Early in the morning on September 11th, 2001, it was a normal workday for Raphael.
An officer with the NYPD’s Sanitation Police division in the Bronx, Raphael knew what to expect from his job: going after illegal dumpers and enforcing recycling laws. But everything shifted on September 11th.
“I hoped nobody died, but so many people died,” Raphael remembers thinking on the day.
“I was in tears, but it was my job to do.”
Once he got the call that his city was in danger, he rushed downtown, saw the smoke and heard the sirens. The work didn’t stop the next day. He and his team were stuck working at Ground Zero for nine months. He didn’t have a day off for 46 days.
“I didn’t care about the money, I just cared about saving these people’s lives,” he said. “That was the main thing.”
Raphael has a personal connection to the attacks. He knew two of the people who lost their lives.
On top of his work as a police officer, Raphael is a retired Army Sergeant who served for 23 years. He went to Iraq shortly after the 9/11 recovery efforts when his lieutenant put a stop to retirements. Raphael was needed overseas after the attack.
His deployment to Iraq, coupled with work as a police officer on 9/11, left him with PTSD.
In June, Raphael showed us the remembrance wall for the 343 FDNY firefighters who died on 9/11. Raphael’s friends’ names can be seen on the memorial walls at the 9/11 Memorial site.
“I still get butterflies from this,”
Raphael said while walking through the memorials and reading the names.
A native New Yorker, Raphael had been to these sites many times before. But this most recent visit was different. It was the first time he visited with his Service Dog, Ben.
Before meeting Ben, Raphael dealt with his stress by trying to focus on the happy moments. He still struggled, especially with crowds and disturbing memories.
At a loss for what to do to support his mental health, Raphael’s doctor told him about Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD.
Raphael found K9s For Warriors online. He knew a Service Dog would keep him feel collected in new environments.
“I knew I would feel calm knowing someone was there to help me,” he said.
At K9s For Warriors, Raphael met Ben, a lovable golden retriever. The two bonded immediately and Raphael felt secure knowing someone had his back.
“My Service Dog helps keep me calm when my PTSD is acting up,” he said.
“He is my pride and joy.”
Since graduating, Ben and Raphael have traveled across the country and even taken the Washington, DC Honor flight. The two have traveled together and often cheer on the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
Raphael feels confident with Ben by his side, knowing he has a constant companion.
Interested in hearing more about Raphael & Ben’s story? Click on the news stories below:
