It is doubtful that anyone has forgotten the terrorist attacks against America on the fateful day of 9/11. This one day of history will be imprinted in our minds forever. As a country, we banded together and showed the terrorists that we are, in fact, the United States of America. Many innocent people died as a result of the attacks and many heroes did all they could to rescue those who could be saved. Children from around mcm purse the nation wrote letters and created cards for the rescue workers. In that moment we were not Democrats, nor Republicans; we were Americans.
At Ground Zero, firefighters and police officers were dressed in uniform. It was evident that they were heroes. However, other heroes were not as recognizable. One man that most may not have detected as a hero wore a tie and a dress shirt with a McDonald’s logo on it.
During September 2001, Brian cheap mcm backpack McCoskey was a manager of a McDonald’s store in Naples, Florida. He had watched the terrorist attacks unfolding with the rest of the world. The married father of five children felt an urgency to go to New York and lend a hand in any way possible.
Brian made the long journey from Naples, Florida to New York City. Upon arrival, he checked in at the McDonald’s make-shift stand that was set up on the sidewalk just feet from where the World Trade Center once stood. From that moment forward, Brian made sure the firefighters and police officers were fed. He made rounds taking cheap mcm bags food to the recovery workers and also had bags ready for them as they headed home from their shift. Each bag contained a burger, chicken nuggets, and one of the cards or letters that children had sent to show their love. The food was free, and the workers were unpaid. The love was priceless.
While Brian does not see his act of humanity as heroic, I disagree. Not many people would leave their family for an indefinite period of time to put themselves into a horrific situation. His selflessness was a blessing to many, and he may never know how his act of kindness affected those recovering people from the disaster.
Everyone has the potential to be a hero. We have opportunities every day, if we will just open our eyes to them. It is my hope that we will never experience another day like 9/11 in our country. Instead, I dream of a world where we, as Americans, show our greatness every day. Let’s join together to purposefully show our spirit to our communities and our nation. Small gestures can mean more than you could ever know. Just a small blessing can change the course of someone’s day. The next time you are in the McDonald’s drive-through lane, consider paying for the customer’s meal in the car behind you. Simply tell the cashier to inform the next customer that “Brian covered your meal today, pay it forward”. By doing this, you will carry on the goodness of the heroes such as Brian who still walk silently among us. Then, you become a hero yourself. For other ideas, visit .
Dr. Debra McCoskey-Reisert is an Assistant Professor at Ashford University.