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Hundreds of first responders, kin of 9/11 victims and the next generation of FDNY firefighters began an incredible 343-mile cycling journey from Boston to the World Trade Center on Sunday.
The first-ever 9/11 First Responder Ride for Resilience to Ground Zero is dedicated not only to the department’s heroes who gave their lives Sept. 11 but also to the survivors who continue to battle illnesses, injuries and the mental burden of “running in when everyone else is running out,” organizers said.
“Being a firefighter is the brotherhood, the togetherness. … It’s about taking care of our own,” said participant and FDNY Manhattan Borough Commander John Corcoran, a 40-year department veteran and 9/11 first responder.
“This ride is another way for us to stand together to make sure our brothers and sisters are never forgotten or left behind.
“Every one of us is part of something that’s bigger than ourselves,” he said. “When the alarm goes off in the firehouse, nobody asks, ‘What are we going to? What’s going on?’ They get on that fire truck, and they respond. It’s just an amazing, amazing group of people.”
Corcoran is one of nearly 200 people participating in the five-day adventure, which will conclude with an emotional arrival at Ground Zero on Thursday.
The ride was created by the Friends of Firefighters, a non-profit created in the wake of 9/11 that offers free mental -ealth counseling for the FDNY, in partnership with Livestrong.
About 14% of firefighters and EMS providers tracked by the World Trade Center Health Program continue to deal with depression, while another 6% are still suffering from PTSD, according to a WTCHP report released last week.
It’s the third annual cycling fundraiser hosted by the FoF — the first two of which were held in Ireland alongside Irish firefighters.
“We were all surprised the first year how cathartic it was and how helpful it was. … It’s not a counseling trip, but they do share their experiences, good and bad, and it is really helpful for their mental health,” said Nancy Carbone, founder and executive director of FoF.
The massive swell of bikers includes late first-responder heroes who jumped into action on 9/11, as well as their surviving loved ones, firefighter brethren from other cities and the next generation of Bravest.
Dan Reeves of Engine 80 in Harlem called it “surreal” to ride alongside those who were on The Pile 25 years ago.
“These guys did the same thing that I do every day — they come into work, they have coffee, they talk with their friends. And then the [fire bell] go off, and you go somewhere.
“They went to they went somewhere, and they never came back,” Reeves, who joined the FDNY in 2022, said of slain 9/11 FDNY victims.
“Riding bikes for five days isn’t too hard compared to what these guys went through and what their families are still going through. It’s nice to be able to sacrifice a little bit in their honor and to help the guys that are still struggling with 9/11-related illnesses.”
So far, $750,000 has been raised for the effort, which will be split between local and national recources for firefighters.
The FoF will use the cash to fund its free counseling services after sessions more than doubled to 5,000 last year — a number Carbone expects will continue to grow.
Livestrong will use the other half to create the first-ever specialized cancer navigation guidebooks specifically designed for first responders.
Firefighters and first responders are 9% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and are 14% more likely to die from it than the general population, according to Livestrong.
“Their experience with cancer is not the same as ours. And not only do we recognize that now, we recognize they need specific resources that speak to how they work and how they live and their families that are also affected,” said Suzanne Stone, president and CEO of Livestrong.
“Every New York fire and first responder deserves to have really dedicated, deep and robust resources that they can turn to when a cancer diagnosis happens to them or to somebody that works with them,” Stone said.
“These are the men and women who are so brave, and they show up for us every day, and now it’s time for us to show up to them.”
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