September 11 of 2001 is a day that can never be forgotten. 2,977 people were killed in the terrible terrorist attacks that day, with more than 6,000 others being injured. Innocent mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters were all lost, never to return. It’s one of the darkest events in world history, but it could have been even worse, if not for the brave efforts of rescue workers, police, firefighters, and other heroes who did whatever they could to save lives and protect the people of New York City.
Ramon Suarez was one of those heroes. He was a member of the NYPD. Famed for his “Let’s rock and roll!” cathphrase, Ramon was one of the first to respond to reports of terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.
Ramon and his partner wanted to do all they could to save as many people as possible.
They went in and out of the towers, helping lots of people get out, including a pregnant lady. Ramon headed back in, one final time, to try and save yet another person, when the tower collapsed, killing him.
Ramon’s daughter, Jillian, was only 9-years-old at the time. Despite losing her father in such tragic circumstances, she grew up knowing that he was a hero, and vowing to follow in his footsteps.
She promised herself that when she was grown up, she’d become a cop as well, dedicating her life to saving lives and protecting the people of her city, just like her dad had done before her.
Naturally, it was difficult for Jillian to grow up knowing what had happened to her father. In an interview with Fox 5 back in 2014, she revealed:
It didn’t really hit me that he was gone until 3 months later. I think I handled it okay, but as I get older it gets harder because I understand the true meaning of it.
In a separate interview with PIX 11, she explained how hard it had been to be reminded of her father’s passing, again and again:
It’s not easy to constantly go through the memorials and know and hear your father’s name on that list of all those who passed away.
But in spite of the hardship and challenges that have come her way, Jillian remained dedicated to joining the NYPD, and finally lived out her dream.
As Jillian was officially integrated into the NYPD, she said she could feel her father hugging her, knowing that he was watching over her, each and every day.
She also explained that she’d had to convince her mother to let her join the force, but on the big day, Jillian’s mom was overwhelmed with pride and emotion at her daughter’s accomplishment.
Officer Ramon Suarez lived as a hero, and now his girl, all grown-up, is ready to do the same.
He’d surely be very proud of her, and New Yorkers can breathe easy, knowing they have one more terrific cop looking out for them. See all of Jillian’s story in the video below.
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