Memories of Sept. 11 Remain in Oklahoma First Responder's Mind

YUKON, Oklahoma -- The Sept. 11 anniversary brings back harsh memories for a Yukon woman. Eight years ago she was a first responder in New York City. But sad memories aren't stopping her from doing generous things for others.

The second tower was falling when Reggie Cervantes arrived at Ground Zero. She was too late to save anyone.

"What sort of rescues did you make that day?" Cervantes said. "We didn't make any live rescues."

She got a hard hat from a supervisor and a flashlight off a dead firefighter--and went to work.

"I literally never thought I'd be in a warzone, and I was in a warzone," Cervantes said. "There was destruction, glass, smoke, fire, sounds that you don't expect to see on an urban city street."

Those memories continue to haunt her, and will probably haunt her all her life. But this eighth anniversary of Sept. 11 is also the first National Day of Service. So, Cervantes has come to the Yukon Beauty College to do something positive. Her service was a sacrifice of hair.

"Today I am donating my hair to Locks of Love in memory of Johnny Macnamara who died as a result of his contamination on Sept. 11," Cervantes said. "He was a firefighter."

She's done this before, and she has no regrets.

For Cervantes, it's a small sacrifice. She remembers that on Sept. 11, while all responders gave some, some gave all.

More than 70,000 responders worked at Ground Zero from September 11, 2001 to May 17, 2002.