First published 2021
Chief Joe Pfeifer starts September 11th investigating a routine gas leak in downtown Manhattan. Minutes later, he becomes the first FDNY chief to witness a hijacked plane slam into the World Trade Center. As the closest fire department leader to the scene, Pfeifer must coordinate rescue operations while the towers burn around him. He watches firefighters charge up the stairwells to save trapped civilians. He sends his own brother into the North Tower, not knowing he will never see him again. The attacks transform Pfeifer and his fellow firefighters as they spend weeks digging through rubble and months processing their grief. Through the immediate chaos and long aftermath, Pfeifer grapples with what it means to lead when everything falls apart. His story reveals how ordinary people find strength in the face of unimaginable loss and how traumatic memories can become sources of hope.
Genres: non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: grief, leadership
Setting: Manhattan, World Trade Center
Period: September 11th
256 pages · Hardcover · Portfolio
Content warnings: death