Daniel Suhr

Daniel Thomas Suhr (August 21, 1964 – September 11, 2001)^[2] was an American New York City Fire Department (FDNY) firefighter who was killed when a victim falling from the South Tower landed on him during the September 11 attacks.^[3] He was the first firefighter to be killed while responding to the attacks on the Twin Towers.^[4][5][6]

Daniel Suhr
Born	Daniel Thomas Suhr (1964-08-21)August 21, 1964 Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Died	September 11, 2001(2001-09-11) (aged 37) World Trade Center, New York City, U.S.[1]
Alma mater	College of the Desert
Occupation	Firefighter

Biography

His father was a career firefighter, and his brother also became a firefighter. Suhr was a member of Engine Company 216. He grew up in Brooklyn, where he was the captain of both the baseball and football teams at James Madison High School. In 1983, he played a season of college football for the College of the Desert as a linebacker, during which he was named to the All-Foothill Conference team.^[7]

He and his wife began dating when they were in grammar school. They lived in Rockaway Park, Queens.

A fatally injured Suhr at the World Trade Center

Before the Twin Towers collapsed, numerous people were witnessed jumping or falling from the upper floors of the burning towers, almost all from the North Tower. Three people were seen falling from the South Tower,^[8] and one such victim collided with Suhr as he reported to the tower, crushing his skull and killing him. His body was removed by his fellow firefighters before the towers collapsed and buried in St. Charles / Resurrection Cemeteries at East Farmingdale, New York. The 9/11 Commission wrote in its report that "The first FDNY fatality of the day occurred at approximately 9:30 when a civilian landed on and killed a fireman near the intersection of West and Liberty streets."^[7]

The South Shore High School football team‚ which Suhr helped to coach‚ dedicated its 2001 season to him.^[7]

At the National September 11 Memorial, Suhr is memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-14, along with other first responders.

In 2021, the book Daniel Suhr: A Story of September 11th was published.