Today We Remember FF Angel Juarbe Jr.

Today we remember Angel Juarbe Jr., Ladder Co. 12, FDNY.

A Bronx native, Juarbe had been working at Ladder 12 for eight years and had just finished his shift when the Sept. 11 call came in. Once they reported to the WTC, Juarbe and his colleagues were sent to search and evacuate the Marriott Hotel from the 14th floor up. When they hit the 19th floor, the South Tower fell causing complete catastrophe and a bomb-like aftermath. The team realized they needed to get out fast. They dropped all of their equipment and tools so that they could evacuate the building faster. They made it down to the 4th floor where they ran out of stairs. Part of the stairwell had collapsed. The stranded rescuers quickly realized they would need their tools after all. The only way out was to rappel down the ravaged stairwell using roof rope. Someone would have to go up and retrieve it. Angel and a Lieutenant in his company were quick to volunteer.

As the two brave men began the long trek back up the stories of the hotel, they came into contact with another firefighter who was in trouble. Angel radioed back to the stranded men on the 4th floor that there was a firefighter who needed assistance. At this point, the unimaginable happened. The World Trade Center's north tower collapsed. This was at 10:28 AM. Amazingly, the firefighters stranded in the 4th floor stairwell all survived. Angel Juarbe and the two other rescuers from Ladder 12 did not.

Less notably, Juarbe was the winner of the Fox television reality competition, Murder In Small Town X. They announced him the winner on September 4th, and exactly one week later he was killed.

He and his family hugged and cried when they received the news. He promised to throw a block party, where he was going to announce that he would use part of the money for a scholarship fund for his nephews and nieces. There, Juarbe would also hand the keys to the sport utility vehicle to his father, Angel Sr., and would give his mother, Miriam, the down payment for the family's first home.

We Will Never Forget!