'I left New York with a new sense of purpose': Schaumburg firefighter recalls aftermath of 9/11
Schaumburg Fire Capt. John Schneidwind has gone from the father of two young children to a grandfather over the past 17 years, and his perspective on his five days volunteering in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City has likewise changed.
Most haunting to him, particularly during a recent visit with his wife to the 9/11 Memorial Museum there, are thoughts of the thousands of people whose lives abruptly ended that day and of whom about 30 percent were never even found.
"They were ordinary people like you or I, but faced a life-or-death race to get out of the building," Schneidwind told members of the Schaumburg Business Association at a breakfast gathering Tuesday. "Knowing you're on the graves of thousands of people is unnerving."
Schneidwind was one of many across the suburbs paying tribute to the victims and heroes of the Sept. 11 attacks on their 17th anniversary. Other remembrances and events took place in Aurora, Des Plaines, Elgin, Gurnee, Naperville, Palatine, Elmhurst and Hoffman Estates.
A large part of Schneidwind's motivation to join firefighters from across the nation who volunteered to go to Ground Zero was the notion that they were taking part in a rescue mission, not just a recovery.
"The towers were cities unto themselves," Schneidwind said. "I wondered where all the people were."
There was a huge celebration and cheers of "USA, USA!" after four firefighters were pulled alive from the rubble. Schneidwind learned afterward that they had become trapped only earlier that day and were not part of the original collapse.
People he and his fellow volunteers would pass on the street would enthusiastically thank them, while clergy members would ask them how they were really feeling. The response was always that everyone was OK, even though they weren't.
"I chose to lock my emotions inside and became numb," Schneidwind said.
Most of the useful information about the state of Ground Zero actually came from loved ones back home who were hearing the details and about the emerging health risks on the news.
"Every day my kids would painfully ask, 'When are you coming home?'" Schneidwind said.
Meanwhile, the nearby school volunteers were using as their headquarters became the place where Schneidwind centered himself, particularly when he spotted his children's favorite book, "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom," propping open a door.
The trip began with Schneidwind being asked to work his supervisor's shifts back in Schaumburg so that his supervisor could go to New York. Schneidwind instead asked if there was room for him to go along.
By the end of the trip, he was drained emotionally and physically, but also deeply proud of his profession.
"I left New York with a new sense of purpose," Schneidwind said.
His recent visit to the museum, and seeing once again the crushed emergency vehicles, brought the memories of those terrible days rushing back.
Members of Tuesday's audience in Schaumburg bestowed Schneidwind with a standing ovation, a few even repeating the chant of "USA, USA!"