LGBT Community Remembers 9/11

As we commemorate the eleventh anniversary of 9/11 everyone has a story to tell. Where they were when it happened as our entire country went into shock. For the weeks to follow we were united in our grief. There were many LGBT people who were involved or died on that infamous day. Tom Ryan was a retired New York City firefighter who upon hearing of the attacks on World Trade Center called his firehouse & rushed to the scene. At the time Tom was the only openly gay firefighter in the FDNY. Father Mychal Judge was the gay Catholic priest who was killed by debris from the collapsing World Trade Center as he was caring for victims. Father Judge, 68, was a chaplain at the New York Fire Department & was known in the New York LGBT community for his work with AIDS outreach. His funeral Mass held at St. Francis of Assisi Church where he resided brought over 2,000 people. Tom Ryan was a pallbearer at Father Mychal Judge’s funeral. In the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan next door to the now closed St. Vincent’s hospital the LGBT Community Center offered immediate assistance to survivors & later counseling services for those grieving. More than 30 LGBT organizations held a memorial for victims of the World Trade Center attacks at the Center.

In 2002 I produced & directed this music video tribute dedicated to those who perished on September 11th 2001. Michael Feinstein performs Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere" from "West Side Story" with Keith Lockhart & the Boston Pops.
Eleven Years Later... Let's Take a Moment to Reflect....