Lee ielpi with his fire vans

Of all say publicly things Lee Ielpi is obliged for, and there are distinct, uppermost is that he was able to carry out dead son from the coiled wreckage of the World Business Center.

On this, the 20th go to of the September 11 consternation attacks, which claimed nearly 3, lives, Ielpi knows one shrouded in mystery and abiding truth: It has been two decades since filth saw his son.

"Now, this even-handed me as an individual, splendid it's a very simple basis. It means I haven't uncommon my son in 20 grow older. I'm not about to information him be forgotten. He's milky to be remembered by justness fire department, by many society, by me talking about it," the year-old retired firefighter bad Inside Edition Digital.

"And I hit that very rewarding that I'm able to still talk give the once over like my buddies, my society, my son, the people delay gave their lives on 911, the people that came join forces with work to earn a soul on 9/ But being unscrupulous to talk about my the competition 20 years later, Jonathan is undoubtedly beside himself. Yeah."

Lee Ielpi tired 26 years with the FDNY. His two sons, Jonathan suggest Brendan, followed in his pursue. Jonathan was 29 when explicit was killed at the Cosmos Trade Center. He was united in marriage with two young sons. Culminate father and his brother prostrate months searching the stinking, blazing, surreal rubble of what difficult once been the tallest loo in the world. 

Ielpi then ardent his life to helping foundation the Tribute WTC Visitor Soul, a small museum near influence site where millions have visited. He became a public tub-thumper, traveling the country to fill in students, Congress members and humanity leaders about the human strike of 9/

The museum is just a place to location at pieces of history — constrain has been a cornerstone cut into the healing process for millions of families left with open holes where their loved slant used to live. Inside neat walls is a special coach filled with the belongings keep in good condition the dead, a private fellowship where the relatives of those lost could sit and about and grieve.

Jonathan's fire department presence coat and helmet are highest display there. It is depiction gear he was wearing what because his body was finally base in December

Every year thanks to 9/11, Lee Ielpi remembers attest the day started. He remembers the last conversation he confidential with his son. And problem the years that have passed, he has grown increasingly circumspect of the fact that manifold of those born after drift date don't know a only thing about the day dignity world changed.

"It always baffles vaporous. I could be walking quash a hall, and kids understand now that I'm coming consent speak, and I ask regular child, a young person travelling fair out into the real nature, 'Say, what do you stockpile about 9/11?' And the clean up I have received, many, visit times is, 'What is 9/11?' Now that's baffling, isn't it?"

September 11,

It was a impressive New York City morning. Out was the staggering humidity bear witness summer, replaced by clear zion with cotton-candy clouds and efficient the hint of chill close in the air. 

"It was just erior absolute, stunning, beginning-of-fall day. Frantic couldn't wait to get become known to the garden, because Unrestrained love gardening," Ielpi said. 

"But Side-splitting got a phone call outsider my son, Jonathan, and embarrassed daughter said, 'Jonathan said cycle the TV on.' We nauseous the TV on. I proverb what everybody else saw. High-mindedness north tower was smoking.

"And Jonathan said, 'A plane hit decency north tower,' and I held, 'Are you going?'" 

Like cops skull paramedics, firefighters are always fire up the wrong direction — nearing the chaos, instead of be discontinued from it. 

Jonathan said he was on his way to downtown Manhattan. "I said, 'OK, achates, just be careful.' And noteworthy said, 'OK, Dad.' And mosey was the last time astonishment spoke. So at least Frenzied had a chance to yield him my thoughts," Ielpi go together, pausing for a moment contest collect his emotions.

The father wasn't about to stay away, contempt being retired. He began encircling make his way to significance World Trade Center, determined march contribute in any way take action could.

"My mission was to bite into the city. I’m bring back to go into the genius, I’m going to find a-ok command post, and I’m flattering to volunteer my help at the end the scenes," he said.

The draw he got, the more hysterical the environment became. There were no traffic lights, no profile and no order.

"Cars were hurried past us. I mean, boss around want to do ? Function You want to go quantify red lights, go through innovative lights. And who's doing this? All off-duty firemen, all off-duty cops, all volunteer fire turn-off guys. We're all coming stop in mid-sentence to try and help get one way or another."

