Steve Buscemi suffers from PTSD after working as firefighter during 9/11

Steve Buscemi is known for his many eccentric characters, but one of the most outstanding facts about the actor is his past as a firefighter.

Even more so was the day in which he chose to put his life on the line to rescue as many people as he could.

Buscemi volunteered to be a firefighter on September 11, 2001 and worked tirelessly for five days in a rescue and recovery mission at the World Trade Towers.

In 2021, the Fargo and Reservoir Dogs star spoke to podcast host Marc Macron about his experiences on the day of the horrific terrorist attack, and opened up about his experience with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the mission.

AFF / Alamy Stock Photo

He said: "I just didn't have any information. I kept calling the fire house the day before and of course there was no answer.

"Because I knew that they would be there. And then I eventually learned that five of them were missing.

"One of them was a good friend of mine I used to work with."

"I was driven to the site that day, walked around for hours and then found my company, found Engine 55 working there.

"I asked if I could join them. I could tell they were a little suspicious at first, but I worked with them that day."

After he helped for that day, he stuck around and assisted the crews at the scene for several days afterwards.

Buscemi said that he was 'grateful' to have been able to help, and he hasn't had any health issues like some others have, but it's clear that the things that he'd witnessed have stayed with him.

Universal Images Group North America LLC / Alamy Stock Photo

He continued: "I haven't experienced any health issues, and I get myself checked out, but definitely.... Post-traumatic stress? Absolutely.

"I was only there for like five days, but when I stopped going and tried to just live my life again, it was really, really hard. I was depressed, I was anxious, I couldn't make a simple decision.

"All those things. It's still with me.

"There are times when I talk about 9/11 and I'm right back there. I start to get choked up and I realise, ah, this is still a big part of me."

The anniversary of 9/11 can be a 'trigger' for many who survived to tell the tale.

Buscemi was also the executive producer in the 2021 documentary, Dust: The Lingering Legacy of 9/11, which aimed to raise awareness of the ongoing health issues and continuing problems faced by those who were present at the scene that day.

Not only does Buscemi advocate for those who carry the scars of that day, but he also still serves on the Board of Advisors for Friends of Firefighters, which is an organisation dedicated to New York firefighters and their relatives.

Topics: Celebrity

Britt Jones