[media-credit name=”Michael Waltrip Racing” align=”alignright” width=”180″]
[/media-credit]MWR to Honor Remembrance Rescue Project with Special Decal at Darlington
DARLINGTON, S.C. (May 9, 2012) – Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 15 5-hour ENERGY transport driver Al Nelson, a native of Long Island, N.Y., will get the special opportunity on Thursday night in Darlington to honor his brother Peter Allen Nelson. Peter Nelson was a firefighter in FDNY Rescue 4 killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
Members of the Remembrance Rescue Project, a not-for-profit created by firefighters to restore, preserve and operate Rescue 4 and Rescue 5 from 9/11 as educational tools, historical artifacts and memorials, reached out to Al Nelson last month. The group informed Nelson that former FDNY Rescue 4 will be in Darlington at the same time as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events and asked if he would be willing to drive the Rescue 4 truck in the Darlington Car Hauler Parade on Thursday night.
Nelson agreed and will now drive the Rescue 4 truck in Thursday night’s festivities.
“I learned about the Remembrance Rescue Project about a month ago, but I think what they are doing is truly special,” said Nelson. “My brother Pete and I used to be volunteer firefighters together at Huntington Manor Fire Dept. in Huntington Station, Long Island. Being a firefighter is something that people can’t take away from you. It was something that we enjoyed doing together and it had a camaraderie and brotherhood that is hard to explain.
“Pete was a really good firefighter and moved up the ranks pretty quick. He moved to Queens to be a part of Rescue 4 and worked his way up to third assistant chief by Sept. 11. He was on the fast track at the time he died and since then had his rank elevated to Honorary Chief. To be able to honor him in this way and see the things that the Remembrance Rescue Project are doing to honor the legacy of the men that passed and educate the young people on Sept. 11 is even better.”
Michael Waltrip Racing’s No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota will also run a special Remembrance Rescue Project decal on the lower rear quarter panel throughout the race weekend at Darlington.
In the aftermath of 9/11, Rescues 1 and 2 lost their rigs at the World Trade Center, and those of Rescues 3 and 5 required major repairs before being placed back into service. Immediately after 9/11, Rescue 4 was the only rescue company covering the City of New York.
The Project involving former FDNY Rescue 4 and Rescue 5 is an educational effort focused at society, especially those who are too young to understand the events of September 11th and what that day means to members of the fire service and to the country as a whole.
The Eighth Annual Darlington Car Hauler Parade takes place on Thursday, May 10. The event starts at 4 p.m. with entertainment and live music at the Florence Civic Center in Florence, S.C. The parade begins at 7 p.m. and makes its way along a 12-mile route to Darlington Square.
Peter Allen Nelson’s obituary as published in the New York Times on Nov. 21, 2001 can be found here.
For more information or to make a donation to the Remembrance Rescue Project, please visit www.remembrance.co.
ABOUT THE REMEMBRANCE RESCUE PROJECT:
The Remembrance Rescue Project is a not-for-profit created by firefighters to restore, preserve and operate Rescue 4 and Rescue 5 from 9/11 as educational tools, historical artifacts and memorials. The Project involving former FDNY Rescue 4 and Rescue 5 is an educational effort focused at society, especially youngsters who were too young to actually understand the events of September 11th and what that day means to members of the fire service and the country as a whole.
The Project works with fire departments across the country to host the Rescues throughout the year. The Project coordinates with host fire departments to facilitate 9/11 educational programming, memorials and remembrance events. The Project strives to keep the memories alive of those lost on September 11th and all firefighters killed in the line of duty every year.
