Matt Grimes: Speech in Memoriam of September 11th

Matt Grimes: Speech in Memoriam of September 11th

Matt Grimes was a 22-year-old insurance adjuster when he watched the planes hit the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center from his office at AIG, just a short distance from Ground Zero. He ended his day covered in ash, with the concussion and eminent heat from the explosion of the second plane crashing into the South Tower instantly and forever ingrained into his memory. We've all seen the footage, and we've all seen the body count, but what we weren't was _there_ when it happened. For the last several years, Matt has given this speech at various local "vigils" to give us a brief insight into what that experience on-the-ground was like, and to forever keep in our memory the horrors and heroism of that fateful day, and, at least as importantly, the moment of unity this country experienced in the aftermath of such a great loss.

Matt has, unfortunately, not been afforded the opportunity to share this speech in his home town despite having done so for many years at this point, for reasons that are beneath discussion here. As such, when he reached out to me, I was happy to have Matt on to give him an opportunity to share his speech with as many people as are willing to have him via my channel. Since many people may not know why he has given this speech before, and to provide a bit of context for the speech and why I've been so happy to have him on, we open the video with a very brief interview to provide that context.

The speech itself begins at exactly five minutes in:
0:00 - Introduction + Brief Interview
5:00 - Matt Grimes' Speech