Video: 9/11 Changed My Life Forever
In this powerful episode of Beyond the Shield, host Paul Conway sits down with Julie Henneberry, daughter of FDNY Lieutenant Peter Frey of Engine 55 in Little Italy, who was murdered on September 11th, 2001 while answering the call in Manhattan. Julie takes us back to a childhood that felt normal until the day the towers fell, sharing the small details that still live in her memory, the last conversation with her father, the moment she was pulled from school, and the sickening realization as the news began reporting the loss of hundreds of firefighters. With raw honesty, she opens up about what it’s like to grow up as a “9/11 kid,” how grief changes shape over decades, and why the world’s attention fades long before the families ever stop living with the aftermath. Paul and Julie also discuss the sacred reality of Ground Zero, the museum as hallowed ground, the search for answers through survivor testimonies, and the frustration of organizations that use the legacy of 9/11 but don’t always show up when the children of that day still need help. This conversation is a reminder that 9/11 wasn’t just a moment in history, it was a life sentence for thousands of families, and it calls all of us to remember with reverence, speak the names, and honor the cost in a way that goes beyond anniversaries.