," Kelel said. "We pulled over to the side and we got out of the truck. I went over and talked to the police officers and they opened up and let us through."
Surprised but bewildered at the sights of the smoke still coming out of Ground Zero, he was ready to go to work telling the stories of families.
People walking up to him and asking Jim if he could help. Without social media, TV news was the biggest bulletin board around to post pictures of missing loved ones.
"One of the hardest things was people would come up to our trucks with pictures of their loved ones and beg us to put them on tv because they didn't know where they were," Kelel said. "And after a while it got heartbreaking. In fact, our reporter, she broke down in tears and we had to shut the doors of the truck for a little bit because she just she broke down. It was, it was heart-wrenching."
Two decades later, Jim remembers the strength of this country.
"Every fire truck that went by had the American flag on it," he said. "People were carrying their American flags, people had a sense of urgency that we need to get back and get this right."
For Kelel, getting it right meant jumping in to help as well.
He finished his duty as a photographer and then jumped in to help as a first responder.
The memories of what he saw remain raw, but the pride he felt of Americans helping Americans rises above the dark memories of that day.
The Source: Information for this report is from former FOX 2 Photographer Jim Kelel who covered the days after the tragedy in New York, and worked as a volunteer there.