Sean Tallon of Ladder 10 was a USMC reservist and a 26-year-old probationary firefighter, just a few weeks away from the end of his training. He was ready for the next challenge of his life, which was to fall in love and marry. With red hair that gave away his Irish ancestry, Tallon was also a devout Catholic with a “sacred belief” in God, Country and the Corps. Four months after 9/11, Tallon’s Marine reserve unit was called to duty for the war in Afghanistan.
Lt. Stephen Harrell, 44, liked to sing. One dream he nurtured was to have one of the songs he wrote professionally recorded. He was a natural musician who could play half-a-dozen instruments.
Along with this brother Harvey, Lt. Harrell was one of the two sets of FDNY brothers who died at the Trade Center. His painting lists him in Battalion 7. He was covering in Ladder 10 on 9/11 and was one of the very first to respond. Accounts place Harrell in the center staircase of Tower One, somewhere between the 30th and 40th floors. He left behind a 7-year-old daughter.
Paul Pansini had spent his entire 11-year FDNY career at Engine Co. 10. Although only 34, this longevity made him one of the senior men at the house. That morning he had volunteered to fill in with Engine Co 26 in Midtown and he responded to the WTC with them. Pansini came to the FDNY after a few years with the NYPD. His younger brother was following the same path and they had both looked forward to working together as firefighters. A huge Springsteen fan, Pansini was also a black belt in judo who won medals at the World Firefighter Games more than once.
Posthumously promoted to Lieutenant after 9/11, Pansini left behind a young son and even younger twin daughters.
| Jeffrey Olsen, 31, took the FDNY entrance test when he was 18 and then had to wait nearly ten years for an opening. It was the job he wanted most, so he waited. Just a couple months before 9/11, Olsen had been decorated for helping rescue five children from an apartment fire. He was also one of several firefighters among the 343 who had donated bone marrow to save the life of a young boy he didn’t know. A member of Engine Co, 10, Olsen was detailed to Ladder Co. 10 on 9/11. He was last heard from on the 45th floor of the North Tower.
Olsen was devoted to his three children, the youngest just 19-months-old. |
Lt. Gregg Atlas, 44, had three brothers who were firefighters. He had joined the FDNY 20 years earlier and was assigned to Engine Co. 10 after making Lieutenant in 1994. He wasn’t ready to retire because “he’d miss all the guys.”
Back home, Atlas had a quarter acre garden and grew enough food on the plot to feed his whole family at harvest time.
Gregory Warnock worked on the 39th floor of the north tower and met Atlas around the 18th floor as he was evacuating. “There was an older fireman (who)… gave me a smile. He was huffing and puffing, laughing to himself, making a joke about his age.” Warnock offered to help him carry his gear, and joined him for about 25 flights up. Atlas jokingly asked if Warnock was a firefighter. When told he was a broker trainee, Atlas advised, “you stay doing that, it’s better money.” People evacuating were saying others were trapped on the 72nd floor. Atlas told Warnock to “Go down, you did a great job.” He asked the firefighter’s name. “Gregg Atlas,” he said, memorably flexing to show the Atlas pose.
William Johnston, 31, was an ironworker for the Transit Authority like his father, maintaining the elevated tracks in the system until an opening in the FDNY became available in 1999. Normally based with Engine 276 in Brooklyn, Billy was on rotation to Ladder 6. He was very athletic and had such a dynamite kick as a soccer player that he was enlisted to kick the football for the FDNY team.
This bachelor had been looking forward to being an uncle for the first time and was planning to attend the baby shower on September 30th. His family had been hoping he would be found before then, but the 30th came with no news. In fact, his remains were found that afternoon, although the family didn’t learn until the next day. Upon hearing, his mother exclaimed: “See, he’s never let me down.”
His grandfather had been an FDNY Battalion Chief who died the year he was born. Thomas Holohan, 36, grew up hearing stories about when horses pulled the fire trucks and a plane crashed into the Empire State Building. He was shown the pictures his grandpa took to prove it. Holohan became an FDNY firefighter in 1995, quitting his job as an auditor when a slot became available. “He was so happy,” his wife said. “Being a firefighter was his boyhood dream.” More recently, he’d been studying hard for his lieutenant’s exam.
Holohan left behind three small children: 7, 5 and 1. Rumor has it that he also home-brewed a very tasty beer.
Firefighter Paul Beyer, 37, had just begun building his family’s “dream house” that July. The windows were done, the garage was built, and he was still bricking in the chimney on 9/11. Beyer had joined the FDNY in 1993 after working as a machinist for a dozen years. He was skilled with his hands.
On 9/11, Engine 6 reported to Tower One. His fellow firefighter, William Green, told this story: “Paul was gearing up like all of us when we got there. We were heading in to put out that fire, but getting up those stairs was very fatiguing. We regrouped at the 17th floor, and took a short break.” There was a vending machine there but no one had change. They needed water, so Green took his axe to the vending machine and suddenly water was available everyone. “Paul and I actually laughed when I axed the vending machine,” Green said. The men then continued on up to the 31st floor and stopped again to catch their breath. “A lieutenant from Engine 10 told us we had to make a push,” Green said. The two men headed up again, but became separated by two floors. Beyer didn’t have a radio and never heard the evacuation order.
He left behind two teenaged sons and a house that was finished by his firefighter community.
Lt. Thomas O’Hagan, 43, came from a family filled with police officers but he always wanted to be a firefighter, even after he attacked his first fire at age seven and burned his pants and himself as he attempted to stamp it out. This 20-year veteran of the fire department had been planning to retire next year. He had new 18-month-old twins and he loved being a father.
O’Hagan had been assigned to Ladder 6 only a couple weeks before 9/11. He was a terrific firehouse chef.
(Lt. Thomas O’Hagan was originally listed as a member of Battalion 4. When I have access to the paintings again – which are in storage – I will change it to Engine 6.)