When the Twin Towers came down, I watched it live on tv while living in Canada. My eyes fixed at the screen, unbelievable, my heart dropped. Years later, I picked up an American flag with the photo of Michael Ragusa. I carry that flag and photo in my car so he can travel along with me on my adventures. Here is the story...
 
Michael Ragusa, Engine 279, Ladder 131, Brooklyn, NYC, lost his on that fateful day in NYC. The wave of impact reached across the world including my little ol' town of New Bern, where hundreds of community organizations lift spirits with fundraisers and awareness campaigns. One of my friends maintained a booth during a festival to bring awareness for those who made the supreme sacrifice on September 11, 2001. She held a bouquet of American flags each attached with a photo of a firefighter. She offered the flag attached to Michael Ragusa. It was now my duty to keep his memory alive. The flag and his photo travels in my car with me. Even when my car was without a second passenger, I never felt alone. Michael's spirit is with me, and my gratitude is immense for it. Somedays, we held conversations where he would ask, "Where are we going?"" and in reply, "Here we go, Michael, on another grand adventure." His profile was published in the NY Times on December 25, 2001.