Salvation Army responder opens up on 9/11 cancer battle, phone call that changed his life

Twenty-five years later, the grief of Sept. 11 remains with Salvation Army responder Ken Tregellas, and so does his conviction that his experience was worth the sacrifice.

"My kids had asked me over the years, Dad, knowing you'd , would you still have served? And I told them, I wouldn't have changed a thing. It was an honor," he said.

During this year's anniversary, Tregellas is looking back on the decision that took him from his family in Wisconsin to Ground Zero, where he spent months caring for people searching for answers about their loved ones.

It started as a typical Tuesday morning. Tregellas was getting his twins ready for school when he saw the North Tower had been struck. Like millions of Americans, he was confused. It wasn't until United Flight 175 struck the second tower that he knew America was under attack.

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN 9/11 AND ACCELERATED AGING

Within a few hours, his phone rang, a call that would change the course of his life.

Tregellas previously operated The Salvation Army's emergency assistance programs in underserved communities. So when he was asked to be the Red Zone coordinator at Ground Zero, he knew he needed to deploy.

When flights opened back up, Tregellas flew from Wisconsin to Only four other passengers were on board.

"I'd never been to New York in my life, so I really didn't have, other than pictures and movies, I didn't have anything to compare it to," he said.

Tregellas could not have known that his first glimpse of New York would come under such unimaginable circumstances.

Walking into the Red Zone in Lower Manhattan, he encountered a scene unlike anything he had ever witnessed. Smoke continued to rise from the twisted shards of metal, while the remains of the World Trade Center smoldered in a massive pile.

"I was still pretty shocked that there was still fire burning," Tregellas said. "I mean, the piles where the two main towers were, were still burning every time they were picking up debris."

As the Red Zone coordinator, Tregellas was responsible for overseeing all of The Salvation Army's efforts on the ground.

"Our job was really to take care of the people that were looking for bodies at that point," Tregellas said. "It was more of a recovery effort."

Six tents were set up at the site, including makeshift cafeterias and sleeping areas that quickly became a refuge for workers. Weary responders arrived with boots melted by the intense heat of the metal. They could replace their shoes, grab a meal, rest and talk with others about at the pile.

The Salvation Army provided more than food, clothing and shelter. Beyond basic necessities, workers received counseling and other forms of spiritual relief to make the grueling work at Ground Zero somewhat manageable. Tregellas emphasized that the organization's mission went beyond meeting physical needs. It was also there to provide emotional and spiritual care.

9/11 VICTIM'S IDENTITY EMERGES NEARLY 25 YEARS LATER AFTER DNA BREAKTHROUGH CRACKS MYSTERY

Prayer was offered around the clock to anyone who wanted it. Tregellas said one of the most striking parts of the experience was the diversity of people who came to the site including families who traveled from around the world searching for answers about their loved ones.

"There were people coming from all over the world to look at the site and try to understand why they weren't hearing anything about loved ones," Tregellas said. "You had to l