TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa firefighter who was sent to ground zero with his dog as part of a search and rescue team says what was uncovered in that rumble was much more than destruction, it was something that can give us hope.
In the days following the attacks of 9/11, Mark Bogush and his search and rescue dog, Marley, were sent from Tampa to ground zero to search through the rubble for any survivors.
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"Our job was to first and foremost clear those zones for any possible live victims and then of course secondary was to recover human remains or the deceased," said Bogush, assistant fire chief for Tampa Fire.
Sent in to uncover the living and the dead, Bogush says he uncovered was something much more.
"With the United States being attacked and all the death and destruction, it's a very somber time for America. But at the very same time, it goes to show what America is made of. The strength of America and the strength of the people that live here" said Bogush.
On Wednesday, in a ceremony honoring the lives of the firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11, Bogush looks back with grief and hope.
"Although it was one of the worst time in recently history, it was one of the best times as well to see the people come together and do what they needed to do to recover and get through this," said Bogush.
A tragic day, Bogush says, that has made our country stronger than ever.
