By Emily Carroll – News Editor

Mike DeGrego recently returned to Law to share his story about 9/11 as part of Law’s annual September 11^th commemoration.

DeGrego served in the Air Force, was a former New York Police Department detective, and was also a history teacher. Now he is a substitute teacher in West Haven and is a member of the Milford Board of Education.

He also visits Law’s Crime and Violence classes each year to discuss his time as a detective.

“He has held so many roles in his life, all centered around public service, and it is a great example of someone who just wants to give back to the community,” Law history teacher Mr. Evanko said.

In his most recent visit, DeGrego started his story by telling students how he found out about the attack on the World Trade Center. He was in a darkroom developing pictures, and soon after, shuttle buses were picking up him and his colleagues to take them to Ground Zero.

The bus took them to the Jacob Javits Center, which was where all the volunteers were. Before they left the bus, they put on their respirator for protection from the debris.

Immediately, he wanted to get to work. He walked to three different tents and went through security showing three forms of ID.

“There was a line you wouldn’t believe,” DeGrego said.

At the last tent, everyone received a badge that had a number that would cross-reference to their name. People couldn’t leave the tent without it or else they would get arrested.

“The scene I was about to see I was not ready for,” said DeGrego.

He walked through piles and piles of rubble, concrete and steel. By the time he was done going through security, it was 11 p.m. The Fire Department had supplied so much light he thought it was morning.

“In all the pictures I saw on the channels, it was nothing like actually being there,” said DeGrego.

Everyone that was working on the recovery mission looked the same with their respiratory masks and their hats. There were 12 lines that were transporting buckets.

“Nobody took a break,” said DeGrego. “Nobody wanted to take a break.”

Before he left, he was offered to take whatever he wanted, but the only thing he asked for was his helmet.

A couple months later, he went back to school to get his Master’s degree. There were 911 students in his graduating class.

The students and teachers at Law who heard DeGrego speak said they were moved by his story.

“I thought Mr. DeGrego’s story was very moving and powerful,” Evanko said. “Hearing an eyewitness of what it was like cleaning up Ground Zero was deeply inspiring.”

Many students were also moved by the video featuring 9/11 victim Welles Crowther, which was shown before Mr. DeGrego spoke.

“I almost cried after watching the video because (Crowther) was so young,” junior Nia Cordero said.