Kelly Lyon oral history interview conducted by Melodie Guerrera, July 16, 2010

About

Kelly was an NYPD narcotics detective at the time of the 9/11 attacks. That morning, Kelly was in Queens when he witnessed the second plane hitting the South Tower. Kelly returned to his unit and was initially assigned to Times Square. Nervousness and uncertainty pervaded the unit. During the first weeks, Kelly worked on the bucket brigade, digging through the debris, and searching for survivors. Walking on the moon-like surface created by the dust and debris was a surreal experience. After two weeks of intensive recovery efforts, where the team faced the emotional toll of not finding survivors, Kelly's role shifted to perimeter security. The site became more organized over time, with designated zones and increased control. As they secured the perimeter, Kelly and his colleagues worked to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering the area, facing challenges from people trying to exploit the situation. Despite the difficulties, Kelly felt grateful for the support they received from fellow New Yorkers, such as those who offered food and drinks to help them through their challenging work. He emphasized the unity and camaraderie among responders. Now retired from the NYPD, Kelly participated in the oral history project to ensure that future generations would have access to firsthand accounts of the historic event. He hopes that such a tragedy will never happen again, emphasizing the impact on innocent working people who simply went to work that day.

Archive

Library of Congress, in Library of Congress

Licence or status

Rights statement at the Library of Congress, as the Library of Congress states it.

Credit

Library of Congress

Language

English

Country

United States

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