DETROIT (WXYZ) — When the Twin Towers were struck, and smoke filled the air in New York, many of us watched in horror on a screen.
However, first responders have different stories, they ran towards the danger.
Detroit police and fire department members were employed from 600 miles away to help any way that they could. Monday, many of them gathered at Campus Martius in Detroit to remember 9/11.
Lieutenant Rodney Sizemore with Detroit Police told us, "We all kind of remember what we were doing on that day."
Sergeant Erika Lee with Detroit Police said, "I remember the TV was on, I think Good Morning America, I thought it was an accident."
"I just thought 'Oh my God, what's going on,'" said Detroit Police Deputy Chief Chaplin Yolanda Stinson.
Lieutenant Sizemore added, "Then the phone call came ‘Hey, we need everybody.’ The whole police department was mobilized."
Investigator Glenda Fisher with Detroit Police said, "We were all mobilized, so we got into working 12-hour shifts."
Inundated with phone calls, notifications, and emails our first responders got to work.
In New York City the terrorist attack claimed nearly 3,000 lives including 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers, and 55 military personnel.
It's a number that continues to grow as an additional 341 New York City first responders have now died from post-9/11 illnesses.
"It’s humbling," said Chaplin Stinson. "We have to thank them because of their sacrifices and commitment that they lost their lives so we can still be alive."
It's now been 22 years since the twin towers were hit, Detroit's first responders will continue to remember.
They tell us they'll gather in Detroit every year on 9/11 to continue honoring the heroes both gone and all around us.
"Nobody knew or expected that that was the last time they were going to go out the door," said Chaplin Stinson. "Nobody expected that to be the last time to say goodbye."
Fisher said, "Not only were they firefighters and policemen, that was our brother and our sister, our uncle and our aunt, so we stand in the gap for all of those families."
