Forever in Service

I can’t think about 9/11 without remembering my friend Scott Shulman’s story. He was a cameraman for ABC News and was dispatched to cover the horrific national tragedy. 

For almost two weeks he worked Ground Zero for 12-hour shifts. No one wore protective masks. They just inhaled toxic ash and dust. There were more than 110,000 responders, residents, and workers in the “exclusion zone” who today suffer from ailments that include chronic rhinosinusitis, pulmonary disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), asthma, sleep apnea, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, 

depression and cancer. Over 4,300 people have died from these diseases. 

My friend Scott Shulman is lucky to be alive though he has suffered with a sinus infection for over twenty years and has a rare inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis. Having lost all his co-workers from 9/11, he knows each day is a gift. 

November 6, 2023 he returned home from dinner in LA with his wife Cipra only to discover anti-Semitic graffiti on their home. The news media interviewed him about the hate crime and I was so touched by his words. 

"It's time to go back and read the words of Martin Luther King. We can't solve these problems with hatred. They have to be solved with love. I don't hate anybody," he said.

As a cameraman and producer, he was worked in war zones and has witnessed atrocities beyond comprehension. He’s asked questions like “how” and “why” knowing there’s no answer. 

"I've been in Gaza ... their moms and dads take the kids out on the weekends just like we do," he said. "Their kids wear the same Hello Kitty T-shirts that our kids wear. We have a lot to learn as a civilization."

"[This is] a critical moment for Jews and Palestinians and Muslims and Christians ... to listen to each other, and understand what's in people's hearts," said Scott. 

Today as we remember the victims of 9/11 let’s also honor the bravery of the survivors. Their fight wasn’t a day or a few weeks. Their service and sacrifice to NYC, to our nation, and to our community is forever. 

Scott Shulman is now retired from ABC News and continues to bring light to the community as a Beverly Hills Park Ranger, riding his bike for miles with his damaged lungs, a smile, and a heart filled with hope.