Erin Bertocci

People everywhere were horrified by the spectacle of the burning twin towers and their subsequent collapse. They felt the urgent need to do something to help. Erin Bertocci's chance to help came when she heard that the firefighters needed some coffee. She and her roommate collected cans of coffee, hot pizzas, and jugs of water, and brought them down to the staging area near the World Trade Center. Once there, she found work organizing all the supplies that had been donated for the rescue workers. Bertocci describes the reactions the workers had when she occasionally ran out of some necessary supply; instead of becoming angry or upset, she was amazed that they still thanked her for her help. Their work and dedication was inspiring.

A fter hearing the reports on television that no one could get down to the...