9/11 A Decade Later: Fort Lee Remembers

9/11 Stories: Helping FDNY Get Back Up, Running

Fort Lee son talks about his job working with the FDNY in the days immediately after 9/11

Ron Viola laughs when he talks about the nicknames firefighters give each other. “Everyone has a nickname: Joey Bag of Donuts, Frankie Love Handles, Billy Bones,” Viola said Then growing serious, he pauses to add, “But on 9/11 they all had one name: Brother.” Everybody has a story about where they were when the planes hit the World Trade Center. If you’re old enough to remember the events of that day then you’re old enough to have a unique story to tell.  Ron Viola comes from a long line of people born and raised in Fort Lee. Carrying on the family tradition, he grew up roaming the cliffs and the river, played Bridgemen Football and lived and breathed the Fort Lee Fire Department.   On September 11th, 2001, Viola was working for Seagrave …

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