Field Notes from Ground Zero
The 9/11 Journal of Jerry Sanford FDNY Ret.
Remembering Gerald E. Sanford (1938–2025) whose courage and voice live on.
An exclusive exhibit featuring excerpts from the personal field notebook of FDNY Press Secretary Jerry Sanford, who returned to New York City on September 10, 2001. His handwritten notes offer a raw, human account of the recovery efforts at Ground Zero — never before seen by the public. Jerry Sanford was more than a firefighter. He was a community advocate, a mentor, author & hero. His notes offer a rare, firsthand lens into history and bridge New York and Southwest Florida in an unexpected way. This exhibit is shared with deep gratitude and enduring respect — not only for those who served at the World Trade Center, The Pentagon & Shanksville, but especially for the thousands of lives lost on September 11, 2001. In honoring their memory, we preserve the human stories behind the headlines and carry forward the lessons we are still learning. We will never forget.
In Honor and Reflection
- 🎥 Video: Sanford’s own words of how “the helmet that made its way home”
- 🗺️ Map: Regional 9/11 memorials including the Naples Freedom Memorial
- Keepsake: FDNY sticker and bookmark for the first 25 guests
- It Started With a Helmet — Jerry’s book, available for purchase
Event Schedule of Things to Do:
- Friday, September 5, 2025
2:30–5:30 PM - Members-only preview
- Saturday–Sunday, September 6–7, 2025
2:30–5:30 PM Open to the public
- Saturday–Sunday, September 13–14, 2025
2:30–5:30 PM Open to the public
📍 Location: 27451 Old 41, Bonita Springs, FL
🎟️ Admission: Free with RSVP
📬 RSVP: www.BonitaSpringsHistory.org/event
*Limited space, early registration encouraged
Register here: https://www.bonitaspringshistory.org/event