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Retired officer talks to students about 9/11, loss of his son in the attacks

Posted at 11:28 AM, Sep 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-22 18:23:19-04

Hurricane Irma may have kept kids away from school for a week but it didn’t prevent them from learning about 9/11.

Retired officer John Napolitano spoke to a group of youngsters Friday at Bright Futures Academy in Palm Beach Gardens.

Napolitano lost his 33-year-old son during the attacks at the World Trade Center.

Lt. John P. Napolitano was a firefighter who rushed into the twin towers to rescue people from the burning buildings.

His dad says days after the attack he scoured through the rubble trying to look for his son, but his remains were never recovered.

Napolitano shares personal items with the classes he speaks to, including the hard hat he used while searching for his son. 

“He was a hero not because he died on 9-11, he was a hero because of how he lived," Napolitano said. "You don’t have to run into a burning building to be a hero, be respectful of others, be respectful of yourself.”

Napolitano now lives in Wellington and dedicates himself to sharing his son's story in hopes of inspiring kids to be everyday heroes.