What makes a person a hero? Wikipedia defines the word HERO as a "protector", "defender", or "guardian". A hero displays great courage in the face of danger or adversity, having the will for self-sacrifice - for the greater good.You are looking at a picture of an actual hero...his name was Lawrence T. Stack, he was a Battalion Chief for Battalion 50, he was 58 years old on 9/11/01. He grew up in College Point, New York. He and his family lived in Lake Ronkonkoma, New York on 9/11/01.
Chief Stack was a devoted husband to his wife Terri, they had been married since 1967. He was the father of three children, Michael, Brian and Kathy. He loved his family and he cared deeply for the lives of the firemen that he worked with.
His job on that fateful day was to ensure the safety of firefighters.
According to statements, Chief Stack had been writing up a report on a really bad fire that took place in Queens, called the Father's Day Fire, three firefighters had lost their lives in that blaze. I can imagine him sitting there, he had to be heavyhearted over the loss...and hearing the call go out regarding the attack on the Towers had to be heart rending. He jumped into a department car and raced to the scene....
Even though he could of stayed back that could not of been his way...I can visualize him climbing those stairs - telling people that were coming down.."Hurry along now...it will be alright"....
Climbing ever higher....knowing what was waiting was akin to Dante's Infernal...a true measure of the word hero....
Reading through Chief Stark's different memorials, it was noted that his fondest wish was for his youngest son to join the force.....and that did happen. So many people had good memories of him, sometimes that is the measure of the man...please keep him, his family and the other 2995 people in your thoughts and prayers.
