- Title: Navy Seals swim across New York's Hudson River to commemorate 9/11
- Date: 8th August 2021
- Summary: PARTICIPANTS ENTERING MEMORIAL (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAVY SEALS VETERAN, MITCH AGUIAR, CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA, RESIDENT, SAYING: "Yeah, I mean, it's always inspiring being here, swimming and, you know, you kind of guide towards the World Trade Center, and you can't help but think about that day and what it meant to our country. And, you know, it was a tragedy. I would say the best thing that came out of 9/11 was the months after where everyone was united. And I think that our country, you know, has kind of gotten away from that. You could really use that unity again. So, you know, I don't know. For me, just looking at that, thinking about it makes me want to bring the country together and. Yeah." PEOPLE POSING IN FRONT OF MEMORIAL (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAVY SEALS VETERAN, MICHAEL HARDEN, DENVER, COLORADO, RESIDENT, SAYING: "It's extremely important. I mean, I remember where I was when 9/11 happened. I remember what I felt. And, you know, it's like all these guys inspired me. There's a lot of older generations here. So, you know, for me to show up and be a part of this, it's a part of the history that's happened, not only when 9/11 happened, but way before that. I mean, everyone that's come before us to allow us to experience the freedoms that we have today, there's not enough we can do to pay it back or to pay it forward. This is a very small token of appreciation for just that." VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS INSIDE MEMORIAL (SOUNDBITE) (English) INVITED AS PATRON TO EVENT, KRIS BACHMAN, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, RESIDENT, SAYING: "Absolutely. I remember that day 20 years ago, I remember where I was, I remember exactly what I was doing. I was in college and I was so grief-stricken and just... I couldn't believe what was happening in our world. And now that we're 20 years down the line, I don't want other generations to forget what actually happened, the lives that were lost, the heartache that we all felt, and our freedom was breached. And that can never, ever, ever happen again. And I just feel so honored, so blessed to be around people that are here that fought for that freedom and continued to do so on a daily basis." NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 7, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS AT REFLECTION POOL AT WORLD TRADE CENTER JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 7, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) GI GO FUND, CFO, ALEX MANIS, SAYING: "So our organization, the GI Go Fund, was founded after a friend of ours, Lieutenant Seth Seth Dvorin, was killed in Iraq in 2004, and we want to make sure that his memory is not forgotten. And the same goes for all those who perished on 9/11. It's important that we remember, you know, the losses that many families and many people experienced. It's also important that we honor those who responded to the tragedy, who responded to their nation's call to service, and especially those who did not make it home. We want to make sure that everybody knows that they're never forgotten and they're appreciated and that their family knows that we love and appreciate the sacrifices that they made."
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2021 06:50
- Keywords: 9/11 Navy Seals World Trade Center run swim
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, + JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, + JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA003EPF5OW7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Some 200 people swam across the Hudson River on Saturday (August 7) to honor the 20 year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
Most were current or former U.S. Navy Seals as well as other military veterans and supporters,
"Being able to show support for both, the people who were involved and who are in those roles now doing similar type of work, it's just important," said Kristen Seifm, the first woman who finished the swim, and a wife of a Navy Seal. "I think it's really nice to make a big deal out of it because it was a big deal."
The swimmers stopped twice along the way on barges anchored outside of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for 100 push-ups in honor of America's liberties and 22 pull-ups in recognition of 22 veterans who commit suicide every day.
GI Go Fund, a nonprofit that assists veterans, active-duty personnel, and their family members with finding jobs and navigating benefits, organized the event.
"We want to make sure that everybody knows that they're never forgotten and they're appreciated and that their family knows that we love and appreciate the sacrifices that they made," said Alex Manis, chief financial officer at GI Go Fund.
The event also recognizes the 10 year anniversary of Extortion 17, a shoot-down of a Navy Seal helicopter with 38 service members and crew.
It ended with participants placing the U.S. flag into the 9/11 memorial at the South Reflection Pool at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan to honor the victims of 9/11 and all those who died in the wars that followed.
(Production: Aleksandra Michalska) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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