Stacy Munch Legacy Recordings

Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:13

These words became more than a verse to me after September 11, 2001. They became a way to understand sacrifice, love, and the lives given in service to others.

I was 34 years old when the towers fell. Those of us old enough to remember that tragic day can describe in detail where we were, what we were doing, and how we felt upon hearing the news. As a native New Yorker, I knew many lives touched by the unspeakable loss. Among them was my own family: my sister lost her fiancé, Michael, a firefighter. They were to be married on 11/16/2001.

On 9/11/2001, my oldest daughter was six, and my son was one day away from his fourth birthday. Their safety was my husband’s and my primary concern. The fear of not knowing if, when, or where another attack would occur weighed on me so heavily that I left work soon after arriving to pick up my children from their respective schools and take them home. I did my best to shield them from the onslaught of news coverage and from the waves of anxiety I felt with each unanswered phone call to family living in NYC.

Then came the call. My heart sank when I heard my sister’s trembling voice on the other end. Michael was among the missing at Ground Zero. What followed was a flurry of emotions and a plan that would allow me to head down to the Bronx to be with my sister.

Michael and his engine company were miraculously captured on video at approximately 10 a.m. that fateful day, entering World Trade Center Building 4 and going down the stairs, presumably toward Tower 2, the South Tower, just before its collapse. His remains were discovered in March of 2002 in the rubble that was once Tower 2, alongside a civilian he is assumed to have been leading out of the building.

Michael’s short life was a gift to so many. Memories of his gregarious personality, sense of humor, courage, and strength live on through those who knew him best. I will never forget, and I will continue to bear witness to the most memorable world event of my time. Twenty-five years later, thank you, Michael, and thank you to all the first responders, flight crews, and hardworking Americans who selflessly made the ultimate sacrifice amid the great evil of that day.