Gary Marlon Suson - Official Photographer at Ground Zero, FDNY ["...I whole-heartedly endorse and recommend Q-Link."]

“As the Official Photographer at Ground Zero for the New York Fire Department after the September 11 terrorist attacks — I witnessed the bad and also the good that can come from humanity. In addition to being the only photographer allowed to document at Ground Zero 24/7 all-access, I was also a recovery worker and dug side-by-side with NYC firefighters searching for lost family, civilians and personal friends. I remember the tensions being quite high as well as the intense emotions surrounding me as the men dug for months in the rubble.

After reading about Q-Link, I contacted the company and then secured 100 Q-Link Pendants to give to the firefighters to wear around their necks as I heard this technology had the ability to bring about a sense of calm and feeling ‘centered’ when worn. One of the FDNY firefighters — Ralph Geidel — had lost his eldest brother Gary Geidel of Rescue-1 and he confided in me that he was not doing well emotionally after months of digging and not locating his brother. I gave him a Q-Link to wear and after a few days he jokingly said to me, 'Gary, what is this thing? I’m so calm since I started wearing it — I’m too calm! I’m able to deal with my anger issues now.'

One-by-one, I gave Q-Link Pendants to assorted 9/11 family members and most of them whom I followed up with reported that they felt their Q-Link somehow helped them stay calm while they were grieving. For myself, it helped me focus while I was shooting photography at WTC — allowing me to not be as distracted and overwhelmed by the flurry of activity around me on a daily basis. I whole-heartedly endorse and recommend Q-Link.”

Gary Marlon Suson
Official Photographer at Ground Zero, FDNY
Battalion Chief, Fire Department of New York 
9/11 MUSEUM WORKSHOP