American Heroes of 9/11: Father Mychal Judge

As we approach the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States, Townhall plans to honor the lives lost and the lives forever changed with our "Heroes of 9/11" series. Every day from now until September 11, we will highlight an American hero. This year, most especially, we wish not simply to commemorate an event, but the character of exceptional men and women who demonstrated the best of humanity in one of its darkest moments. More than that, we want to educate younger generations for whom September 11 is little more than a historical episode so that we embody what it means to "Never Forget."

When he was six years old, Fr. Mychal Judge — then known by his birth name, Robert Emmett Judge — lost his father. To help his family, Judge opened a shoeshine stand. But even in his youth, Judge was known for putting others first. He would often give what little pocket money he had to the homeless. So it made sense that he would be drawn to a life of service and the priesthood at an early age.

At 15, Judge entered the St. Joseph Seraphic Seminary, the first step on the path to the Franciscans. When he officially joined the Order of Friars Minor, he took the name Mychal, and traveled around preaching until he found the friary of St. Francis of Assisi in New York City. That was in 1986. Six years later, Judge became a chaplain of the New York Fire Department (FDNY). But Judge's work and ministry expanded far beyond the walls of the firehouse. He was one of the first priests to work with people who had AIDS, he would sometimes preach from the pews, and his answering machine was always full of messages and requests — funerals, baptisms, weddings. Judge was also a recovering alcoholic and used his sobriety and experience to counsel others struggling with alcoholism.

Shortly after arriving at St. Francis of Assisi in Manhattan, Judge went to Bellevue Hospital to say Mass for Steven McDonald, a New York Police Officer. McDonald had been shot by a 15-year-old he was questioning in Central Park and was paralyzed from the neck down. Judge would become close friends with Steven, his wife Patti Ann, and their son Conor.

In 1996, after TWA Flight 800 crashed off Long Island, it was McDonald who called Judge to inform him of the crash. All 230 passengers and crew had been killed, and Judge spent the next two weeks driving from Manhattan to the Ramada Inn near JFK Airport, where he spent 12-hour days consoling and counseling the friends and families of the crash victims.

Judge was, however, devoted to the FDNY. He often ate with the firefighters at Engine 1/Ladder 24, which was across the street from St. Francis of Assisi, and joined them on emergency calls. September 11 was no different.

That morning, Fr. Brian Carroll, O.F.M., was the one who told Judge about the plane crash at the World Trade Center. Carroll recalled that Judge quickly changed out of his Franciscan habit, put on the chaplain's uniform, and headed for lower Manhattan. It was the last time Carroll would see Judge alive.

Another priest friend, Fr. Michael Duffy, O.F.M., would later recall that Mayor Giuliani mentioned seeing Judge at Ground Zero. Giuliani reportedly stopped Judge and said, "Mychal, please pray for us."

"I always do," Judge replied, before going to the North Tower. There, Judge did what he always did: prayed. He prayed for the firefighters, he prayed for the people working in the World Trade Center, and he prayed for the city of New York.

While at the North Tower command center, an account of that morning said Judge was administering last rites to a firefighter and a woman who had both died. The woman, who had jumped from the building, had landed on the firefighter. His head bowed in prayer, Judge removed his helmet. 

Then the South Tower collapsed. It is believed that Judge was struck in the back of the head by debris from the collapsing building. He was killed instantly.

The image of Fr. Mychal Judge being carried from Ground Zero is one of the most moving and well-known images of that day.

New York firefighters & rescue workers are seen Sept. 11, 2001, carrying Franciscan Father Mychal Judge, a chaplain with #FDNY who died while giving last rites to a firefighter on #September11 (CNS photo/Shannon Stapleton, Reuters) #WorldTradeCenter #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/yjqhyFHP86

— Catholic News Service (@CatholicNewsSvc) September 11, 2021

Judge's body was moved to St. Peter's Church, which was nearby. The firefighters carried Judge up the main aisle and covered his body with a sheet, on top of which they placed his stole and fire badge. They said a prayer for Judge and returned to work.

Judge was officially listed as Victim 0001, the first certified fatality of the September 11 attacks. This is not because he was the first person to die — hundreds of people in the hijacked planes, World Trade Center, and Pentagon had perished before Judge — but because his was the first body recovered and taken to the Medical Examiner's office.

Fr. Mychal Judge's funeral was held on September 15, 2001, at St. Francis of Assisi Church, across the street from Engine 1/Ladder 24. That firehouse lost seven members on September 11. More than 3,000 people attended Judge's funeral, including former President Bill Clinton.

“He was my idea of what a priest should be,” said Steve McDonald. “Above all, he was a living example of Jesus Christ. I’m not sure what I’m going to do without him.”

The day before he died, Judge had reached out to fellow NYFD chaplain Everett Wabst on Staten Island, asking for some more copies of his prayer card. Wabst was driving into New York with those cards the morning of September 11.

That prayer, written by Judge, read simply:

Lord, take me where you want me to go.

Let me meet who you want me to meet.

Tell me what you want me to say,

And keep me out of your way.

Judge lived that prayer through his numerous ministries, not just to the FDNY, but to the families of TWA Flight 800, to AIDS patients, to the poor, and to all those fortunate enough to cross his path. In his last brave act, Judge ran towards danger to bring comfort and prayer to those going through hell, and he died a hero in his own right.

This is part of the American Heroes of 9/11 series. To read more about the American Heroes of 9/11, click here.

Editor's Note: We must never forget those lost on 9/11 and the American heroes who sacrificed their lives to save countless others.

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