From Deseret News archives:
As new bones are found near WTC site, many families have no remains
This is why, on a warm, spring day, Geidel crouched on his knees on the roof of a lower Manhattan skyscraper, his face inches from a pile of gravel, looking for something precious.
Looking for traces of his brother, and others killed at the World Trade Center.
Gary Geidel was one of 11 members of an elite fire squad who died on Sept. 11, 2001. Not a granule of his remains has been identified, and nearly five years later, Ralph Geidel found himself on this roof, still searching.
He stopped suddenly, plucked a small, eggshell-colored object between his fingers and slipped his reading glasses onto his nose for a better look.
"Could be part of a vertebrae," he thought.
The piece would join a growing collection. Some 760 specks and slivers of human bones have been discovered in recent months, after demolition began on this 41-story former bank tower known as the Deutsche Bank building, just south of where the World Trade Center once stood.
Gary Geidel is not the only one who is still missing. Of the 2,749 people who were killed that day, the remains of some 1,150 have not been found.
Searchers recovered whole bodies at first 291 victims were found intact. But as they dug into the 10-story mound of debris with rakes and machines, it was mostly just fragments.
Ralph Geidel, a retired firefighter, was among the thousands of searchers at ground zero from the start. Wearing his old FDNY coat, a photograph of his brother fastened to his firefighter helmet, Geidel checked for patterns and signals that might offer clues to hidden remains.
"You look for something that doesn't belong among that rock, the concrete, the steel, the papers and all the other stuff," he said. "You just kinda develop an eye for that, something that doesn't quite mix with everything else certain shapes, like hands.
"I found a lot of hands."
Eventually, more than 20,000 parts were collected as the debris was excavated, sifted and carted away. Many were recovered at a second site, the former garbage dump in Staten Island where debris was hauled and combed again.
Comments
Ralph Geidel, a volunteer with the Seiad Valley Fire Department, shown in Seiad, Calif., last month, holds the helmet he wore while searching for human remains at the World Trade Center five years ago. Geidel's brother, Gary, is among the victims whose remains are still unidentified.
- Utah State campus briefs 12:59 a.m.
- Utah Utes softball: Five recruits sign 12:57 a.m.
- T-Bird D fine without star player 12:32 a.m.
- Musicians leave audience in awe 12:23 a.m.
- Sports on the air 12:06 a.m.
- LDS families let TLC into home, business 12:05 a.m.
- Kehl represents faith in different blue 12:05 a.m.
- Why music lessons matter 12:04 a.m.
- Editorial: Trying to catch the wind 12:04 a.m.
- Gov't-run health-care system 12:04 a.m.
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- Wounded Utes limp home
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Barzee is expected to plead guilty
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full
- Sloan misses practice
- Low in vit. D? Beware heart disease
- RSL surprised by Chicago's Fire
- Jazz notes: Young bigs ride bench
- TCU creams U.
233 - BYU happy to escape with victory
232 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
226 - Will state consider gay rights law?
162 - RSL heads to MLS title game
134 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
133 - MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
124 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
115 - 5A: Bingham rolls to title game
108 - Bennett at center of GOP storm
89
I was a bit under the weather last week, which gave me some time to...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
and no child should have to put up with sexual abuse. I know. I was abused...
So.. Government would run health care. Government option would keep others...
Good luck boys, take state for the south. Let it all go on the cold field....
I have been involved with Scouting for over 40 years and still believe it is...
To another quiz: I just took the quiz, it is very informative. I am pretty...
is long long over due...playoff between the top 8 in the league, and no silly...
That was not very good to say. Cant spell Hurricane becouse you dont live...
But did you notice Joanna did the same thing last week and still received...
Funny- Fox sports top 25 power rankings Week 11. #4 TCU #9 Boise State...
Boy, are we working hard to sell this or what? THe 45,000 homes thing is a...


You can be the first to comment on this story.