Benjamin ''Keefe'' Clark

September 11, 2001 was a mournful and grief-stricken day in U.S. history. Many people died, yet some heroes helped many people escape with minor to no injuries. One hero, my hero, is Benjamin "Keefe" Clark, a man who risked his life to save hundreds of others.

Two planes both scheduled for Los Angeles, took a major detour and a disastrous turn. This was on September 11, 2001 and it all started at about 8:30 when the first plane was hijacked. That plane then was flown straight into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. At 9:03 there were many civilians now watching the towers, and wondering what just happened. All of a sudden the large crowd saw another plane crash into the South Tower. Many Americans watched as the two towers burned and crumbled. Lives on the plane were taken that day, and many more people who worked in the World Trade Center had their lives snatched from them. My hero's life was taken from him, but he died with honor and dignity.

June 30, 1962, a boy was born and his parents had no idea that one day he would become anything special. Not a great deal is known about his childhood, except the fact that he was born and grew up in New York. At an older age Benjamin was a marine. When he came home he took a job as a cook for a business on the 96th floor of the South Tower. It was on this floor Benjamin "Keefe" Clark became a hero.

On a morning with a horrendous fate to come, Benjamin "Keefe" Clark was making food like he did everyday. When the plane hit the building Benjamin made sure everyone in his department then everyone on his floor was safely evacuating. On every floor Benjamin stopped, and made sure everyone was safely descending the crumbling building. On the 88th floor Benjamin stopped to help an older woman and three other men. This is where he was last seen. He died helping others escape. At the age of 39 Benjamin had his life stolen from him in an awful turn of events. His mother, Elise Clark said, "My son was a marine, so you know he wasn't going to leave anybody behind." He could have escaped, everyone else did, but he made sure everyone was exiting the building. Every day he is remembered, whether by friends, family, or people who admire his heroism, and read about him.

"I still can't look at him in the past tense because I look at my children and the legacy is still there...the giving, the caring. the loving person," Lashawn Clark, Benjamin's wife, said. Benjamin is remembered every year at 9/11 memorials, but every day, his family misses him. Many people cannot look back at that horrific day, but some have to, to remember that day, in order to remember loved ones. Benjamin "Keefe" Clark was a marine, a chef, and on his last breath a hero.