Bill Butler was with Josephine Harris and five other members of Ladder 6, inside the North Tower of WTC when it came down. They resolutely stuck with Josephine, refusing to leave her, despite her painfully slow rate of descent. Bill half carried her, cajoling her all the way about seeing her grandchildren again. The building came down, and the miracle of Josephine’s pace put all of them in a fourth floor stairwell that remained intact. Somehow, as the building came down, crushing everything around it, they, and Josephine, survived.
Bill Butler, 2001, Firefighter, Ladder 6, FDNY
While trapped with Harris and his ladder company in Stairwell B, Butler used a cell phone to call emergency numbers but couldn’t get through. As a last effort, he called his home in Orange County, N.Y. His wife, Diane, answered.
“I just said, “Hi, what are you doing?” I was trying to be nonchalant. She said, “Where are you?” I said “We’re at the World Trade Center.” She asked, “Is everything okay?” Then I said, “Well, we have a little problem. We’re trapped in the Trade Center, but we’re okay.” Then she started to cry a little bit, because she knew there was no World Trade Center. At that point I said, “Listen, you can’t cry. I have to give you some information. You have to call the firehouse or call someone and tell them where we’re at.”
Lieutenant Bill Butler, FDNY, Aug. 3, 2011
Ten years later, Bill is a lieutentant with FDNY, serving at Ladder 56, Engine 48, up in the Bronx. His memories of the day are still vivid, even with the passing of time. Shot this, along with a video interview with Bill, just last week. The interview, and the portraits open at the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, on Aug. 24th.
Exhibition made possible with the generous sponsorship of Nikon USA, Johnson & Johnson, JP Morgan, and friends of the collection.
More tk….
So wonderful and great!
Congratulations again Joe!
thanks for sharing joe
c
Wish I could see this at The Time Warner Center …. 🙂
Brilliant work, Joe.
Dammit Joe. You’re going to make me well up with these stories…
While our eceomy crumbles and our leaders squabble, this reminder of our strength and our ability to unify when needed is a breath of fresh air. I hope to get to New York to see this exhibit. Thank you so much for using your talent in this way and reminding us not to forget. God bless all of our 9/11 heroes and their families.
Please, Joe, make some (or all) of the stuff you are going to show available online after the exhibition! I’ve been witnessing 9/11 and the great things you’re doing for and about these men from the distance.
I’ll be in NYC next week (first time)—it’s a shame that I will be leaving just days before you start the exhibition.
All the best. Keep up the good work (and blog)!
David.
Hey Joe, this is incredible. My first trip to NYC was in August 2001. I remember being on the roof of the WTC and saying to a friend, wow, I can’t believe how low the planes fly, I am surprised none of them have crashed into the building…. Little did I know of the events that were going to unfold weeks later. Even though I am from Dublin, I wear my FDNY 343 badge with pride and will never forget…
I find myself at a loss for words. But I can definitively say this. I am 100% going to see these in person, and I will make sure to bring tissues.
Touching story, heart wrenching personal history and a wonderfully warm, human portrait.
Would I be rude to ask for a numnuts-esque lighting sketch or description. Wondering how you created this broad, warm light with the extra pop on Bill’s face.
(Bill: thank you for being there) (you too, joe!)
God bless all from 9/11 – the living and the dead. God bless those who stood up in front of the giant Polaroid 10 years ago and again more recently. And God bless you, Joe, for the sensitivity you have shown and show now in capturing the spirit of these people.
Amazing story Joe – you were given a gift of a lifetime to take the photographs of these folks and to share it with the rest of us. Thank you.
I was there Joe. At ground Zero before they sent me to Chelsie Piers to help victims find the body’s which was laid out on the ice rink. Read it here in a article written o September 15th 2001: http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20010915-NEWS-309159995?cid=sitesearch
hard to imagine…harder to forget
As usual, your 9/11 stories are emotional.
Bill looks great regardless of the ‘graying’.
Thx again for sharing.
Inspirational work. I’m continually amazed by your ability to touch my mind and my soul with your work.
