Our talk gets around to the aftermath of the tragedy and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Hardej still serves in the Air National Guard on Long Island, specializing in combat search and rescue. “Last year I did 160 days military duty. Typically I’ll do 120 a year,” as he maintains his proficiency as a navigator on HC130 aircraft.
“I mentioned earlier how people tend to forget the magnitude of what happened. As time goes on people tend to be further removed. In terms of what’s going on, I see that as fighting terrorism overseas — the fighting that is happening over there hopefully will prevent something like this from happening again here. There’s no guarantee, but it hasn’t happened, to date, at least here, knock wood.
“Obviously there was some closure that was needed, one chapter in the long story that could take place. Typically people would ask about Osama Bin Laden, and that’s just one big chapter in a long story. It is one chapter of the closure, as will be the completion of the memorial. But there is never any true closure to an experience like that.”
From 2001:
When we finally got out of the building on the side of the initial impact, I recall seeing at least a foot of debris everywhere. Although I don’t recall stopping, I remember telling my two fellow employees we have to get out of there. We walked north. I knew my wife would be concerned, and based on previous training, I knew if I get on camera, word would filter out to my family that I made it out of there. As we walked north and I got seven blocks away, that’s when the other building came down. I don’t recall watching it, as my concern was getting away from there.”
His family plays an important part.
“They know it’s important that I give these tours. They support what I do in memory of 9-11 and it’s part of the healing process. And they’re proud of what I do as well.”
Did he meet people he kept in touch with? Hardej laughs again.
“This is New York City. It’s not like a small town where you keep in touch with people you pass. There were supposedly about 17,000 people in the towers. I didn’t meet anyone I stayed in touch with. The two people I walked down with, Jan Khan and Larisa, I still work with them, I saw them this morning.
“The future is to share my experience with those willing to come down here to learn about what happened on 9-11. Most of the people don’t know what they’re in for until they hear about what they’re looking at. The memory of my three co-workers is what gets me going to go down there to give these tours, that and the other 2,746 people that perished with them. The satisfaction of knowing what you’re doing is in seeing the expression on people’s faces when you give them a person to person experience.
“Time definitely goes by quick. It doesn’t seem like ten years.”
We agree to talk again in another ten.++
