20

Listen to our bonus episode, our way of not ending at 20 episodes on the 20th Anniversary.
In this episode, Catherine Intoci, a mother of two living in Commack, LI, just 30 miles east of the Towers, tell her 9/11 story. And a beautiful story it is. During a time of great stress, Cat was eight days sober when the attacks happened. For many, sobriety sadly ended with the emotional stress of the attacks and the aftermath. But Cat found the strength to power through and maintains her sobriety to this day. God bless, Cat.

Her advice to future generations: make our presence in the world look more stable than it appears today

In this final episode, nationally renowned expert at finding purpose through grief, Dr. Ken Druck talks about the life changing events of his life that led to his ability to help 9/11 families seek higher ground and write new chapters. Listen to how a phone call from a NY area Mayor took him from Del Mar to working the pit at Ground Zero, shoulder to shoulder with the families and how he has continued to serve them for 20 years.

His advice for all: listen well and build bridges of understanding

Never Forget. God Bless America.

In this incredible episode, Ryan Weaver, veteran, Gold Star family member and country musician who created the song "Never Forgotten" is joined by Rich Miller, a member of the NYPD ESU unit. You can feel the friendship, the emotion and the story of the first flag raised by Rich Miller at Ground Zero, a flag he borrowed from nearby Stuyvesant High School.

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Samuel Davis III, working for the Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons shares the atmosphere and the interactions with the prisoners during 9/11.

His advice to future generations: live a life of devotion, dedication and integrity

A master communicator who has become the #1 syndicated Latino journalist in America, Ruben Navarrette shares his morning in Dallas during the attacks while working for the Dallas Morning News and the challenges of getting the emotional tone right on paper while fueled with anger. Ruben shares some incredible stories about Flight 93 - recently shared with his daughters - and the heroism all around.

His advice for future generations: understand the trade-off between sacrifice and convenience and realize that just because we're not at war with someone doesn't mean they are not at war with us.

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Gary Denham, a 20 year SEAL, with 10+ years with DEVGRU (SEAL Team Six) discusses having just left his team to join a detachment in Virginia Beach, allowing him to train SEALs in armed and unarmed hand-to-hand combat and become a full time father. Then, 9/11 happened and Gary discusses the feelings he experienced knowing the men he's training are going to war, while he is injured and unable to deploy. You can feel the mental anguish in Gary's words.

His advice to future generations: don't fall for the divisive flames being fanned

Listen to Rocco Motta, a firefighter in New Jersey, tell his compelling story of love for his Uncle and Country. As he watched the attacks on TV, he immediately was afraid he would be drafted. Two days later, after hearing his Uncle died in the towers, he went quickly from afraid to an enlistment with the Marines. He initially went to enlist in the Navy, but they said the Marines would love him! A Marine he became, a Marine sniper he became. An even prouder American he became.

His advice to future generations: don't forget where we came from and the sacrifices it took to get here

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Russ Thompson, now with the San Diego Loyal Soccer Club, but during 9/11, he was a Navy Lt. Cmdr. helicopter pilot doing an exchange tour with the Royal Australian Navy and attending Australian Command & Staff College. Since it was nighttime in Australia when the attack happened, Russ and his wife stayed up until the morning hours watching the news in a state of shock and numbed by it all. Told the next day to not wear his uniform or send his children to school, it was all surreal. But Russ shares one of his most enduring memories of 9/11 - the kindness and compassion of his Muslim classmates at the College as they waited for him with hugs when he returned to school.

His advice for future generations: understand that the world changed that day and the comfort of our homeland was shaken; nevertheless, we must not be insular and disengage from the world as we must work together, including with Muslim nations.

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Larry Blumberg, retired Navy Captain and current Executive Director of FleetWeek San Diego, found himself on business near the Pentagon with a daughter in NYC and his wife in San Diego. It took 24 hours to receive a message that his daughter was safe. Larry also shares that to this day he is shaken and disturbed and cannot imagine the hatred that was behind the 9/11 attacks.

His "Never Forget" advice: do not forget the ideology behind the people who would and will attack defenseless civilians

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Shayn Mitchell, CEO of Cypher Studios, production partner for "20" discusses his experience being stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. One minute he's getting ready to leave the military and start a new job. The next minute he's extended indefinitely and doing perimeter security at his base, He also shares that a hard transition unfolded once he returned to the US.

