20 for 20

Robert John Burke, who goes by Bobby, has been in programs like Tombstone, RoboCop 3, Law and Order: SVU, Gossip Girl, and Rescue Me. Even more important to him are his friendships with FDNY heroes who laid down their lives on 9/11, especially his best friend Captain Paddy Brown. Bobby decided to “pickup his flag”, help cleanup Ground Zero, and become a volunteer firefighter. 

Niels Jorgensen, host of “20 for 20”, was reticent to share his own story as part of this series on heroes. However, the team thought it’s important context for why he’s doing this – it’s also one heck of a story. Oscar winner Bill Courtney (“Undefeated”) turns the table on Niels and leads this conversation.

The terrorists crashed United Airlines Flight 175 into floors 77 to 85, right where Brian Clark worked. Miraculously, he’s alive to tell his story and also that of a stranger named Stanley Praimnath whose life he saved. The one-time strangers are now great friends and “blood brothers.”

FDNY firefighter Ray Pfeifer was off duty on 9/11 and felt tremendous survivor's guilt about the entirety of his on-duty crew dying. Ultimately, he wouldn't be spared from the wreckage either, getting cancer from the toxins at Ground Zero. But cancer couldn't stop this wheelchair-bound warrior from racing down the halls of Congress to gracefully urge politicians to take care of 9/11 victims like himself. Ray died at 59 years old in 2017 and Caryn, the love of his life, honors her husband with us. 

Shirley Brooks-Jones was on one of the 38 planes in the sky during the terrorist attacks and forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland. This small Canadian community of around 14,000 residents welcomed the surprise guests of almost 7,000 passengers and showed them radical love that made Shirley not want to leave. You won’t believe how she returned the favor and how this unintended detour has turned into a never-ending story.

Mariah was 16 years old on the morning of 9/11 and had a strange feeling one of her birth parents died in the attack. At 19 she could legally discover who they were, and what she learned was unbelievable. One of her parents would be recognized as one of the greatest heroes of 9/11, saving hundreds if not thousands of lives on that fateful day. Plus, a famous band’s surprising connection to this story.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul “Ted” Anderson was inside of the Pentagon when it was struck by a plane during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Ted not only helped people escape, but then returned into the burning building to save even more lives, over and over again. If not for his heroic actions that day, dozens more may not have survived the already devastating attack.

John Feal was a demolition supervisor at Ground Zero. During the cleanup 8,000 pounds of steel dropped on Feal’s foot, leading to partial amputation. After he was denied compensation for his injury by employers, insurance companies, and elected officials, Feal became the leading advocate for 9/11’s victims. He took his historic fight to Washington and with the help of comedian Jon Stewart, they passed a series of laws to ensure that those who’ve sacrificed so much would be taken care of.

Many had made fun of Al Braca for his faith, but in their final moments he brought light to the darkness that surrounded them. The story of a bond broker at Cantor Fitzgerald, the company which lost the most people on 9/11.

And only Mak is alive to honor their stories. With his best friends Frank De Martini and Pablo Ortiz, he worked for the World Trade Center’s construction division on the 88th floor.