From Ground Zero to Pentagon Office | Waco News

Waco News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 11, 2026 · 1m

Twenty-five years after 9/11, Brian Birdwell still carries the scars—both physical and emotional—from being near the Pentagon when a plane struck. Severely burned and convinced he was dying, he survived while two coworkers, Cheryle and Sandy, didn’t. Their names now grace the 9/11 Memorial. Haunted by survivor’s guilt and even telling his son he was ready to go, Birdwell found strength like the Survivor Tree at Ground Zero—and today, he’s back at the Pentagon, serving as Assistant Secretary of War for Sustainment, right where it all began. His story is a haunting tribute to those lost and a…