Beckwith died at the age of 91, the fire brigade of the American metropolis announced on Monday. Fire Chief Laura Kavanaugh said the “iconic photo” at the site of the World Trade Center, destroyed by the September 11 attacks, immortalized a moment that was “both inspiring and heartbreaking.”
Former President Bush said he was “proud” to have had Beckwith by his side at the time. The Republican wrote on the short message service X, formerly Twitter, that he had kept in touch with the ‘patriot’ over the years. “His courage represented the bold, resilient spirit of New Yorkers and Americans after September 11.”
STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ON
BOB BECKWITH:DALLAS, TEXAS – Laura and I are saddened by the passing of Bob Beckwith. On September 11, 2001, Bob happily retired after more than 30 years of service with the New York City Fire Department. When the terrorists… pic.twitter.com/MeUqEp8cd8
— George W. Bush Presidential Center (@TheBushCenter) February 5, 2024
Photo taken three days after 9/11
The famous photo was taken three days after September 11 during Bush’s first visit to Ground Zero. The photo shows the then-president with a bullhorn in his right hand, his left arm draped over firefighter Beckwith’s shoulders.
At the time, Bush told emergency responders searching the rubble for possible survivors: “I can hear you, the whole world hears you, and the people who brought down these towers will all be hearing from us soon.”
Reported for service upon retirement
Beckwith, born in 1932, was actually long retired at the time of the terrorist attacks. He retired from the fire service in 1994. After the attacks, however, he reported back to work at the age of 69, like many former firefighters.
Al-Qaeda Islamists killed nearly 3,000 people in attacks involving four hijacked planes in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania state. The attacks shook the US to its core and sent the world power into a decades-long ‘war on terror’. (sda/afp)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
