Heart911 News

Volunteers, police and firefighters work at The Pit in 2001.

ARTICLE BY SIMONE WEICHSELBAUM -?? DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

In a heart-rending flash, Fire Department Capt. John Viola lost 14 of his men the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

He spent the next nine months sifting through the smoldering rubble, seeking out the remains of his comrades in Ladder 15.

Viola maintained his sanity, reading cards that poured in from children across the country, as he toiled night after night inside the grim pit of Ground Zero. (more…)

A beautiful gathering of caring people to celebrate H.E.A.R.T. 9/11’s very successful first year. The NY Marriott Downtown Hotel transformed their ballroom into a museum motif complementing the moving WTC memorial photos of Jonathan Hyman. Mathew Freidman deepened the New York theme, performing selections on a baby grand piano from the hit Broadway show, Movin Out, based on the music of Billy Joel.

Please, enjoy with us, the photographs of the many faces of our?? H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 volunteers and their supporters enjoying the delicious food, beverages, and the camaraderie of the evening.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE PHOTOS

Approximately ever 6 months, H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 will publish a newsletter to help keep everyone up to date.

Click here to download the H.E.A.R.T 9/11 Newsletter Vol. 1, issue 1

There are several exciting things I would like to share with everyone.

1. We are in the process of changing our web site drastically. It will have a new look and will contain several new and innovative features. Some of these will affect everyone in H.E.A.R.T. 9/11.

a. The new web site will incorporate an Emergency Contact System for all members so that information can be shared immediately, thus allowing us an instantaneous method of notification.

b. There will be a new Volunteer Data Collection feature whereby each member can access his or her own information and keep it updated and current. Only the H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 staff will have access to this information. When placed in service, instructions will be published as to how this system will operate.

c. The site will be kept current with pertinent updates for our members and sponsors.

2. H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 has partnered with Homes for Our Troops. This is an organization dedicated to building or remodeling houses for the most severely wounded members of our armed forces.

In late Spring 2008, H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 will undertake the construction of a home for a New Jersey hero, Staff Sgt.Andrew Robinson, U.S. Marine Corps. We will use the experience of our widely diverse team and tackle this task to further our goal of helping heal ourselves by helping others. Similar to the 2007 H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 deployment to St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 will be pro-active though a humanitarian mission.

3. I’m sure everyone remembers what an important part our friends at the New York Marriott Downtown became in our lives after September 11, 2001.

The hospitality they extended to every one of the search and rescue teams was above and beyond. Thus, we at H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 feel it only fitting to use this “home away from home” as the venue for our first important event. On June 19, 2008, H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 will host a reception at the New York Marriott Downtown. It will be held in the evening and there will be 200 invited guests learning about H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 and what we have done and plan to do.