The following issue of The Catalyst contains
distressing recounts of the events on 9/11.
Please be advised.

New York City.
The place where dreams come true.
The bravest in red and finest in blue.
New York City, cover me in light.
You can knock me down, but you’re in for a fight.

On September 11, 2001 our country was forever changed. In New York City, 2,977* first responders and civilians lost their lives in what remains as the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Parents, children, siblings and friends never returned home. Images of planes striking the Twin Towers and panicked victims jumping to their death remain embedded in our country’s memory.

Neighbors in Brooklyn stood helplessly and teary eyes as they witnessed Manhattan become engulfed in smoke. Taxis deserted, bodegas abandoned. Thousands sprinting uptown leaving belongings behind.

Strangers became bonded by survival.

Children in neighboring schools took shelter under desks, fearful of the unknown. Were there more? Is this it? In surrounding counties, districts bussed students home early to be with family. When classes resumed, some peers remained absent. Their teacher would announce the losses they encountered, and that they’d return when they were ready. In the months that followed, morning announcements would include two moments of silence; one at 8:46 a.m. and another at 9:03 a.m.

One year later in 2002, Ground Zero was still a harrowing display of fallen concrete and steel. With a slight wind, debris circulated the funnel of Fulton and Liberty Street. Caution tape draped overlapped steel fences, the sidewalks, still cracked. Still, locals and tourists placed flowers and ribbons.

Today as you approach Greenwich Street in lower Manhattan, you’re met with two 1-acre reflecting pools, memorializing where the Twin Towers once stood. Walking along the borders of each pool, you’ll find the names of the fallen etched into their steel edges, oftentimes displaying gifted roses. Looking north and towards the clouds, you’ll gaze up at the Freedom Tower, built in 2014, standing tall at 1776 feet. Visible from all five boroughs and beyond, signifying a city rebuilt.

Shift to the south and you’ll see the 9/11 museum, home to artifacts, imagery, personal stories, and interactive technology to tell the stories of the fateful day. Hunks of steel from the towers sit behind glass, letters to loved ones, voicemails left by passengers on the planes. The museum places you into the narrative of what thousands of Amercians experienced over two decades ago.

Say what you will about New Yorkers and the city that never sleeps.

You may find us rash or rude and a little too rough around the edges. We’ll give it to you straight and we don’t beat around the bush. But if you really know a New Yorker, if you take the time to see past the grit and the glamor, you’ll know that we’ll be the first hand to reach through the rubble in times of despair.

On September 11, 2001 our country changed forever.
And New Yorkers? We became stronger.

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Community Spotlight:

In remembrance of 9/11 we’re honoring OCB (Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders) member and professional natural bodybuilder, Fahmida Sheuly.

In addition to being a competitor, Sheuly is an OCB show promoter, NYC high school teacher as well as a doctoral candidate for organizational leadership. When the OBC reached out to gauge her interest in promoting a local show, Sheuly knew she wanted to pay tribute to 9/11.

“I felt that we weren’t doing enough for our first responders that serve the city,” said Sheuly. “It’s also because I was one of the witnesses of the event...I was only 14 and watched the twin towers get hit from my classroom.”

Sheuly also had a family member who actively served in Afghanistan, and wanted to honor his sacrifices.

Earlier this month her team hosted a show that featured a “Heroes Division”, consisting of military, firefighters, police, EMT and other first responders who were eligible for cash prizes. The show donates a portion of ticket sales to first responder funds. To comply with OCB regulations, each contestant undergoes drug testing and is polygraphed to serve the purpose to promote drug free and natural bodybuilding.

“I provide special discounts and awards to first responders in all of my shows every year,” said Sheuly. “In doing so, I hope that I can give back to the community while being a dedicated spokesperson of anti-doping in sports and motivating our community members to stay active and healthy.”

The winners from the September 3rd show hosted in Westchester, NY consisted of:

1. Firefighter, Fidele Rutayisire
2. Operating Room Nurse, Daisy Zhao
3. Public Service Official for NYC, Shamel Williams

Sheuly will be back in action on April 6th, 2024 in Greenwich, Connecticut once again honoring first responders and giving them the opportunity to take the stage.

Learn more about Sheuly’s tribute shows @ocb_tribute_to_911_heroes
Learn more about Sheuly at shaktyfitness.org

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Thanks for reading this week’s special edition of The Catalyst. If we’ve caught you in real time on the evening of September 10th, we ask that you join us for a moment of silence tomorrow morning, September 11th, at both 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to the service members and first responders who serve and protect our country. And, to those who experienced unimaginable loss 22 years ago, we promise to Always Remember, Never Forget.

Until next time.


Danielle Bitts
VP of Brand, Bodybuilding.com

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*2,977 reflects the number of lives lost in NYC on 9/11. The total number of lives lost due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks is 2,996.