"To Serve and Protect"

A Tribute to the Victims

To Serve and Protect us, they valiantly came,
With Honor and Courage, Walked into the flame,
While Many Sought Safety, Rushing Below,
They Went to Help, Where Others Dared Not Go,
Looking for Anyone Injured or Scared,
Selflessly Showing They Were Prepared,
To Rescue So Many, Now in Great Need,
They Answered our Call, With One Last Good Deed,

Watching the Rubble with Anguish and Fear,
A Miracle Needed To Reach Those So Dear,
Bravely They Answered the Call to Aide Others,
They Gave Their Lives, Our Heroes, Our Brothers,

We Fall to our Knees, Our Hearts Torn Away,
Our Brothers Have Fallen, Help us We Pray,
Give Comfort and Strength to All That They Love,
Let Them Guide and Protect us, From Heaven Above,

Rest Well Dear Friend, We’ll Shed Not a Tear,
Our Love For You, Unshaken by Fear,
As All In This Country Show Red White And Blue,
Our Thoughts, and Prayers are Only of You,

To God We Commit, the Heroes of Our Nation,
In Your Hands They Rest, Empty is Their Station,
Heavenly Father We Ask In Their Place,
Dear God Keep Our Heroes Safe in Your Embrace,

By

Paula Kopec

Husband is a Police Officer
Father is Former Police Officer

~ Uncle is Retired Captain ~
Port Authority Police Department

Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © September 17, 2001 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Thirty - Seven

A Tribute to 37
Port Authority Police Officers September 11, 2001
World Trade Center

I remember them just fine,
gentle folks of modern time.
Put to test the true resolve
that made our country again evolve.

Thirty-Seven a number norm,
battling a firestorm.
Metal I-beams, rock debris,
smoke so thick they couldn't see.

They helped those who ran in fear.
Saving lives as death drew near.
Dodging fire raining down
from the skies of New York town.

Thirty-Seven Angels, why?
Thirty-Seven heroes high.
Names and faces that I see,
always there reminding me.

How did life so precious die
and leave us all so high and dry?
These folks knew the deck was stacked.
These folks didn't turn their backs.

Thirty-Seven that I knew.
Thirty-Seven all in blue.
These PA Cops will always be
close to me in memory.

God Bless the Thirty-Seven

By

William F. Hoover


Copyright © 2002 William F. Hoover. All rights Reserved


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A solemn salute to a

fallen hero

BY RON MARSICO

Against the backdrop of Lower Manhattan's altered skyline and the sounds of yelping K-9 unit dogs from around the nation, Port Authority Police yesterday remembered Sirius, a bomb-sniffing dog killed in the World Trade Center attack.

Some 90 police dogs from as far away as California passed by a wooden urn containing the yellow Labrador retriever's ashes, as their handlers stopped to salute in a ceremony at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. A trumpeter sounded taps, bagpipers played "Amazing Grace" and seven officers fired a 21-gun salute, prompting the loudest barking from the array of different breeds.

Officer David Lim, who spent a year-and-a-half as the dog's handler, remained resolute as an oil painting of Sirius showing the Twin Towers was unveiled and a poem was read in his honor. But his composure cracked when Lim was presented with his dog's stainless steel bowl, engraved with a tribute to Sirius.

"Something small like a food bowl finally broke me," said Lim, who has not yet decided how to inter Sirius. "I can still picture him drinking out of it. He was one of those sloppy drinkers."

Lim added, "He gave his life so I could save others."

Sirius, whose primary duty was checking trucks and unattended bags for bombs at the World Trade Center, died along with 37 members of the Port Authority Police Department when the towers collapsed on the morning of Sept. 11.

After the buildings were struck by hijacked jetliners, Lim left Sirius in the Port Authority's kennel in the basement of the South Tower while he assisted with the rescue efforts. He promised the dog he would soon return to get him. After the towers collapsed, Lim's fellow officers and firefighters had to restrain him from trying to return to the 4-year-old dog.

K-9 officers become particularly attached to their dogs because they reside at their homes and become family members. Lim, 45, who has been a Port Authority police officer for more than 20 years, lives on Long Island with his wife and two children.

