It’s a somber day for so many as we ponder the senseless killing of Charlie Kirk and the 24th anniversary of one of the darkest days to hit our nation, 9/11.
But the human spirit is a hard thing to kill, and Osama Bin Laden and his 19 cowardly al-Qaeda hijackers failed to do it—if anything, they made us stronger.
The New York City Fire Department showed that, despite the fact that there is evil in the world, there is also beauty and love. They made the daughter of a 9/11 hero very happy indeed when they unexpectedly showed up in force at her wedding earlier this month:
In the [TikTok] video, Schnacky emerges from the Plaza Hotel, and the FDNY Rescue 1 firefighters, active and retired, stand lined up outside in uniform. The pride and emotion on their faces are unmistakable. Overwhelmed, Schnacky is moved to tears. The camera then shifts to her mom and Tyler, equally touched, reaching for one other as they take in the quiet tribute.
“I know my dad was smiling down, knowing I was taken care of,” Schnacky wrote.
Watch:
I feel like it’s dusty in here; I’ll be right back.
JD Vance Cancels 9/11 Plans, Rushes to Be With Charlie Kirk's Family
She always assumed she'd walk down the aisle alone, but in the end, her dad was with her in spirit if not in human form:
Kristin Schnacky was 3 years old when her father, Ken Marino, a New York City firefighter, was killed while responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Her mother, Katrina, never remarried.
“I always thought I would just elope because I didn’t have a dad to walk me down the aisle,” Schnacky, 27, tells TODAY.com. "The thought of not having him there made me too sad."
Kristin and her new husband Noah appeared on “Fox and Friends” Thursday to recount the magical day. "My breath was taken away. Walking out and seeing my dad represented in that way, it was such an honor," she said.
On the day of the wedding, she was blown away by the appearance of the firefighters, and it felt to her like it brought her dad’s spirit to the special occasion:
After Schnacky gathered herself, she was escorted to the venue in a firetruck, sirens blaring, as Marino’s FDNY jacket lay draped over an empty seat in his memory.
“I know he was there with me,” she says. “I could feel him the entire time."
Despite the dark moment we face today, there is still grace in this country, which is exactly why we need to keep fighting for its soul. The FDNY lost 343 members that morning, and many more suffered health problems following the devastation.
They were heroes on 9/11. They were heroes again for Kristin Schnacky when it mattered most.
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