Lt. Bill – The new American Gothic (seated)
As a dutch fire fighter and photographer i really admire the way you let these pictures tell their story’s So beautifull…….
Great job!
Thank you, as always Joe. We won’t ever forget the magnatuide of the events on 9/11/2001. The human stories like Bill Butlers, are what we have to keep in our hearts. Your images are a beautiful reminder, of how our citizens were testecd, and responded with dignity and courage.
If you get some free time Joe check out my firefighter series on flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rohicks/sets/72157622648811719/
What a wonderful story Joe, thank you very, very much. This is a wonderful thing you’re doing. Please tell Lt. Butler how proud we all are of him and his colleagues.
I so much wish I could be there for the opening, but I’m a long way from NYC.
These storie and images are giving me chills…
Is that a doorstop in his helmet? I see he had the tool in both photos.
~ Mark
Amazing story. Thanks for sharing Joe. Love the photo, he’s amazing and it shows in the photograph.
People like this are the REAL reason why America is great.
Wow! So what an inspiring story! We need to always remember these heroes! Truly amazing!
Um…yeah…what do ya say. Speechless…
Heroes…every damn one of them
Such an amazing story. Such brave people. Kudos to you, Joe, for continuing to tell their stories, and tell them so well in your work.
These stories are SO powerful… I’m a photographer… I’m involved with sports more than anything… being “out on the street” we hear stories that make you stop and REALLY think about how lucky the majority of the people on the face of the earth are that we’re health and have relatively trouble free lives… then you run into stories that Joe has or a 7 year old girl with a blood disorder… she’s a fighter… her bone marrow donor is her Little League All Star brother… I met them during the tournament… as soon as the tournament was over they were headed to the SF Bay Area to “fix” his little sister… such powerful stories and I’m just here snapping photos… life is amazing, being a photographer can be amazing…
Every time you post a story about 911 I tear up. This one was no exception. Such a reminder of the power of human love and interaction – of aligning with the pace of our elders – of letting the magnitude of the universe’s wisdom take care of us. What a gift you have been given to be a part of telling these stories. Thank You.
I worked in 7 world trade. This brought back some painful memories, but reminded me of the heroes from that day.
I saw your original exhibit at Rockefeller Plaza a year after 911. Powerful images, moving yet beautiful portraits.
Years ago, I saw the 9-11 images in a book. They were somehow the best portraits I had ever seen. I did not know who you were or what you did. They helped with the pain of that time. Thank you.
Susan Peden
In tears after reading that. Wow.
Congratulations Joe. I know you worked hard to have those images preserved.
Hopefully I’ll get to see it.
How’s that D4 handle there, Joe?
Will be in new York on the 24 and would love to see this! Can anyone advise on what te entrance fee would be? Apologies if this is a stupid question but its my first time in NYC .. Thanks
its free…please stop by…joe
Amazing story Joe, almost made me tear up… 🙁
Hero
Joe,
These images and true accounts are priceless! Every time I read or see something on TV about 9/11 I find myself glued to the spot unable to move away…I just have to take it in.
Thanks for sharing,
All the very best to you,
Glyn
Wow what an amazing story, can not believe it has been 10 years already. Thank you for sharing your work Joe!
Was that picture shot with the D3X? hmm… ^_^
Kyushu, Japan.
Great project.. But I was wondering ..What’s the new D4 / D400 like Joe ?? 🙂
A picture shot in low light, underexposed and NO use of any flash. Seriously Proffessor MacNally, this is just a teaser.
I bet you will show a picture , well exposed and shot at 12800 ISO with the new D4.
After the 24. of course 😉
Hi Joe, I think this is amazing, I heard you describe this project in Philly this past spring and we’ve had this on our calendars to attend. Is this only on the 24th? Or will it be running through the weekend?
A touching story Joe. Thanks for sharing!
I really really really want to go to that exhibition. I wanted to 10 years ago. Being a student sucks.
I’d pay admission to see the video interviews online!