Halley’s Hometown Heroes: Former NYPD officer reflects on 9/11

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – Sept. 11, 2001 is a day that will never be forgotten.

It’s hard to believe it was 19 years ago this year because it feels just like yesterday.

Felix Cruz is a former member of the NYPD who now resides in Horry County. He recalls that day a whole lot different than most Americans who were just watching on television.

For Cruz, it started as just a normal day reporting to the 100th precinct in Rockaway Queens for election duty.

“It was a normal day and when the first plane hit at approximately 8:46, you know we did what everybody else did. They told us it was an accident, we turned on the TV to find out what was going on,” Cruz said. “When the second one hit approximately 9:03 that’s when they said we’re under attack, close down the polls, head back to your precinct, you’re being reassigned.”

Cruz described the day as “surreal.”

“We weren’t trained for a terrorist attack so we didn’t know how to respond in a certain way, but we knew we had a job to do to keep the citizens of New York City safe,” he said.

Watch Cruz’s full interview at the top of this story.

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