DURRELL "BRONKO" PEARSALL
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This remembrance on 9/11 honors those who were killed, those who survived, the rescuers who came from near and far and all who were changed forever on September 11,2001. It encompasses the now-sacred soil where the World Trade Towers once stood, capturing and preserving forever the place and events that changed our world.
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Tragic events such as the assassination of JKF, the bombing of the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, or the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger, burn searing reminders of past tragedies. 9/11 will forever be linked with each of these tragic disasters.
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Today marks the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I hope everyone today will stop and remember. I hope everyone today will remember the 2,996 fallen Americans who lost their lives. They were Mothers, Fathers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and friends. Each one of them left home that fateful morning, and none of them returned. Remember, too, the loved ones of these fallen victims, for they cruelly suffer the heartbreaking loss of their dear loved ones.
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9/11 started out as any other day for the firefighters of Rescue Co. #4. At 8:47 AM an emergency call went out for all firefighters and emergency responders across the boroughs, Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall and his fellow firefighters responded to that fateful emergency call. Moments before a hijacked plane; American Flight 11 with 92 people aboard including 9 flight attendants and 2 pilots slammed into the North Tower at 490 mph crippling the 110 story structure. Then just barely 15 minutes later at 9:03 AM a second hijacked plane; United Flight 175 with 65 people aboard including 7 flight attendants and 2 pilots crashed into the South Tower at 590 mph and exploded. The entire city was stunned, not knowing, not understanding what had just happened. At 9:59AM the crippled South Tower fell. It took only 56 minutes after being struck for it to begin its final descent to ground zero. Not nearly time enough to evacuate all the people from the building including Durrell Pearsall and the remaining rescue personnel that responded to the emergency call. It only took 10 seconds after the Tower imploded for the total collapse with thousands of people still trapped inside. 10 seconds of utter horror for those inside the South Tower. Complete pandemonium broke out above ground. Less than 30 minutes later at 10:28 AM the North Tower collapsed and the city, the country and the world knew we had just suffered a coordinated terrorist attack on our soil.
9/11 started out as any other day for the firefighters of Rescue Co. #4. At 8:47 AM an emergency call went out for all firefighters and emergency responders across the boroughs, Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall and his fellow firefighters responded to that fateful emergency call. Moments before a hijacked plane; American Flight 11 with 92 people aboard including 9 flight attendants and 2 pilots slammed into the North Tower at 490 mph crippling the 110 story structure. Then just barely 15 minutes later at 9:03 AM a second hijacked plane; United Flight 175 with 65 people aboard including 7 flight attendants and 2 pilots crashed into the South Tower at 590 mph and exploded. The entire city was stunned, not knowing, not understanding what had just happened. At 9:59AM the crippled South Tower fell. It took only 56 minutes after being struck for it to begin its final descent to ground zero. Not nearly time enough to evacuate all the people from the building including Durrell Pearsall and the remaining rescue personnel that responded to the emergency call. It only took 10 seconds after the Tower imploded for the total collapse with thousands of people still trapped inside. 10 seconds of utter horror for those inside the South Tower. Complete pandemonium broke out above ground. Less than 30 minutes later at 10:28 AM the North Tower collapsed and the city, the country and the world knew we had just suffered a coordinated terrorist attack on our soil.
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Durrell entered one of the Towers doing the job he loved. He did not know that he would become one of the fallen; one of the thousands of innocent people that Al-Qaeda attacked and killed that day.
Durrell entered one of the Towers doing the job he loved. He did not know that he would become one of the fallen; one of the thousands of innocent people that Al-Qaeda attacked and killed that day.
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Today marks the 5th anniversary of 9/11 and I ask you to join me in this remembrance of the life of Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall.
Today marks the 5th anniversary of 9/11 and I ask you to join me in this remembrance of the life of Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall.
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Durrell Valentine Pearsall Jr. was a FDNY firefighter with Rescue Co #4 in Woodside, Queens. He was 6’2” and 285 pounds. He was a large man with a big heart. In 2001 Durrell was only 34 years old.
As a child, Durrell grew up playing on fire trucks in Hempstead NY as the only son of a Durrell Pearsall Sr., a 57 year member of that fire department. His Mother, Carmela nicknamed him “Bronko” after the 1930’s football hero Bronko Nagurski. He graduated with a bachelor of science in physical education from Long Island University in Brookville, New York in 1992 believing he would become a gym teacher. He coached junior varsity sports in New Hyde Park for a year prior to joining the city fire department, all the while serving in the Hempstead volunteer fire department.
