Retired FDNY Firefighter Shares Remarkable Story About the Day Before 9/11, His Volunteer Work During the Tragedy's Aftermath, and the Helmet That Brought Him There

NAPLES, Fla., July 21, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As the nation approaches the 20-year anniversary of 9/11, many Americans are reflecting on their experiences in the wake of this national tragedy and documenting them for the generations to come. In their debut book, "It Started with a Helmet: A Retired Firefighter's Return to New York City the Day Before 9/11," authors Gerald Sanford and Chris Griffith share the gripping account of Sanford's selfless contributions while volunteering with the FDNY during the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks and preserve the legacy of Sanford's many friends and former co-workers who heroically sacrificed their lives that day.

"It Started with a Helmet" reflects on Sanford's 29-year career with the FDNY after which he retired and moved to Naples, Fla. But Sanford's retirement was short lived, and he quickly began working for the North Naples Fire Control and Rescue District. In this role, he came across an early 1900s antique leather fire helmet. Wanting to reunite the helmet with the firehouse it originated from, Sanford coordinated a presentation ceremony, scheduled for Sept. 10, 2001, to return the historic keepsake to its rightful owners – Ladder 42 in the Bronx. Many people who attended the helmet presentation tragically died the next day.

As Sanford and his traveling companions headed back to Florida from New York on Sept. 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks were already underway. Sanford's group landed for a plane change in Pittsburgh and saw the horrific events unfolding live on the airport televisions. After making it home, Sanford quickly decided he needed to be back in New York and volunteered to serve the FDNY in one of his former roles as press secretary. With the city in ruins and the fire department in disarray after losing 343 brave men that day, Sanford got to work on the grim tasks of planning and attending funerals for his friends and brothers while also trying to organize the chaos.

"It Started with a Helmet" is a powerful memoir that twines Sanford's rare ground-level perspective with important historical information that serves to educate the public and keep those who tragically lost their lives in the minds of generations to come. Sanford's book also shares his experience battling lung cancer – an aftereffect many surviving 9/11 first responders have battled– as well as his continuing work to honor those who died by helping to establish the Freedom Memorial in Naples, Fla. Sanford was recently on the popular firefighter podcast, "Gettin' Salty Experience" which can be viewed here.

"Never Forget…this is a must read for first responders, family, children, educators any and all who remember this horrific tragedy," a reader wrote in a five-star review of the book on Amazon. "An incredible story that will bring uncharted emotion."

"It Started with a Helmet: A Retired Firefighter's Return to New York City the Day Before 9/11"
By Gerald Sanford & Chris Griffith
ISBN: 978-1-6632-2036-3 (hc); ISBN: 978-1-6632-2034-9 (sc); ISBN: 978-1-6632-2035-6 (e)
Available through iUniverse, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

About the authors
Gerald "Jerry" Sanford is a retired FDNY firefighter. After serving 29 years with the FDNY, he then served 17 years with the North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District as their public information officer and retired for a second time. Sanford then decided to share his remarkable story about September 11th and how the two fire departments were connected by an antique leather helmet. Chris Griffith is a real estate agent turned writer from Bonita Springs, Fla. Griffith and Sanford met while volunteering for veterans' organizations in the Southwest Florida area. Having written real estate columns for a variety of newspaper and magazine publications, Griffith graduated to books so that she could document and share Sanford's remarkable story about September 11th and the helmet. They reside together in Naples, Fla. To learn more, please visit http://www.itstartedwithahelmet.com or connect with the authors on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok

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Media Contact

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SOURCE Gerald ‘Jerry’ Sanford