His advice for future generations: "be vigilent and pay attention to what is going on politically and be the change"

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Dennis DuBard, woke up to tranquility on North Island on 9/11. Within short order, he found himself being flown to the USS Peleliu as its Commanding Officer. The USS Peleliu under his command took the first Marines to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

His advice for future generations: "Humility and kindness can take you a long way"

Never Forget. God Bless America.

David Varcardipone, SDPD Police officer and Coast Guard Reservist, found himself in Italy with a young child back in San Diego. His first thought was "this is our Pearl Harbor" as he then navigated the long and difficult journey to return to his son and his duties.

His advice to future generations: think "what about us, not what about me"

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Dr. Jeffry Haber, entrepreneur, author, Professor and financial professional, discusses his emotional connection to the World Trade Center. From experiencing the Towers while under construction as a Boy Scout to the one inch of ash having fallen on eastern Brooklyn when they fell, the Towers were bookends of nearly 30 formative years. Whether it was looking for a Water Pik in the mall beneath the Towers or starting a career at Deloitte, the Towers towered in many ways for Jeff.

For Jeff, as he thinks about the future generation of Americans and young adults today, his Never Forget advice is "We shouldn't forget we are a fragile country. We are an open country"

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Maurice Wilson, a passionate 26 year Navy Corpsman and advocate and leader for all things military, discusses the day which struck close to the heart and his feeling that "I can't believe this is happening to us."

His advice for young Americans: Be Righteous

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Peter Sibley, successful entrepreneur, enjoying the unbelievable optimism of the early Internet years, was in NYC having just completed a significant capital raise for his business. Little did he know the impact on the nation, the world and in many respects, the hyper-optimism of many internet pioneers which was about to come.

Peter's thoughts for the future: "There are lessons to be learned as to how we can adapt to universal challenges to sustain lives and benefit we have accrued....I'm optimistic we're adapting to universal challenges"

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Jack Tilley, the 12th Sergeant Major of the Army, was in his office at the Pentagon when the Towers were struck, left to head to Fort Myer and returned to the Pentagon just as the plane hit, killing 125 Americans. In what he described as "one of the worst days of his life" SMA Tilley stayed at the Pentagon to help in any way he could, lead by example and just listen to those who were scared or just needed to talk.

His thought for young people: "come together" and "look for the good in life"

Never Forget. God Bless America.

With San Diego's very specific connection to the terrorists who attacked America, Drew Schlosberg, an executive with the San Diego Union Tribune, was on the front lines of an "all journalists on deck" call to immediately prepare a special edition of the paper. Listen to Drew's memories of the UT's leader, Herb Klein, make the decision to create a flag to be inserted into every newspaper. You'll also hear a story few know about a last minute security risk to San Diego's "Day of Unity" event.

Drew's thought for the future: "Need our leaders to step up" to end disunity and we must regain the "empathy and compassion DNA" that is America.

Never Forget. God Bless America.

The riveting story of Adm. Dave Steindl, then serving as Capital of the USS John Paul Jones, the ship which would fire the first shot on October 7, 2001. Having spent the summer at sea in the Persian Gulf, the John Paul Jones remained in the theater until it emptied its 90-missile magazine on October 8, 2001 to allow the Special Forces to get in-country.

While videos of 9/11 "breaks his heart to this day." Adm. Steindl remembers the unity of America and care packages at sea arriving from children at schools across the country.

His thought for all: "We're Americans. We can do anything. We can make unity happen."

Never Forget. God Bless America.

Ed Hiner, best selling author and 20 Year Navy SEAL discusses his road from 9/11, working as a BUD/S Training Officer to his insertion into an ultra-elite Task Force Black unit with the British Special Forces to bring the war on terrorism to Iraq and Afghanistan. Known as the Sheriff of Ramadi, Ed reflects on the heavy burden and toll on the SEALs and other special forces units over the last 20 years.

Ed's thoughts on the future: "Patriotism doesn't mean America is perfect but it's a great place....be grateful because it's fragile"

Never Forget. God Bless America.

James Brennan, successful entrepreneur, with roots in Rockaway Beach, NY, a community filled with first responders from FDNY and NYPD, shares his vivid memories, anger, pain and how he filled the hole with a focus on service to his two communities of NY and San Diego.

As he reflected on his concerns for the next chapter for America, he shared this thought: "we've got a lot of wood to chop if we're going to start down a better path."

Never Forget. God Bless America.