In January, when Sirius' remains were found, Lim kept his promise and came back to retrieve his partner as work stopped at Ground Zero in the same tribute accorded to human remains.

Sgt. Vincent Oliva, the K-9 unit commander, said the department wanted to wait to honor Sirius "out of respect" until services for the lost 37 Port Authority officers were completed.

"But we didn't want to forget the dog," said Oliva.

K-9 Officer Matt Poore came from the northern California town of Novato "to show tribute to the dog" and demonstrate that "the West Coast remembers" the losses of Sept. 11.

Members of the New Jersey State Police, numerous local police departments and officers from New York, Virginia and Chicago were among those who attended the service.

Poore said he understands that some may be offended that a dog received more attention than some of the human victims of the tragedy, but added, "When it comes to animals, most people melt."

Susan Brozenec of Illinois was touched by Sirius' story enough to write a poem. She recited, "Now you shine above and watch from distant skies, as the guardian you were and the guardian you still are."

Debbie Miller Stonebraker, an artist and dog lover from Missouri, contributed the oil painting, which she made from photos and videos of Sirius.

"I felt like he was there with me," Stonebraker said.

Lim, who has traveled the nation to talk about his experience, remains with the K-9 unit, gaining a new partner, 2-year-old Sprig, who was with him yesterday. The two posed for pictures in front of Sirius' portrait.

"I thought Sept. 11 is the day I'd never forget," Lim said yesterday. But, he added, "this one is getting close to it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The Day of Disaster"

The Eleventh day of September, the day of disaster
How many of our people have died.
Each and everyone's family was affected
and millions and millions have cried...
Why should our world have to come to an end,
Our world should last forever?
Rebuilding our nation to last our duration,
Let us never give up, "never "never...
Despite our disaster, we must keep our heads high,
and not let any more of our people die...
Tragedy yes, "hopes and dreams " many gone,
Realizing how many loved ones~ were there.
A day of disaster this, we will live with forever,
Dreams of WHO? WHAT? WHERE?
Everyone's mind not knowing which way to go,
it's unbelievable but true ~ this we all know...
Can we change what has happened " no not at all,
Each day is a past of the blast?
Not really knowing what tomorrow will bring,
Time is running out too fast.
Everyone wants to feel safe and secure,
Really , Who knows " WILL THERE EVER BE A CURE....

By Betsy Verardi

Wife of Steve Verardi (Retired - JFK)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Powerful Poem

It was late one Tuesday evening,
Before a mother could sit down,
To tell her only child about
The terror that hit downtown.

She looked into the eyes of her son
God, she loved him so,
She felt her heart begin to break
And the hurt begin to show.

She gathered all her strength and courage,
as her story she began to tell.
"Baby don't cry, but I'm afraid daddy
Might be under a building that fell."

The boy looked back at his mother,
His eyes made not one blink.
And the mother's tears began to fall.
What would her baby think?

You see, his dad is a policeman,
And his hero from the day of his birth.
He loved his dad more than anything else
That could ever inherit this earth.

The mother's head began to drop,
Her forehead resting on palm.
She thought her son would be upset.
Instead, he was very calm.

The boy leaned over towards his mom,
And put his hand upon her head.
In her ear he began to whisper,
And this is what he said:

"Mommy please don't cry,
I knew daddy wasn't coming home.
I talked to him just a while ago,
But it wasn't on the phone.

He told me that he loved me,
And he promised we'd meet again.
He told of his new home,
And the job he was to begin."

"God is building an army,
And there are many angels needed.
That, is where daddy and the others went.
They weren't all defeated."

It was then, the mother lifted her head.
The tears streamed down her face.
And she could feel her husband's presence,
As it filled her heart with grace.

It was then she knew her son was right.
He was in God's great army now.
She also knew her son was safe,
That he'd be kept from harm somehow.

So, evildoers of the world beware.
An army is on the way.
Bolstered by new angels,
Who left the towers that day..

Their commander has never been beaten.
His power has never been matched,
And if evil thinks He was almighty before......
Well, the surface has just been scratched!

GOD BLESS AMERICA !!!!!


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