BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — The Bonita Springs Historical Society has opened a new 9/11 exhibit that honors Jerry Sanford, a firefighter who responded to Ground Zero and made Southwest Florida his home.
Fox 4's Eric Lovelace shows us the exhibit and the new artifacts:
Chris Griffith, who opened the exhibit, had a personal connection to Sanford.
24 years ago, America stopped and stood still as the nation watched the New York City skyline. In that moment, the city and nation were put on pause as flights were grounded and communication systems fractured.
"That was the day everyone was a New Yorker," Griffith said.
The attacks led Jerry Sanford, a firefighter who was in Pittsburgh on a layover returning to Naples, back to New York to help with the response efforts.
"He [Jerry Sanford] called the fire commissioner in Philadelphia, and said I'm in Philadelphia what do I do? He said come back we need all the help we can get," Griffith said.
Sanford worked on the ground as a press secretary, keeping detailed notes of everything he witnessed during the days after.
"To hear him tell these stories in detail, about the busiest most active place being so quiet you couldn't believe it," Griffith said.
Those memories became part of our nation's history, including documentation behind an iconic photo showing firefighters' last moments together.
"Three of the men went into the building, and only one came out," Griffith said.
Griffith opened the 9/11 exhibit at the Bonita Springs Historical Society based on the discovery of Sanford's notebook and photos from his time at Ground Zero. But her connection to Jerry went deeper than historical preservation, they had fallen in love.
"Kind, he was just kind," Griffith said of Sanford.
Their partnership was unlikely, as Griffith had previously said she would never date anyone from New York, especially not a cop or first responder. But life has a funny way of working out.
"I met him a week later and he had all of them," she said.
Griffith created this exhibit for Jerry after he passed away in March. She sees it as a way to fulfill the nation's vow made all those years ago, to never forget that day.
"To remember what we acted like on September 12th, because that was when America came together," Griffith said.
The exhibit will be open from 2:30pm to 5:30pm on Saturday and Sunday.
