A remembrance ceremony took place Wednesday night in West Haven to honor the firefighters who responded during the 9/11 terror attacks in New York City.
It included one firefighter who survived after the north tower collapsed.
The sounds of bagpipes filled the air as the flag was raised to half-staff at Bradley Point Park in West Haven. The solemn ceremony marked 23 years since 9/11.
Retired New York City firefighter Mickey Kross who survived the collapse of the north tower was recognized for his heroism.
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“I really felt like ‘Oh my god. This is incredible, you know?’” he said.
Kross considers himself fortunate. He remembers responding to the emergency call that day, in the midst of the chaos in trying to get people out of the north tower as it began collapsing.
Kross said he was in a stairwell around the fourth floor and ducked into a corner, making himself small.
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“I tried to crawl in my helmet. I know you can’t crawl into a helmet, but that was the idea,” he said.
Kross said he wound up being under the rubble and debris, but still alive and was eventually found by search teams.
“It was like a miracle. I was like ‘Oh my god! There’s a hole up there,’” he said.
On that day, 343 New York City firefighters died in the line of duty. They included six from Kross’s firehouse at the time.
West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer paid tribute to their sacrifice and the united front the country had in the days after 9/11.
“We turned our heartbreak, our shock and our anger into resolve and emerged a stronger nation,” she said.
Kross said as the years go by, he has this message to people about 9/11, especially those who may not have many memories of that day.
“They used the term ‘Never Forget’, so I try to practice that,” he said.
Kross not only attended this ceremony in West Haven. Earlier in the morning, he attended the remembrance ceremony in New York City as well.
