When Jay Winuk thinks about Sept. 11, 2001, he doesn’t just remember the tragedy. He remembers his younger brother, Glenn.“My brother Glenn Winuk was a partner at the Holland and Knight Law Office in Manhattan,” Winuk said to the Washington Examiner. “Their offices were located just about two blocks from the World Trade Center.”Glenn had spent 20 years as a volunteer firefighter and EMT on Long Island. When the towers were attacked, Glenn helped evacuate his law firm’s offices. Then he headed toward the danger.
“Glenn helped evacuate the firm’s law offices and then headed on foot into the South Tower to save lives, and he perished when the South Tower collapsed.”For Winuk, remembering his brother meant finding a way to honor the way Glenn lived his life.“He was somebody who lived his life and died in service to other people,” Winuk said. “So I wanted to get involved in some kind of cause that reflected the way Glenn lived his life.”That became the foundation for 9/11 Day.Turning remembrance into action
Winuk and his friend David Paine came up with an idea: take back Sept. 11 by turning the anniversary into a day of service and good deeds. More than two decades later, that idea has grown into a nationwide movement. For the 25th anniversary, 9/11 Day’s annual meal packing event is looking to double the amount of meals packed and donated right here in Washington, D.C.
