On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists coordinated an array of terror attacks upon the United States. There were no survivors from any of the flights, and an estimated 3,000 victims and the 19 hijackers died. The New York State Health Department has reported out of the estimated 2, 752 lives lost, over 800 responders have died since June 2009 including 343 of which were firefighters and 60 police officers from New York City and Port Authority. The devastating number of casualties that were inflicted on civilians, nationals from other countries and countless innocent bystanders continue to be mourned and inflicted with life long lung disease and health problems from the exposure to dust from the collapse of the World Trade Center.
We are a team of firefighters that will be cycling across the United States to honor those whose lives were lost 10 years ago on September 11 and those who continue to fight for our freedom and safety. The Ride for 9-11 will commence July 24, 2011 in Downtown Los Angeles and end in New York City at the FDNY Firefighters Memorial on September 9, 2011. The Ride for 9-11 will be raising money for two very special charities, The Leary Firefighters Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project.
The Leary Firefighter Foundation is dedicated to providing equipment and training to firefighters across the United States, ensuring firefighters come home in the same condition they go to work. The LFF was founded by actor/comedian Denis Leary in 2000, after his cousin, childhood friend, and 4 other firefighters died in a tragic fire in December of 1999. Since then the LFF has been involved in various fundraising activities and have been expanding their fundraising efforts across the United States. With the help of the LFF, we will be working to develop a program to provide half piece canister based respirators for firefighters to wear during the overhaul phase of firefighting. In so doing reducing the risk of respiratory illnesses and cancers in firefighters.
The Wounded Warrior Project was founded in 2004 by a group of veterans and friends to help injured servicemen and women returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Their mission is to provide various forms of support to the wounded aiding in their road to recovery. Their programs focus on four main areas: Mind, Body, Economic Empowerment, and Engagement.
You can donate directly to our organization through many different means, whether it is monetary support, sponsoring a fundraising event, donation of equipment or even accompanying us throughout our ride. All donations are 100% tax deductible.
Thank you in advance for your time and support. “The most authentic thing about humans is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” Ben Okri