"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."
It's almost the 25th anniversary of the day that roiled our national history. September 11, 2001, is eternally memorable for millions of reasons. During this week leading up to the 25th memorial year, it's worth marking a few moments of what's come to be known simply as "9/11."
Being a dog lover, I'm starting with the search and rescue dogs that tirelessly traversed the ruins of the Twin Towers in the days following the terrorist attacks. These dedicated animals are trained to find living human beings to be saved. The dogs actually become depressed if they do not succeed in their mission.
It soon became apparent to first responders and all those working on the wreckage that no one was left alive. It is established that some of the dog handlers occasionally hid themselves under debris so the search dogs could be rewarded by discovering them and thus gain a sense of satisfaction in achieving their purpose.
As is their canine way, the dog heroes of 9/11 became a brief but enduring part of a much larger human story.
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| "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." ~ Will Rogers |
