James Dowdell was a 17 year old senior in high school when the events of September 11, 2001 happened. The son of a fireman, he watched heroism unfold as his father, a fireman for 21 years at the time, was one of 343 firemen who perished as the Twin Towers fell that day. While that day was one of the worst events that happened on American soil, Mr. Dowdell chose to view September 12^th as the day that brought out the best in people.

Sharing his personal story as a child and young adult with Mrs. McKeefrey’s fifth grade class, Mr. Dowdell repeatedly told each student that the most important thing you can do is to show up for someone. That’s what his father did as a fireman which left an impact on his life starting a path towards his life’s purpose in helping others.

To continue to honor his father’s memory, Mr. Dowdell plays the snare drum in the FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums during ceremonies as a way to continue giving back. Going a step further, he chose to honor, protect, and serve by becoming a firefighter with Rescue Company 2 in New York City.

Mr. Dowdell shared how he and some other firefighters ran across America to continue bringing awareness to those firemen who lost their lives on 9/11. During this run, he met some amazing people along the route ending in New York City where fellow firefighters, friends and family joined him in the final miles of the run making it a truly remarkable and emotional experience.

Students were left with a many life lessons:

Saying “thank you for your service” to a veteran or first responder benefits you both.

The hardest decisions have the biggest rewards.

You can’t choose how you feel, but you can choose how you react.

Words are good, but actions are better.

Keep your head up, show up for people which is the recipe for a happy life.