On September 11, 2001, FDNY Firefighter Tim Duffy, though off duty, raced into the heart of the chaos on his 2000 Harley-Davidson Super Glide Sport — grabbing his gear from the firehouse and riding through a dust-choked Manhattan street to reach Ground Zero. The image, taken moments after the first tower fell, freezes a surreal moment as he cuts through debris and paper in a haze of destruction.
Shortly after arriving and while helping others to safety, Duffy was buried under rubble when the North Tower collapsed. Remarkably, he survived the collapse and continued his rescue efforts despite the choking dust and chaos.
Duffy’s Harley-Davidson also survived the day. He still rides it to this day and has used it for fundraising and charitable work, including for a charity he founded called “1 Soldier, 1 Dog, 1 Team,” which pairs shelter dogs with veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD.
The story and the image of Tim Duffy on his motorcycle have been featured in various media, including at a 9/11 ceremony at the Harley-Davidson Museum, where it was highlighted as a perfect illustration of the heroic attitude of first responders.
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