Lt. Matt Komorowski of Farmingdale was recently honored with the first annual American Heroes award, for showing bravery when faced with impossible odds.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Komorowski was one of six FDNY firefighters with Ladder Co. 6, called to the World Trade Center just a short while before the tower collapsed. Arriving at the scene, Komorowski and the members of his ladder company rushed inside the building. As they rushed up the stairs the men of Ladder 6 stopped to assist Josephine Harris, a then 60-year-old Brooklyn grandmother, who was stuck in the stairwell of the building.
Little did they know, Harris’ cry for help would save them from heading to almost certain peril.
As the towers fell, concrete and debris would come crashing around them, but thanks to the assistance of Komorowski and his fellow firefighters they would all survive.
Thirteen years since that tragic day, Komorowski returned to Farmingdale on Sept. 11 to receive the first-ever American Heroes Award from RAK’em Up America.
Short for “Random Acts of Kindness,” the organization was created by Farmingdale school teacher Donna Baltch to help the victims of 9/11.
“We just help people,” Baltch said.
Since starting the organization, Baltch has helped raise money for Sandy victims and less fortunate families around the world.
Baltch, who is also a 7th grade teacher at Weldon E. Howitt Middle School, has taught two of Komorowski’s children. So, to surprise Lt. Komorowski, Baltch convinced him that his daughter was being presented an award for an essay contest.
Lt. Komorowski continues to work with FDNY and currently is a member of Ladder No. 119 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
She adds, that RAK’em Up America plans to continue to give out the American Heroes Award in the future.
“[This award] is meant to recognize someone who needs to be recognized,” Baltch said. “Every year we’ll pick someone else.”
