The song Out of the Ashes was written at the request of NYPD Detective (ret) Rich Miller. Det. Miller was part of NYPD’s ESU who responded to Ground Zero shortly after the attacks occured. He lost 14 men in the Towers collapse. On the morning of September 12, 2011 as ESU frantically searched the pile, Det. Miller found a flag at Stuyvesant High School, climbed the antena of the fallen North Tower and hung what is known to be the first American Flag flown at the site. He hung it there to serve as an inspiration to his missing men; in the hope that it would be the first thing they saw as they were rescued. This photo is part of this post.
Dr. Salvatore J. Minicozzi, grew up in N.J. and had watched the Towers being built as a boy. Now living in Atlanta, he flew to NYC to render chiropractic care to the rescue and relief efforts. Miller and Minicozzi met at the 30th anniversary of the release of the Iranian Hostages; on January 20,2011. Their friendship began in Times Square following the ringing of the closing NASDAQ bell. Minicozzi and his partners at the Historic Thayer Hotel at West Point hosted the reunion event, and Miller, his wife Theresa and the Post 911 Foundation were on hand to help welcome the former hostages back to West Point. That evening as they spoke, Det. Miller asked Dr. Minicozzi – an amatuer songwriter – to write a song symbolizing their collective experiences while at Ground Zero. Thus the song Out of the Ashes was created. Dr. Minicozzi now serves as an Advisory Board Member to the Post 911 Foundation.
On a subsequent trip to West Point Dr. Minicozzi met Joe and Laura Carabello of Elmwood Park, N.J. They introduced him to John Truscelli. John is a regional singer/songwriter in Colorado. John has ties to NYC, having family that served in both NYPD and FDNY. Truscelli Avenue in NYC was named for one of his late relatives. John has brought the song to life. Minicozzi has said that “Truscelli was born to sing this song.” It was recorded both in Colorado and Georgia; the Mount Paran North, Church of God Choir in Marietta Georgia is singing background.
Click here if you would like to listen to Dr. Minicozzi’s song.
For Your Health,
Dr. Salvatore Minicozzi