As humans, we need to get closure when our loved ones pass. As horrible as it may seem to stand in the place where a loved one’s life ended, it provides peace. It makes it real. It makes many families feel closer to their loved ones.  

Amy Gabriel, Program Manager, Public Assistance for FEMA 

Amy Gabriel was assistant director of the Red Cross 9/11 response to the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, planning memorial services for families and a vigil for the community.

Q1. Where were you when you heard about the 9/11 attacks? What was your first thought, and what was your first action?

I was working for a chapter in Pennsylvania, two hours outside of NYC, and we were in a weekly manager meeting. My husband contacted the office and asked to have me pulled from the staff meeting because he knew I was on call with the Aviation Incident Response (AIR) team.  

My first thought from a personal perspective turned to leaving my young son (for an assignment). Then, it turned to chaos. We knew it would be an all hands on deck scenario, so we began a call down for availability of volunteers.

We scheduled a full staff meeting to brief everyone of the events as we knew them to be so far and developed a plan for meeting local needs while preparing a strong percentage of our workforce for deployment.

Q2. What was your Red Cross role in the response to 9/11, immediately and as the days, weeks and months followed?

While en route to a NYC deployment, I received a call from Jim Reisweber. He was redirecting me to Shanksville Pennsylvania following the crash of United Flight 93.

While in Shanksville, I worked as the assistant director of operations under Jeff Varnes. In addition, I worked as the events planner to support a community vigil and plan two separate family memorial services. The reason for two services was because of the transportation challenges. We had East Coast families who were in Shanksville, but needed closure while we had West Coast families who could not get to Pennsylvania until after the air grounding was lifted.

(Left to Right) Amy Gabriel, Victoria Connor, formerly of the York County Pennsylvania chapter, Jeff Varnes, former executive director of the York County Chapter and Amy Janocha, who was a volunteer out of Pittsburgh and the daughter of Phyllis Janocha.

Following my return from Shanksville, I was assigned to what I can only describe now as a roadshow… I was being asked to speak at churches, community events and various media efforts in support of fundraising for the Red Cross. Looking back now, I know it was needed, but I neglected my own needs in the process.

Q3. What one memory stands out above all others when thinking about the survivors of 9/11 who you helped or who your team helped?

First and foremost….those of us who responded to Flight 93 had a much different experience. It was a more intimate group, away from the big city so to speak. We were so busy that we never really had the chance to learn about the heroics of those on board the flight until after we had met and already said good-bye to those heroes’ loved ones.

Because of the above, when I returned home, I was asked about Todd Beamer’s wife and Mark Bingham’s mother. For me, each of those loved ones were suffering their loss equally regardless of the fame that would become of some.

Having said all of that… here is my memory, and it taught me a lot about helping those in grief. Everyone grieves differently. There was a mother of a son who perished on Flight 93. I do not know his name or her name. The Pittsburgh Steelers came to the community vigil and that mom was there as well. After the service, she pulled on my sleeve and pointed to the team bus. She said, “You need to get me on that bus.” Somewhat startled, I asked her for clarification. She again said, “I need to get on that bus. My son was a Steeler fan and in our last conversation we talked about the team and what they needed to do to improve this early in the season.” I was able to work with then coach Cower and onto the bus she went, telling the team about her son and about what he observed in their early season games. The team, somewhat uncomfortable about what to say, quickly embraced that woman, and in that moment, grief was gone.  She was smiling with them and they with her.  

Ahead of the Steeler visit, there was some frustration with their potential visit. People were skeptical about it. Was it attention seeking? Was it a publicity stunt? Was it appropriate? That one moment for that one mother made all the difference.

Another observation from this and other air disasters I worked: I remember the importance of the site visit. As humans, we need to get closure when our loved ones pass. As horrible as it may seem to stand in the place where a loved one’s life ended, it provides peace. It makes it real. It makes many families feel closer to their loved ones.  

Q4. What are you doing now? 

I continued my Red Cross career until 2016. In that time, I utilized my experience from 9/11 responding to other air disasters and the Sandy Hook School shooting.  

In 2017, I began a new career with FEMA. I am currently working with Public Assistance operations, strategizing staffing plans.

Q5. What work and life lessons did you learn from your role in the response? What do you do differently now than before 9/11?

It’s hard to compare before and after 9/11 because it was so early in my career. I was only 28 years old when 9/11 happened. It shaped my career more than altering it.  

One thing I am more open to discussing now is the need for mental health support when you work on any sized casualty disaster. From a single-family house fire to something as significant as 9/11, these disasters take their toll on responders. I am finally in a place to talk about that side of emergency management.

Q6. Do you keep in touch with those you worked with on the response? How do you keep in touch with them?

I do keep in touch with many of my co-workers from that time. We especially find one another on Facebook each year around the anniversary. I have also found friendships with others whom I didn’t know at the time but found out we had worked together or apart for the 9/11 effort. It surely is a bond that will never be broken.