What I Had to Do, Geralyn Shukwit, 2002
September 11, 2002: The advertising agency J. Walter Thompson (JWT) struggled as to how, as a company, they should commemorate 9/11. One year later, framed by memory and time, the events still seemed just as tragic.
While there is no single reflection that can fully capture the essence of this day, they decided to share one individual’s response to what Rudy Giuliani called “the worst day in New York’s history.”
Grief, sadness and a spirit of goodness led JWT’s Geralyn Shukwit to reach for her camera and her creativity.
She set out to photograph the makeshift memorials that sprung up at FDNY houses that lost men, and never rested until all were chronicled. In so doing, she captured the courage, grace and humility people are capable of at their very best.
As she traveled from firehouse to firehouse, Geralyn came to know many of our local firefighters, who told her of the UFA Widows’ and Children’s Fund, set up to benefit the families of fallen firefighters.
The resulting book, entitled “What I Had to Do” graphically and emotionally shows how New Yorkers reacted to the loss of their firefighters.
100% of the proceeds of the sale of this book will be donated to the UFA Widow’s and Children’s Fund.
5 3/4" x 5 3/4", 116 pages, 101 photos, BW2971 / $15.00
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