Gadsden Post: 9/11 A Day For Reflection

Today is the 8th anniversay of the terrorists attacks which killed nearly 3,000 Americans and citizens of 90 other countries. I like so many Americans watched the WTC Towers fall on television and prayed for the safety of loved ones and friends. Please take a moment today to reflect upon the extraordinary acts of heroism and kindness that day and the days afterwards. Here are just a few examples:

Mychal Judge's death:
"Jesus, please end this right now!"

by John M. Kelley

The details of Father Mychal Judge's last hour and death reflect the great heroism and holiness of his entire life.

As Mychal rushed into the North Tower with firefighters, Mayor Rudy Giuliani called out, "Father Mike, pray for us!" Mychal responded, "I always do! I always pray for you!" These were his last public words -- his promise to always pray for us. (Giuliani: Mayor of America).

Other priests also came to the scene, but Mychal was the only priest to actually enter either WTC building. He continued to grant absolution and pray in the lobby as death rained all around him, until his own death.

When commanders gave orders to evacuate the building, he refused to abandon the hundreds of firefighters still trapped inside saying, "My work here is not finished." (Ford & Daly).

It was initially reported that Mychal died while anointing a fallen firefighter. But he actually died after anointing FF Daniel Suhr; he anointed Suhr on the plaza outside before he entered the building.

The Jules Naudet film shows Mychal praying anxiously in the lobby about half an hour before his death. He was probably saying the Rosary, as he often did at fires. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

At 9:50- 9:55 AM, Mychal climbed up to the mezzanine attempting to reach some injured firefighters. Seeing dozens of jumpers crashing onto the plaza outside, he cried out fervently and repeatedly,
"Jesus, please end this right now!
God, please end this!" (Daly).

Mychal Judge died while pleading with his Best Friend to miraculously intervene and put an end to the devastation.

Mychal was struck and killed at 9:59 AM when the South Tower collapse sent concrete and debris flying through the North Tower lobby at over 100mph.

The Coroner found, and his death certificate states, that Mychal Judge died of blunt force trauma to the head (Daly). The wound was visible on the back of his head. He was designated as Victim 0001 because his was the first body recovered from the scene.

God answered Mychal’s pleas, but not quite the way he asked. By a series of smaller miracles and good fortunes, most people did safely escape the towers that day, and tens of thousands of lives were saved.

And for those who didn't make it, God sent Father Mike to greet and guide them on the other side, where he continues to pray for all of us.

“The happiest man on earth”
Eulogy by Fr. Michael Duffy, OFM
at Mychal's funeral: 9/15/01
“Mychal passed through to the other side... to greet (the other firefighters) … He’s going to take them by the hand and say, 'Welcome, I want to take you to my Father.' And so, he can continue doing in death what he couldn’t finish in life”.