Retired Air Force colonel Rob Maness and Brian Birdwell, retired Army colonel and state senator from Texas,met at the Republican National Convention this year, writes Cathy Free in People. What makes their meeting unique is that nearly 15 years ago, they met on the morning of September 11, 2001 at the burning Pentagon.
Birdwell was terribly burned and Maness held his leaking IV. Maness has wondered for years about Birdwell’s fate. After dozens of surgeries, Birdwell recovered.
The two men plan to keep in touch.
“”We shared a pretty hard road 15 years ago,” he tells People. “And it was a treat to finally meet the man who held my IV. I’m forever grateful.” He pauses and laughs. “Even if he did serve with the Air Force, not the Army.”
