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Retired local firefighter recounts 9/11 experience

Mike Radford says he was one of two firefighters from the Quad Cities who volunteered to go to Ground Zero following 9/11.

MOLINE, Ill. — A retired local firefighter talked with News 8 about his experience first-hand while helping with rescue efforts during 9/11 20 years ago.

Mike Radford was one of two firefighters from the Quad Cities who volunteered to go to New York after the tragedy happened.

"It just seemed like it was like a world war-type disaster," Radford said. 

Radford's experience is still a hard time to look back on.

"It looked like they really needed help," Radford said.

He did not waste any time to answer the call. 

"It was very eye-opening that we were there to try and help," Radford said.

"This is parts of buildings that are left standing," Radford said when he showed News 8 what the scene was like 20 years ago.

RELATED: 9/11 Coverage Archives: A look back on Quad Cities experiences 20 years later

Radford was one of the hundreds of thousands of first responders who rushed to Ground Zero during the desperate search after 9/11. 

"We knew that it was a sad scene and nothing that anybody had ever seen before," Radford said.

The devastation of ground zero was right before his eyes.

"It was crushing that you couldn't find anyone alive," Radford said.

Among the rubble, Radford worked with dozens of teams to dig through debris with hopes of saving as many lives as possible.

"Some of it's hard to watch," Radford said.

To this day Radford still has the shovel he used in the recovery efforts. He also wishes he could've done more 20 years ago.

"That's the kind of things that just broke your heart... because you knew that they were taking out fellow members," Radford said.

Radford called those fellow members family. 

"It's hard to actually be at a scene like that without having it affect you for the rest of your life," Radford said.

In life now, Radford has not stopped helping others. He and his wife run a campground and care for wild horses at their home in Arizona. 

Radford was a firefighter with Moline Fire Department. He retired after 35 years in the field.

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