Son who lost father in 9/11 attacks shares powerful lessons 25 years later: ‘I’m still here’
Grief can reshape how people approach life, Ferrugio said, encouraging them to be more present, embrace the full range of emotions and give themselves grace, even during life’s most difficult times.
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“Ultimately, all these conversations I’ve had are conversations about grief, but they’re really conversations about how we can live this life.”
No. 3: Breathe
When painful emotions or a wave of grief start to roll in, Ferrugio’s go-to technique is to allow himself to feel it and “breathe it out.”
“A lot of breath work works wonders for me,” he said. “A deep breath is going to do more for you than you think.”
Along with breath work, Ferrugio said exercising and spending time in nature have helped calm his nervous system, noting that what works best varies from person to person.
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“We forget to look inward, and we all have that intuition and that guttural feeling – we have to trust what we’re saying to ourselves,” he said. “What feels good? Does this feel like it’s working?”
No. 4: Find light in the dark
It’s important to allow for moments of joy, even during times of grief, said Ferrugio.
“Give yourself permission to feel moments of levity, to feel moments of joy, even if it is for five seconds. … Just take those moments and cherish them, because the contrast of the joy and pain exists for a reason.”
Two flags flutter on a fence in front of Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center at the Tear Drop 9/11 Memorial at sunset on June 13, 2026, in Bayonne, New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
“It’s not easy to feel however you feel, but it takes a lot of effort and discomfort to try to step out of that. … Whatever we go through in life, it’s an ebb and flow, and sometimes both are happening at the same time.”
On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Ferrugio acknowledged that the pain of losing his father remains.
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“For anyone else who’s been part of that day, I just hope they look back at the days they’ve gone through and see that they’re still here,” he said.
“You’re still with us, and you’re still grinding. You’re showing up for the people in your life.”
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“It’s important to zoom out and realize, ‘I’ve done this for 25 years, and I’m still here.’”
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Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/son-lost-father-9-11-attacks-shares-powerful-lessons-25-years-later-still-here