On the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, when people are remembering the fallen heroes - the fire-fighters, NYPD members, the passengers of the flight that crashed at Shanksville who overtook the hijackers, I would write about something slightly different. Well, they are heroes too...really brave and selfless souls. They are the hero dogs, the rescue dogs of 9/11.
A couple of years back I was waiting to catch a bus back from Seattle when I saw a yellow Lab at the bus stop wearing a jacket. My first thought was - how funny! That man is making his dog wear a jacket? But after a second look, I found he was wearing a "service jacket". Then, as I was standing next to where that man was sitting in the bus, the dog, very gently came and sniffed me - to make sure that I was not a threat to his charge by any means. I don't know if I have seen any soul more responsible than a guide dog.
Last week we saw another of the tribe guiding his charge while crossing a street. We first saw the dog in the harness leading the way and then noticed the lady's white cane.
So coming back to the hero dogs, first one to mention is Roselle. She was a "pixielike" yellow Labrador, as her parent Michael Hingson said. She loved stealing socks and playing tug-of-war with the other dog at home. On the fateful day of 9/11 when she was napping under Mike's desk at office in the North Tower, the AA flight hit the building. Following what they had learned during fire drills, with Mike acting as a pack leader, Roselle led the way to the exit and calmly descended from the 78th floor to safety. Covered in dust and ashes and finding their way through the sweltering heat, the yellow Lab gave love and kisses! She even helped a lady who was temporarily blinded by the dust and debris. As Caesar's Way magazine reported, on 9/11, 2001 Roselle worked. The great soul passed away last year in June.
Sky was a black Lab who went for search and rescue in the Pentagon after the plane hit that building. As Sky's human partner Bob Sessions reflects - "Certainly, there's nothing that can replace precision of a dog's nose - and absolutely nothing that can replace a dog's heart."
Sirius is a fallen hero of the 9/11 attacks. Specialized in explosive detection, he used to work at the WTC scanning vehicles that came there. Sirius' trainer and partner Dave was trapped and he could not reach Sirius who was in his kennel at a different place. Dave was not allowed to go there as it was very dangerous. Months later, rescuers found Sirius' jacket and later some of his remains. He was the only canine martyr. Sad, real sad...but the good thing is that he was taken with full honors like the other heroes. The bag in which his body was, was covered with a flag and carrying him away was completed with prayers and salutes.
I don't have enough words to express my gratitude and respect to the guide dogs and to the brave service animals. The only thing I can say is - they are the guardian angels. I also firmly believe that when 10,000 kind, compassionate and selfless people die, one service dog is born.
References:
http://www.cesarsway.com/news/dognews/Rescue-Dogs-of-911-Roselle
http://www.ronburns.com/
http://www.vetstreet.com/learn/the-many-faces-of-9-11-hero-dogs
Note:
As for the attacks, it's not just against specific countries, like the one in Mumbai in November, 2008 or the 07/07 in London. It's against humans by an insane gang of criminals. Let's do our bit to wipe off terrorism from the only place we can call home - the Earth.
A couple of years back I was waiting to catch a bus back from Seattle when I saw a yellow Lab at the bus stop wearing a jacket. My first thought was - how funny! That man is making his dog wear a jacket? But after a second look, I found he was wearing a "service jacket". Then, as I was standing next to where that man was sitting in the bus, the dog, very gently came and sniffed me - to make sure that I was not a threat to his charge by any means. I don't know if I have seen any soul more responsible than a guide dog.
Last week we saw another of the tribe guiding his charge while crossing a street. We first saw the dog in the harness leading the way and then noticed the lady's white cane.
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| Guardian angels |
So coming back to the hero dogs, first one to mention is Roselle. She was a "pixielike" yellow Labrador, as her parent Michael Hingson said. She loved stealing socks and playing tug-of-war with the other dog at home. On the fateful day of 9/11 when she was napping under Mike's desk at office in the North Tower, the AA flight hit the building. Following what they had learned during fire drills, with Mike acting as a pack leader, Roselle led the way to the exit and calmly descended from the 78th floor to safety. Covered in dust and ashes and finding their way through the sweltering heat, the yellow Lab gave love and kisses! She even helped a lady who was temporarily blinded by the dust and debris. As Caesar's Way magazine reported, on 9/11, 2001 Roselle worked. The great soul passed away last year in June.
Sky was a black Lab who went for search and rescue in the Pentagon after the plane hit that building. As Sky's human partner Bob Sessions reflects - "Certainly, there's nothing that can replace precision of a dog's nose - and absolutely nothing that can replace a dog's heart."
Sirius is a fallen hero of the 9/11 attacks. Specialized in explosive detection, he used to work at the WTC scanning vehicles that came there. Sirius' trainer and partner Dave was trapped and he could not reach Sirius who was in his kennel at a different place. Dave was not allowed to go there as it was very dangerous. Months later, rescuers found Sirius' jacket and later some of his remains. He was the only canine martyr. Sad, real sad...but the good thing is that he was taken with full honors like the other heroes. The bag in which his body was, was covered with a flag and carrying him away was completed with prayers and salutes.
I don't have enough words to express my gratitude and respect to the guide dogs and to the brave service animals. The only thing I can say is - they are the guardian angels. I also firmly believe that when 10,000 kind, compassionate and selfless people die, one service dog is born.
References:
http://www.cesarsway.com/news/dognews/Rescue-Dogs-of-911-Roselle
http://www.ronburns.com/
http://www.vetstreet.com/learn/the-many-faces-of-9-11-hero-dogs
Note:
As for the attacks, it's not just against specific countries, like the one in Mumbai in November, 2008 or the 07/07 in London. It's against humans by an insane gang of criminals. Let's do our bit to wipe off terrorism from the only place we can call home - the Earth.
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