This weekend we watched the movie, World Trade Center. This is the story about two Port Authority Police Officers who were trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The two were found and dug out. They survived some 18 to 24 hours buried in the collapse of two 200 story buildings. Their story is an amazing one.
The character I most identified with in the movie was a fairly minor, supporting role in the movie. However, the man was absolutely critical to the story. Without him, the two police officers would be listed among the dead instead of being survivors 18 and 19.
Dave Karnes, upon seeing the collapse of the World Trade Center, walked out of his accounting office, got a haircut, put on his uniform and drove to Ground Zero. He walked into the pile of rubble that other rescue workers were being restricted from and started looking for survivors. In the course of his search, he met up with another Marine, Jason Thomas, and they searched together. They found the two police officers. And then they refused to leave until they saw them pulled from the ground. Lastly, they walked away. No glory, no praise. Mission complete, move on. Staff Sergeant Dave Karnes, having already served 23 years in the Corps, re-enlisted and served two tours in Iraq.
I enjoyed the movie a lot. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to be trapped for so long. The DVD Extras tells the rest of the story. The surgeries and recovery of the two officers. As is often the case, the two got worse before they got better. Both survived.
Great movie. I recommend it. I think it is good to remember that day. We don’t want to believe it but that enemy is still out there. Given an opportunity, that enemy will do September 11 again and worse. “You may not realize it but this country is at war.”
aloha
And the war is not our fault. It was started years ago by the terroristic enemy, not by the U.S. of A. !