WHEN America had its darkest day in history 20 years ago, the brave rescue dog Atlas and his master were the first to rush to the carnage to locate the survivors at Ground Zero.
Heroes Atlas and Robert Schnelle, now 60, arrived forty-five minutes before the collapse of the first tower and rushed inside without hesitation to evacuate the terrified staff, and did not left for seven months.
It’s the start of seven grueling months of 12-hour shifts for the brave couple, who worked alongside thousands of other rescuers at the scene until May 2002.
In total, Schnelle, who was the NYPD manager at the time, and Atlas spent 3,000 hours at Ground Zero.
The German Shepherd hero had just finished his own when hijacked planes hit the towers on September 11, 2001.
Atlas was immersed in what would be the decisive moment of his career as a police dog.
Schnelle, from Long Island, New York, told The Sun Online, “Atlas was a very young dog who had just finished his education and I’m amazed at how he worked at Ground Zero in those conditions.
“No one can just exercise or prepare for what happened that day. I know Atlas and I made our own and I’m proud of him and everything he did.
“The most complicated moment that still haunts me to this day is that we did not locate any survivors after day one. “
After forty-five minutes of running in and out of construction towards the bloodied and bruised workers, Schnelle witnessed the terrifying moment when the first tower collapsed.
“When the first tower fell, I was able to pass under a giant NYPD emergency rescue truck with a few other police officers to escape the debris of the tower collapse,” he said.
“I didn’t know if we were going to do it and I was praying that we would do it. I was afraid I would never see my wife or children again. “
“When the smoke and dust dissipated, I crawled out and tried to locate my police vehicle because Atlas was still inside. Despite everything, I discovered my vehicle and they gave me Atlas. “
I felt as if we were being chased through a tornado running with him as Atlas led the way pulling me on a leash.
When the tower collapsed, Schnelle helped other people get to safety.
“I had Atlas with me and I grabbed a press photographer who had an injured ankle and dragged him to protect him by transporting him to the water near the docks next to Battery Park,” he said.
“I felt like we were being chased through a tornado running with him as Atlas led the way pulling me on a leash. “
The horror of Sept. 11 is not Schnelle’s first delight with a terrorist attack: He worked tirelessly at the scene of the World Trade Center bombing seven years earlier in 1993.
“I had witnessed scenes of bombings and construction collapses. I had experienced horrible scenes, but nothing of that magnitude,” he said.
Hundreds of loyal, committed and hard-working four-legged heroes have been identified over the years for offering comfort and hope in one of the darkest moments in fashion history.
The noble dogs of September have created a lasting legacy with their stories of courage and healing.
APPOLLON
The NYPD’s German Shepherd Appollo is among the first search and rescue dogs to arrive at the site of devastation at the World Trade Center two decades ago.
At the age of nine, the dog continued to spend long days screaming piles of debris and shredded concrete in search of survivors.
TRAKR
German Sheperd Trakr, the hero who discovered the last survivor of the attack on the World Trade Center.
Trakr’s owner, Canadian police officer James Symington, had noticed the horror on TV and drove at 3 p. m. to New York with the dog for rescue efforts.
FACE
Hero Cara and his Mike Forsythe, technical director of a parachute manufacturer, arrived at the World Trade Center on September 17, six days after the attacks.
Equipped with a harness and camera, the Beauceron dropped into the steaming construction and snuck in and out of the butcher’s shop, rummaging under desks and filing cabinets.
MORGAN
A veteran search and rescue dog, the English Springer Spaniel Morgan deployed for September 11 and Hurricane Katrina 4 years later.
The hero’s manager, Katrene Johnson, said Morgan is not only important in locating survivors, but also presents immense comfort for exhausted rescue teams.
WISE
Brave Border Collie Sage was only two years old when he called with his teacher, Diane Whetsel, to take on the dark task of searching for human remains at the Pentagon site.
The brilliant Sage has been rated to the point identified through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a prestigious role played through just 50 dogs in the United States.
SUNNY
Doberman Pinscher Sunny and his teacher Shirley Hammond worked tirelessly on the remains of the World Trade Center for days.
Although he is not a cadaveric dog, Sunny intervened when he needed to.
CANNON SERVER
The U. S. Army veteran USA John Randall and his Rottweiler Gunner were deployed to New York on September 17.
Fortunately, Gunner worked as a treatment dog and worked his magic on Ground Zero, offering a much-needed moral spice for committed workers.
“I never imagined that something like this could happen even if I provided in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. “
Schnelle retired from the NYPD in 2007 after 25 years of service.
And, tragically, Atlas died at the age of eight.
“I feel like September 11 affected him physically, like me. Unfortunately, it was too late when Atlas turned himself in in poor health to save him,” Schnelle said.
The 60-year-old, who now works at New York’s JFK Airport, has spent years plagued by the physical and mental effects of seven months at Ground Zero.
I feel blessed to have survived to this day, but I am also to blame for the survivor.
“September 11 will be a day I will never forget,” he said.
“I lost a lot of colleagues and close friends. I feel like I’m incredibly lucky to have survived that day, but I’m also to blame for the survivor.
“I lost and continue to lose many friends and colleagues to the illnesses of September 11.
“Personally, I have my own fitness disorders and I am followed every year through the World Trade Center’s fitness program, for which I am incredibly grateful.
“I’m resigned to the fact that one day my luck will change, because I turned 40 on September 11 and just turned 60. “
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