FLORIDA - Every September, national ceremonies honor the 343 New York City firefighters who died in the World Trade Center attacks. However, for the first responders who survived, the act of remembering is a daily mission.
Florida 9/11 Memorial Club
What we know:
In The Villages, Florida, retired firefighters gather regularly as part of the FDNY 343 Memorial Club. Founded by retired New York firefighter Bob Kane, the group provides a space for firefighters to trade fond memories of friends they lost. The group is also focused on public education and historical preservation.
"We are the sentinels," Kane explained. "We're the ones that actually carry on the memories and the stories of all our brothers that died that day."
For the families of the fallen, these surviving firefighters have become surrogates, stepping into the emotional voids left behind by the tragedy. Over the past two and a half decades, club members have attended the weddings, baptisms, and major life milestones of the children their colleagues left behind.
The Human Toll
When the club members gather, they reflect on their experiences from the morning of the attacks.
Dean Russamano, who was assigned to a fire truck stationed on the outer perimeter of the response, remembers the horrific aftermath of the collapse. "It looked like a war zone," Russamano recalled, describing the survivors emerging from the debris. "They look like statues, it was just, they were pure gray."
Kerry Hollywood had been scheduled to work a night shift on September 11. The moment the first news bulletins cut into the morning broadcasts, he immediately rushed toward the scene, commandeering a city bus to reach Ground Zero. Looking back, Hollywood emphasizes the selflessness of the men who went into the towers.
"There's a good chance that we may not be coming out of this thing. Yet they still did it," Hollywood said. For him and many others, the passage of nearly 25 years has done little to blunt the emotional impact: "It's yesterday."
Ground Zero toxic exposure
Big picture view:
The tragedy of September 11 did not end when the rescue and recovery efforts concluded. Today, the FDNY survivors are fighting new battles linked directly to their service.
An increasing number of first responders who survived the attacks are now being diagnosed with severe illnesses caused by exposure to the toxic dust at Ground Zero.
The members of the FDNY 343 Memorial Club are living this reality. Bob Kane has fought lung cancer and has endured multiple melanomas. Dean Russamano is also battling cancer, which doctors have explicitly linked to his 9/11 exposure. Kerry Hollywood shares the same diagnosis.
"The toughest part right now is more people are dying from 9/11-related illnesses," Hollywood said. "That's kind of tough and it's almost every day."
Fuel for the fight
Why you should care:
Despite their health challenges, these firefighters view their survival as an extension of their duty. They use the heroism of their fallen colleagues inside the stairwells of the Twin Towers as fuel for their current medical fights.
"You can overcome fear through courage and complete your mission," Kane said. "So you put your trust in the doctors, and you say, 'I'll do what I'm gonna do. You do what you're gonna do, and I'm going to come out of this.'"
The group is determined to pass this resilience on to a generation born long after the towers fell. They frequently speak to students, offering the 343 fallen firefighters as ultimate examples of mentorship and duty. Beyond individual courage, the survivors want the public to remember the overwhelming sense of unity that defined the days following the attack.
Russamano remembers long-retired firefighters arriving at Ground Zero in wheelchairs and on crutches, desperate to help. Hollywood recalls a young boy who handed him 40 cents—likely his entire allowance—just to contribute to the relief effort. It was a time, they say, when people helped each other without asking for anything in return.
By the numbers:
- 343: The number of FDNY firefighters who died responding to the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.
- Up to 15,000: The estimated number of civilian lives saved by first responders during the evacuation of the towers, according to calculations by the CDC and the 9/11 Commission.
- 40 cents: The amount of allowance money a young boy handed to firefighter Kerry Hollywood to help with the recovery efforts.
What they're saying:
- Bob Kane, on honoring the fallen: "We want their families to know how we carry on their legacy... We've gone to their weddings, their, you know, baptism of their children."
- Dean Russamano, on the days after 9/11: "It was the way it was supposed to be, everybody helping each other, not asking for anything other than what can we do."
- Kerry Hollywood, on the ongoing health crisis: "The toughest part right now is more people are dying from 9/11-related illnesses. That's kind of tough and it's almost every day."
- Bob Kane, on his message to students: "You gotta get up every single morning and say I'm gonna push the envelope of life every single day.
Continued outreach efforts
What's next:
As the 25th anniversary of the attacks approaches, the FDNY 343 Memorial Club continues its outreach efforts in schools and communities across Florida. While their ranks are increasingly threatened by 9/11-related cancers, the survivors remain dedicated to ensuring the history, sacrifices, and unity of 2001 are permanently ingrained in the minds of the next generation.
The Source: Personal accounts, historical reflections, and health updates were sourced directly from interviews with retired FDNY firefighters Bob Kane, Dean Russamano, and Kerry Hollywood, who operate the FDNY 343 Memorial Club in Florida. Evacuation statistics and survival estimates regarding the morning of September 11, 2001, were provided by data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the official 9/11 Commission Report.