9/11 first responder, Bishop England dad honored on 25th anniversary
They remembered 9/11 and celebrated a hero prior to Bishop England High School’s home football game against West Ashley on Sept. 11.
The Citadel provided the color guard, scores of flags, and pageantry on the 25th anniversary of one of humanity’s darkest days, a day when terrorists flew jet airliners into the World Trade Center and Pentagon with a price tag of almost 3,000 lives.
Dan Olsen was the hero Bishop England honored.
On that fateful day, Olsen was a policeman in Suffolk County, New York, which is located on the easternmost portion of Long Island. The following day, he decided to become a first responder to help in the aid and recovery at Ground Zero. He is the father of Jake Olsen, a standout lineman for the Bishops, who defeated West Ashley to up their record to 4-0.
Coach Logan Hall and his staff made Olsen an honorary captain for the game. He walked out for the coin toss with the Bishops’ other captains: Will Donato, Matthew Ponkow, Conner McGovern, and Chase Tonon.
“I was proud to have my dad as an honorary captain in remembrance of 9/11,” Jake Olsen said. “He was a police officer and a first responder following the attacks. It meant a lot to have him recognized at our game.
“It was a tragic event, and so many people helped out,” Olsen continued. “These people ran toward danger. They didn’t run away from it. To see Dad out there was awesome. That image of him on the field on a special night will live forever in me.”
Nicole Guidi, Bishop England’s director of communications, spearheaded the event but said it couldn’t have happened without The Citadel, Bishop England Athletic Director Bill Warren, and members of the Bishops’ Triple B Club working together, including Kathleen Forbes, Andy and Stephanie Allen, Kyle Martsteller, Joe Delpino, Laurie Holscher, and Michael Lawrie.
Guidi heard parents talk about the elder Olsen and his role as a first responder.
“I was so happy and so pleased it turned out so well,” Guidi said. “I was so proud of our football players. I was happy that so many people worked to make this happen. I am grateful that Bishop England has a community that is so supportive and caring.”
Olsen’s mother, Magda, was in attendance to see her son serve as an honorary captain. Olsen’s wife Jennifer and other children, Brooke, a student at BE, and Derrick, who attends Oceanside Collegiate Academy, were also in the stands at Jack Cantey Stadium.
Olsen was stunned at what he saw at Ground Zero on his first day as a responder.
“I walked through 6 to 8 inches of dust. It covered everything,” Dan Olsen said. “I saw fire engines that were crushed and a part of the tower that was still standing. It took a while to process and understand the situation.”
Olsen said he and his son have talked about 9/11 on numerous occasions, usually around the anniversary.
“Jake wasn’t born yet,” Olsen said. “He understands what happened: the actual event and the politics surrounding it. He understands the loss of life and how catastrophic the day was.”