Luke Stergiou
Senior Photographer
For many people, sports can be a way of healing in dark times. But for brothers JJ and Connor Downey, sports mean so much more than healing, they serve as a way to honor their grandfather, Ray Downey.
During the attacks on 9/11, Deputy Chief of the New York Fire Department Ray Downey unfortunately lost his life trying to put out the fires and save everyone from the twin towers. But Ray wasn’t just known as a brave firefighter, he was better known as an incredible person and father.
Nearly a month later in early October, the New York Rangers would open their 2001-2002 season against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden. Before the game, the Rangers organization honored the first responders to the attacks, which included several members of the New York Police Department and the New York Fire Department. One of the firefighters decided to skate up to then Rangers captain Mark Messier and ask him to wear his fire helmet, which was embellished with a picture of Ray Downey. Messier, with no hesitation, put on the helmet and honored the lives of not only Ray Downey, but all the other firefighters who lost their lives during the tragedy.
Although JJ and Connor were too young to witness the moment firsthand, it is a memory they will never forget. “We were Rangers fans our whole life, so it was kind of neat how it played out. We got to meet him and then know him on a personal level and not just being a fan of him, so that’s pretty cool,” said JJ. Mark Messier went on to not only maintain contact with the Downey family, but build an actual relationship with them. JJ also added: “We’ve been connected with Mark Messier ever since, we stay in contact with him and have a relationship with him.”
Being from Long Island, New York, both JJ and Connor reflected on the way the people of New York used sports to heal. “It wasn’t just about our grandfather. He was one of the specific things they talked about, but overall it was how every sport came back from the tragedy. Everyone used sports to get through the tragedy that everyone was going through. It used sports to uplift people and make them feel better and basically take their mind off of what happened for a little while.” Connor also noted: “I think after 9/11 I think it brought a unity to the city (New York City) and to the people within. I feel like people got along better and came together as one. It united everyone, especially after George Bush got up and talked.”
When asked how athletics shifted after that day, JJ said, “I don’t know necessarily for both of us, but sports in general changed. Professional sports definitely were affected by it. If you watch the E60, it talks a lot about how in the weeks following they didn’t play and all the teams didn’t want to play because they felt like it wasn’t the right thing to do and it wasn’t the right time. I don’t think it affected us personally because at the time we were really young and we weren’t sure of the magnitude of what happened, but as we got older I think it’s taken effect a little more and we wear the socks during the games.”
The second Downey brother Connor, added, “I think a lot of what the other families talked about too is an escape, like sports as an escape from what had happened. People turned to sports as a way to get their mind off things and not think about the tragedy that just had happened and revert their attention somewhere else.”
The Downey brothers grandfather said that after their first encouter with the famous hockey player, that they stayed in contact. “We’ve been connected with Mark Messier ever since, we stay in contact with him and have a relationship with him,” JJ said.
“We carry his legacy every day. Just being here (Keene State) together is cool too. On a day like 9/11, being away from our family is kind of tough, but having each other is nice. Having sports, he’s (Connor) on the soccer team and I’m on the lacrosse team. I think we turn to that as, not just with our grandfather, but whenever we’re down or upset, sports are definitely a way to forget about things,” JJ said.
“We were Rangers fans are whole life, so it was kind of neat how it played out. We got to meet him and then know him on a personal level and not just being a fan of him, so that’s pretty cool,” said JJ
Despite the damage and trauma that came with 9/11, the Downey brothers belive that the people within the city stil stand together, even stronger than before. “I think after 9/11 I think it brought a unity to the city (New York City) and to the people within. I feel like people got along better and came together as one. It united everyone, especially after George Bush got up and talked.”
“It wasn’t just about our grandfather. He was one of the specific things they talked about, but overall it was how every sport came back from the tragedy. Everyone used sports to get through the tragedy that everyone was going through. It used sports to uplift people and make them feel better and basically take their mind off of what happened for a little while,” added Connor
“It was definitely a little emotional, it hit home because we lost someone we loved on that day so it was like we had to do good and play in their name. My whole team wore the socks. My uncle actually reached out to us and sent up a bunch of socks.”
“To keep his name alive, we have a race every year, a 5k in his name. We set up in a field and we have the 5k. When people are done, they hang out, they have drinks, they eat, and we hand out shirts that have 343 on the back, which was the amount of firefighters lost on that day. In the letters 343 is every single firefighter that passed away on that day. People that are buying the shirt sometimes we’ll see them around town, it’s just great to see people wearing his shirt and keeping his name alive, not only his name but all the firefighters, we’re keeping their names alive. We’re not just going to forget about them, we have to honor them,” Connor said.
Luke Stergiou can be contacted at
lstergiou@kscequinox.com
