September 11, 2002

This letter and these images were sent by a French Firefighter, translated for us by Michel Potheau- THANK YOU both


 "Je Renais De Ma Cendre" I will rise from my ashes

The Rescue Squad of Sermaize les Bains in the county of Marine in France 
sends you all their sympathy following the drama of 9/11/01

All our thoughts are with our disappeared (lost) brothers and their families. 
We shall never forget the day of this attack on the United States which shall remain 
engraved forever in our memories of fearless firefighters.

No words are able to efface this tragedy. 

Firefighter 2nd Class
Daniel Rodrigues

-----------------
Le Centre de Secoure de Sermaize Les Bains
Du Département de la Marne du pays de la France
Tenait a vous envoyer toutes leurs sympathie suites au drame survenue le 11 
Septembre 2001.
Toute nos pensée vont vers nos frere disparut,ainssi qu'a leur familles.
Nous oublierons jamais ce jour qui a frapper les états-unis d'amérique et qui 
 restera graver  a jamais dans nos mémoire de sapeur pompier.
Aucun mots ne pourras effacer cette tragédie.
                                                                               
           sincère salutation
Sapeur 2 eme classe Rodrigues Daniel
-----------------------------------
I spoke with Daniel online through AOL Instant Messenger. 
He asked me to take his message to Ladder 20, and of course I will.  
He told me some more about where he is coming from. 
Here is what he said and my best translation- corrections welcome.

Daniel: tout a fait je renais de ma cendre car notre village a etait détruit pendant
la 2 guerre mondial comme les World Trade Center

    Everything I rebuilt from ashes because our town was destroyed in the Second World War like the World Trade Center

I said my father had fought in France in WWII He said:

Daniel: hommage a lui et je le remercie vivement

Homage to your father and I thank him very much!

Daniel:        j'ai beaucoup de photo du 11 etant pompier sa nous a beaucoup toucher

I have many photos of 9/11 and it touches us greatly

I showed him the WTC Comics page and the Bashing Terrorists thread and he said:

Daniel: je suis sur ta page le dessin m'amuse beaucoup

I am on that page and it is very funny  (happily he has high speed access ;)     )

Daniel: honneur a new york comme a sermaize les bains

We honor New York from Sermaize Les Bains
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 Could you please tell me if you have any ladder 20 t-shirts left, 
size large and if i send you the correct amount plus shipping 
you would be able to send me one to Scotland U.K. hope to hear 
from you soon I  am a firefighter with Strathclyde Fire Brigade

Kind Regards    Robert Ballantyne 
------------------------------------------------
Hello to u all,
sorry for my bad english, i´m a german guy 29 years old.
I love america and want to help u.
The terrible day in september 2001 is in my mind.
I saw a reportage of firefighters and must cry !!!
Now my question: can u send my a origional Firefighter t-shirt of the
NYFD ?
I pay this shirt for the dead firefighter heros.
Gretings from germany
Thanks for all and god bless the firefighters and america :-)
Hilmar Tetsch