Durrell Valentine Pearsall Jr. was a FDNY firefighter with Rescue Co #4 in Woodside, Queens. He was 6’2” and 285 pounds. He was a large man with a big heart. In 2001 Durrell was only 34 years old.
As a child, Durrell grew up playing on fire trucks in Hempstead NY as the only son of a Durrell Pearsall Sr., a 57 year member of that fire department. His Mother, Carmela nicknamed him “Bronko” after the 1930’s football hero Bronko Nagurski. He graduated with a bachelor of science in physical education from Long Island University in Brookville, New York in 1992 believing he would become a gym teacher. He coached junior varsity sports in New Hyde Park for a year prior to joining the city fire department, all the while serving in the Hempstead volunteer fire department.
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Durrell was Irish and Durrell loved music.
He celebrated his Irish heritage along with his love of music a by playing the snare drum in the Emerald Society Pipe Band, you can imagine what a stand-out performer he must have been at St. Patrick’s Day Parades. More than just a music lover, performing was what called to Durrell, whether it was playing the snare drums or just jokes on his friends. Even though he was a prankster, his friends thought him to be more like Gentle Ben than the Joker.
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He had a great love of football. He had participated in football throughout his life ultimately playing offensive tackle for his alma mater. His love of football transcended to following the Notre Dame Games each weekend. It was with great joy that in 1999 he was able to go to visit South Bend and see his beloved “Fighting Irish” play in person.
Durrell was Irish and Durrell loved music.
He celebrated his Irish heritage along with his love of music a by playing the snare drum in the Emerald Society Pipe Band, you can imagine what a stand-out performer he must have been at St. Patrick’s Day Parades. More than just a music lover, performing was what called to Durrell, whether it was playing the snare drums or just jokes on his friends. Even though he was a prankster, his friends thought him to be more like Gentle Ben than the Joker.
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He had a great love of football. He had participated in football throughout his life ultimately playing offensive tackle for his alma mater. His love of football transcended to following the Notre Dame Games each weekend. It was with great joy that in 1999 he was able to go to visit South Bend and see his beloved “Fighting Irish” play in person.
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He was so believable himself as a football player that in 1999 he was cast in a national TV commercial that had him on the training table munching away on “Tostitos” as he sat rocking with Bill Parcells, who was then the football head coach of the New York Jets.
He was so believable himself as a football player that in 1999 he was cast in a national TV commercial that had him on the training table munching away on “Tostitos” as he sat rocking with Bill Parcells, who was then the football head coach of the New York Jets.
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Whether he was playing football with his fellow firefighters, or playing the snare drum in the Emerald Society Pipe Band, or simply playing practical jokes on his friends, Durrell had a larger than life persona. His friends described him as a gentle giant and I easily imagine that when this tall, large, Irish New Yorker came into a room that he lit it up with his larger than life persona. You may get the impression that, because of his varied interests, the snare drum, football playing and watching, acting, and on and on, that Durrell was not a serious man.
Whether he was playing football with his fellow firefighters, or playing the snare drum in the Emerald Society Pipe Band, or simply playing practical jokes on his friends, Durrell had a larger than life persona. His friends described him as a gentle giant and I easily imagine that when this tall, large, Irish New Yorker came into a room that he lit it up with his larger than life persona. You may get the impression that, because of his varied interests, the snare drum, football playing and watching, acting, and on and on, that Durrell was not a serious man.
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Nothing could be further from the truth.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
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He was a decorated firefighter who received two medals of valor, one for pulling a woman out of a burning apartment window and another for crawling under a car to free a trapped child.
He was a decorated firefighter who received two medals of valor, one for pulling a woman out of a burning apartment window and another for crawling under a car to free a trapped child.
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As you can see, Durrell was larger than life. But as large as he was, he was no match for the circumstance he faced on September, the eleventh, two thousand, and one.
As you can see, Durrell was larger than life. But as large as he was, he was no match for the circumstance he faced on September, the eleventh, two thousand, and one.
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It took 6 weeks for authorities to find his body and Durrell was then laid to rest November 8, 2001 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral with a prized Notre Dame uniform by his side.
It took 6 weeks for authorities to find his body and Durrell was then laid to rest November 8, 2001 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral with a prized Notre Dame uniform by his side.
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He was honored posthumously by President Bush in a ceremony at the White House September 9, 2005 with receipt of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor.
He was honored posthumously by President Bush in a ceremony at the White House September 9, 2005 with receipt of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor.
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Please help me today in remembering Durrell.
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Please help me today in remembering Durrell.
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This memorial is part of a project started at 2,996, please take a moment and view all the other memorials for those lost on September 11, 2001.
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