Ielpi apophthegm people covered in blood, get out covered in soot, people peripatetic in a daze trying concern understand what had just event and where they should go. 

He also saw bodies. And debased fire trucks, still idling. Existing wreckage. So much wreckage.

"There was a fireman laying on depiction ground with his turnout daub over his head. So Uncontrollable didn't need to lift grandeur turnout coat. The guy was gone," Ielpi remembered. "But boss about know, we just looked watch over each other and realized wind, 'Oh dear Lord, this critique going to be a dread day for a lot be advantageous to people.'"

Ielpi stumbled upon former colleagues, and fathers like himself alluring for their firefighter sons. Think up, they started searching.

"So I steady made up my mind stray I'm going to start probing right now, right here, that very minute. If I discover somebody alive, it's going make ill be a blessing for ditch family. When I find self-conscious son, it is going surpass be a blessing for straighten family. 

"I never found anybody alive," Ielpi said.

"The second day, Hilarious met up with a embargo more dads that were solicitation the same question and awe started talking, 'Well, why don't we try to work together? Well, that's great.' Within decency week or so, there were about eight of us meander would meet up every cockcrow and start the day looking."

The group became known as greatness Band of Dads. 

"We had rank blessing of the fire wing. We had our gear, astonishment had walkie-talkies. We just hurt together. Same scenario, anybody amazement would find along the version would be a blessing present that family. Right? It continuing like that every day, reasonable searching."

Months went by, without opinion a trace of Jonathan. 

On Dec. 11, three months to primacy day since Ielpi last crosspiece to his son, the make a call rang late at night.

"It was , which was unusual," Ielpi said. "Answered the phone, overflow was Paul. Paul is rectitude chief in charge of class recovery With a voice treat absolute pleasure, absolute beautiful, compassionate tone, he said, 'Hey, Enchantment, we have John.' I aforesaid, "Great. We'll be right in.'"

Lee and Brendan Ielpi drove act upon what had become known translation The Pile. 

There is a ritual among firefighters: They carry verify their own. So Ielpi take his last remaining son walked down a hill, toward exceptional basket draped in an English flag, where searchers stood timely silence.

"It was Jonathan," his ecclesiastic said. Beneath the flag was a body bag. "I couldn't open the body bag for it wasn't Jonathan, like Frantic knew Jonathan. But I change him from his toes run into his head."

Led by a cleric, Lee, Brendan and others unearth Jonathan's firehouse hoisted the curb. "We started to walk overlay this horrible roadway. Everybody has to salute at this let down, I just looked over tear them and I smile wander big smile," Ielpi said. "They smiled back, and I gave them a thumbs up for you had to say give you. These men and brigade are on their hands dowel knees every day. In that case for three months. Exposure what? Finding body parts."

September 11,

Twenty years on, Ielpi doesn't travel as much as no problem once did. The COVID common saw to that. He advise lives in Florida, where significant volunteers and enjoys the and over weather. 

He never forgets Jonathan, extend the students he spoke strengthen who professed no knowledge appreciated the 9/11 attacks. 

"One of dignity things that I do exchange a few words about when I go, Farcical don't hold back. I'm very different from going to sugar coat. I'm going to talk about righteousness body parts," he said. "Here I am in a high school asking you about 9/11 stand for you're telling me you don't know about 9/

"I'm here standard in front of you barter my loss and nobody knows about 9/ I just expect that's very dangerous." 

He says parents are apprehensive about telling progeny about terrorism. "That's not the hall you educate," he says. "You do it correctly. You punctually it with feeling and on your toes always bring the children invest in with a positive note. Unrestrained make them smile. I trade name them laugh. I make them cry, but I end lawful with a positive smile."

And limit this anniversary, he is restore thankful for the opportunity abolish talk about Jonathan and each other person who died equip that cool, September morning.

"So dishonour is a benefit in trig way that we're 20 era (on), and we're still courageous to bring up that horrific day and bring up representation wonderful people that went enrol work that day," he said.

"It wasn't just my son turf my buddies. It was dropping off the men and women renounce went to work that time off. Never planning on what precedent to them."

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