From New York to Iraq.....

From New York to Iraq

via the World Trade Towers

For every soldier there is a story - a story of a life, a family, dreams and desires. Each is interesting and unique. Each story includes an episode about joining the military - some will tell you the story, but most make up some innocuous thing, for it is a deeply personal decision that cannot always be put into words, but are filled with emotions and sentiments.

For PFC Timothy Bramhall, it is the story of September Eleventh and the World Trade Towers. that morning he made his way downtown to officially end his military career. An Army Reservist, the Bronx native felt it was time for him to exit the military and start anew. Little did he know what the day had in store for him.

"On 9-11, I went downtown to out-processed, but found myself at the World Trade Center doing search and rescue," said Bramhall. "I walked out of the Madison Square Garden Train Station, and these Secret Service Agents grabbed me and asked if I would help pull security since I was in uniform. I didn't think, I just did what I was asked to do."

When he arrived at the Towers, he was asked to help with one of the biggest missions of his life - to go into the towers and help people exit them. "At the time I went into the Towers, people were jumping out of them. I saw one person jump and hit a fire fighter and kill him. I wanted to turn and run. Then it hit me. These people are scared and what would they think if they saw a guy in uniform run from a situation like this? So I went right back to the mission."

After the second tower fell, Bramhall linked up with another Soldier and two Marines, and went to work searching for people in the wreckage. On the seventh day, a miracle happened. "On day seven of the search and rescue, we found a handicap person who was not in the Towers, but in a building that was near the Towers that was damaged because of the falling debris. It was amazing that she was still alive."

Bramhall stayed at the site until January 2002, helping with the clean up.

Now, Bramhall is a member of the 5-73 Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He says he is right where he needs to be - serving his country in Iraq. "I'm here in support of those people in the Towers who didn't make it out of there. I'm doing this for them. I'm also doing this for another person who worked with me at the Towers. One of the guys who helped us lost his Uncle, Brother and Father to the crash of the Towers. He went through some really hard times afterwards, so I'm also doing this for him, too. I do this for those guys who want to be out here, but can't be. I'm glad I'm here, doing my part."