Michael Everett Brown’s search for his missing sibling in the 9/11 aftermath becomes a fight for life and a fundraiser to aid our nation’s heroes and their families
Nineteen years ago, the terrorist attacks that collapsed the World Trade Center tore many families’ lives apart. Dr. Michael Everett Brown’s book, What Brothers Do, is a look through a brother’s eyes at the disbelief, hope and search through the debris of 9/11’s Ground Zero for a dearly loved and admired FDNY hero, Captain Patrick “Paddy” Brown.
To honor his brother’s memory and to help the efforts of the most prominent 9/11 foundations, Michael Brown is donating proceeds from the sale of his book to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The family of another FDNY fallen hero, Stephen Siller, created the Foundation in his name, as Siller ran from his car, in full gear, from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers to assist other firefighters and gave his life, like so many others, on that day.
An online promotion of the book as a fundraiser for Tunnel to Towers will be conducted in conjunction with the September 2020, 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Donated books will also be offered to the families of those served by the Foundation. Tunnel to Towers will share news of the fundraiser on its website and social media platforms, directing people to purchase the book. What Brothers Do is currently carried in the National September 11 Memorial & Museum store, its online store, Amazon, the What Brothers Do Website and through Virtual Book Worm. Retired FDNY decorated, 20-year firefighter, Tim Brown, created this special video to announce the partnership.
“We’re proud to join with What Brothers Do to help the families of heroes left behind. We know what it’s like to lose a loved one, and we want to make sure America stands up for the families of heroes who stood up for us by protecting and serving our communities and our country,” said Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO, Frank Siller.
Brown is sadly now suffering from cancer, linked to exposure to the toxic blend of ash, chemicals, burning jet fuel, melted steel and asbestos as he and first responders dug through inches of ash and feet of debris to find survivors. The World Trade Center Health Program, founded to provide medical monitoring and treatment for responders at the World Trade Center and related sites, reports that as of June, 2020, 12,262 responders have been certified for 9/11-related cancer, in addition to 6,888 survivors. The WTC Health Program also reports that many program participants have several other health conditions, but as of March of this year, 2,955 have died, nearly as many as the 2,977 who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. These alarming statistics prove the need for remembering all who literally gave their lives to help families, friends and even unknown fellow Americans, after the 9/11 attacks.
The relaunched book features a new cover, with a very special contribution by renowned photographer, Joel Meyerowitz, who granted the use of one his photos, “Five More Found” from his book, Aftermath The World Trade Center Archives, a pictorial history of the massive restoration of the “Ground Zero” site in Manhattan, preceding its rebuild. The cover was created by New York graphic designer, Mary Ann Smith. Brown’s new introduction and postscript is also a message to all those who are now re-living the literal cancer of the attack every day.
“I hope that people will take a new look at this book as its story is timeless—especially for anyone touched by the tragedy that took so many lives and impacted so many others,” states Brown, “Our donation to Tunnel to Towers will help ensure that we continue to support the great work the Foundation is doing to help other first responders. We must never forget.”
About The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s mission is to honor the sacrifice of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. To date, The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has spent over $250 million to honor and support our first responders and veterans and their families.
For more about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, please visit tunnel2towers.org.
About What Brothers Do
Though he did not find his brother, Michael Brown found that the camaraderie and love of the surviving FDNY brotherhood helped him through the process of grief as he learned the depth of his colleagues and community’s love for the man who led an exemplary life in service of his country, his city and his fellow firefighters.
The book was published by Virtual Book Worm ten years after 9/11 when book marketing was much different than today, as online reading and purchases are more prevalent than bookstores. The book relaunch was planned to update the look, book description, social media and content, but in the interim, many other life changes have occurred for Michael Everett Brown.
After losing his brother to the evils of terrorism, he lost his wife and “Warrior,” Janet, to a battle with breast cancer. Recently, Brown has undertaken his own battle with prostate and bone cancer.
More than 410,000 people were estimated to have been exposed to the myriad of toxic chemicals released during the attack, and Michael Brown, former FDNY, now an emergency room physician in Las Vegas, was among those rescue workers and is now fighting for his life and for the chance to see his book preserve the memory of his brother and help others.
What Brothers Do is currently carried in the National September 11 Memorial Museum store, on its online store, Amazon, the What Brothers Do Website and through Virtual Book Worm.
The Paddy Brown Program has helped spread the word on the book as it was founded on a quote from Captain Patrick Brown: “When they need help, they call us, but when we need help, all we have is each other. It’s a BROTHERHOOD!”
While Brown was a heroic firefighter, he was also a U.S. Marine and The Paddy Brown Program offers financial and personal aid to post-9/11 members of all U.S. Armed Forces, to help them transition back to civilian life—a challenge for many.
For more information, go to www.whatbrothersdo.com
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