Official statistics show that 343 firefighters lost their lives on that day, but there were actually 344. Everyone forgot Keith Roma. Keith Roma personally saved the lives of over 200 people, making no less than four trips up Tower 1 in the process.
On September 11th, 2001, 19 terrorists caused the deaths of 2,977 people.
Of those, many of them were firefighters who spent their last moments attempting to save the lives of everyone still trapped in the burning Twin Towers. According to official statistics and the New York Fire Department, 343 of them died on that day. But there were 344, not 343.
Keith Roma was a fire patrolman who loved his job. His father was a retired patrolman.
While traveling to the World Trade Center, he called his father Arnold Roma. His father grabbedhis fire gear to meet him at the Towers to help. Keith’s last words to his father were, “I’ll meet you there.”
There was too much chaos, and they never met up.
A photographer did catch a photo of Keith leading people down the stairs.
When his body was found, a code 4-5 “declaration of death” went out to the entire FDNY, and Roma was given a full FDNY funeral mass. Yet the FDNY still does not count him among its numbers.
Honor him, and tell the officials to add him to the list of honored firefighters who gave their lives for others. There is no greater sacrifice one can make.