.

Alena Maria Lyras, daughter of Marcos Lyras, and Barbara Lyras Auffret, author of this Book, was inspired by the great historical significance that faced her and all New Yorkers, the country and the world during September 11 a day no one will ever forget! She is the Producer of our film of the Heroes of the World Trade Center and is the photographer for the book.

Alena attended Judson High School in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  It was at Judson where Alena first become fascinated with becoming a junior firefighter after taking a special course and graduating as a Junior Firefighter from the Phoenix Rural Metro Fire Department.  This course, she feels was crucial in her life.  Here she learned true leadership as acting Lieutenant of her squadron.  She was the first into the burning buildings, pulling the hose, propelling from a buildings, and going up high, oh so high.

Alena also spent a few years at Harvard University and is an experienced film student and graduate from the New York Film Academy. Alena set out to record history in the making.  She and her family visited the memorials to 911 throughout America, our great nation after viewing the devastation to their city and recording many of the stories of the heroes who bravely tread where no man should have.  They also met with many of the families who lost their most precious gift of all, life. Alena and everyone involved in this project feels that it has been a great honor to produce this book to recognize those touched by this, the greatest tragedy to have struck America since Pearl Harbor.

Though we can never expect to record each and every story because of the magnitude and scope of 911, we do hope to give an overall picture and feeling to the reader as to what it was like to have been there that day on September 11 and it's aftermath.

E-mail me with any comments or questions at alena@heroes-nogreaterlove.com

Thank you !

(click on thumbnails below to see larger images)