Retired FDNY firefighter shares 9/11 story with Minneapolis students

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Retired New York firefighter Ron Parker’s memories of September 11, 2001 remain vivid as ever.

“Their head, they had this much ash on top of their head, so was their eyes and their mouth, they didn’t say anything,” he said.

Friday morning, Parker spoke to students at Venture Academy in Minneapolis about that fateful day when so many lives were lost.

“It’s important for me to share my story,” said Parker. “It comes from the heart. I don’t write this stuff down.”

Parker was off that day. By the time he got there, as fast as he could, the towers had just fallen.

“I lost 45 of my really good friends and every day I wake up and I thank God and I live vicariously through one of them, like I’ll say ‘Phil Petti, what would you have done today?’ ‘Mike Quilty what would you have done today?’ he said.

Parker will be on the field for Monday night's Minnesota Vikings Game as part of the Honor Guard ceremonies.