NEW YORK (WABC) — Two veteran New York City police officers returned to a place that became a refuge during the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, reflecting on the memories, sacrifices and perspective gained over the past quarter century.<\/p>\n
NYPD Sgt. Santo Ippolito and Det. Timothy Brady recently revisited the former police academy on Manhattan’s East Side, where they would grab a few hours of sleep between long shifts following the attacks. During that period, they worked 20-hour days, spending time at Ground Zero and some days guarding the morgue before returning to the academy for brief rest.<\/p>\n
It was the first time they stepped back inside the space in over two decades and the visit brought back vivid memories for both officers.<\/p>\n
“During 9\/11 this area was cots over here, there was some intake of donations that came in, boots and gloves…you’d come in and head down to the locker room down the hallway and wash up and jump on the cot for a couple hours,” Ippolito said.<\/p>\n
The officers said the passage of time has not erased the impact of the attacks or the changes they have witnessed within the city and their profession.<\/p>\n
“You know, 9\/12 when you look at that, you know coming in and getting bussed down to the West Side and there’s crowds of people cheering for you. The country is strong, the city is strong. So to just see the progression from that to where we are now as a city, do people really want to join our profession. It’s tough to see that,” Ippolito said.<\/p>\n
Since 2010, both men have been assigned to the NYPD Bomb Squad, though they arrived in law enforcement through very different paths.<\/p>\n
“It was a lifelong dream. My grandfather, both of my uncles are retired police officers. From the time I was little this was the only thing that I ever wanted to do was to become a detective in the NYPD,” Brady said.<\/p>\n
“So I didn’t want to be a police officer, that wasn’t my dream. I wanted to be a doctor,” Ippolito said.<\/p>\n
Over the years, the two officers built a lasting friendship while also raising families. Brady said one of the most meaningful moments of his career came when he named a police dog after a fellow officer who died from a 9\/11-related illness.<\/p>\n
“I was able to take a dog a couple years back in 2020 and I named him after Luis Alvarez, who passed away from 9\/11 cancer, so that’s one of the most rewarding things, having a dog as a partner is just unbelievable,” Brady said.<\/p>\n
For Ippolito, fatherhood has changed his outlook.<\/p>\n
“My girlfriend had a baby about a year ago… yeah I’ll take the cot, I’ll definitely take the cot. So it’s different now, your perspectives changed,” he said.<\/p>\n
As more members of their academy class retire or die from illnesses and injuries related to 9\/11, both men said they are increasingly aware of time and legacy.<\/p>\n
“I just lost someone from my academy class recently, so those things are starting to hit,” Brady said.<\/p>\n
Twenty-five years after the attacks, the officers said their priorities have evolved, with family now taking center stage.<\/p>\n
“Was I a good father, was I a good husband? I love this city, I love this job, but family is the most important thing,” Brady said.<\/p>\n
Even so, Brady said the events of Sept. 11 remain a defining experience for his generation and continue to shape how he views New York City.<\/p>\n
“Every generation has their one thing that defines them. You know obviously Pearl Harbor, things like that. This is the thing that defines our generation, and moving past it, and moving into a better city, I still think this is the greatest city in the world,” he said.<\/p>\n
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