From Landfill to Hallowed Ground.png
From Landfill to Hallowed Ground.png

From Landfill to Hallowed Ground: The Largest Crime Scene in America

$18.95

The morning of September 11, 2001, began like any other morning for police Sergeant Frank Marra.

He woke up early, brewed his coffee, and got his son Anthony ready for kindergarten. That was until the image of the South Tower engulfed in flames and smoke interrupted televised broadcasts nationwide. From Landfill to Hallowed Ground follows the footsteps of Sergeant Frank Marra and the people whose lives were irrevocably changed in the aftermath of September 11. Marra and co-author Maria Bellia Abbate take readers to the Staten Island Landfill, where the largest moveable crime scene in America was combed and searched for those buried beneath the twisted metal, steel, and cement.

Step into the landfill mire with the New York City Police Department and the volunteers who searched tirelessly, often at great cost to themselves, for the remains of those silenced forever in the ashes. This heartrending story gives readers a never-before-seen glimpse of the days and months following the attack on September 11, and the stories that echo from “The Hill”—the hallowed ground of those who perished on that fateful day.

The morning of September 11, 2001, began like any other morning for police Sergeant Frank Marra.

He woke up early, brewed his coffee, and got his son Anthony ready for kindergarten. That was until the image of the South Tower engulfed in flames and smoke interrupted televised broadcasts nationwide. From Landfill to Hallowed Ground follows the footsteps of Sergeant Frank Marra and the people whose lives were irrevocably changed in the aftermath of September 11. Marra and co-author Maria Bellia Abbate take readers to the Staten Island Landfill, where the largest moveable crime scene in America was combed and searched for those buried beneath the twisted metal, steel, and cement.

Step into the landfill mire with the New York City Police Department and the volunteers who searched tirelessly, often at great cost to themselves, for the remains of those silenced forever in the ashes. This heartrending story gives readers a never-before-seen glimpse of the days and months following the attack on September 11, and the stories that echo from “The Hill”—the hallowed ground of those who perished on that fateful day.

SPECS

  • Imprint: Brown Books Publishing Group

  • BISAC: History / United States / 21St Century

  • Format: Hardcover with printed dust jacket

  • Page Count: 136

  • Publication Date: March 10, 2015

  • ISBN-13: 9781612542430

  • Dimensions: 5.5" x 8.5"

  • US List Price: $18.95

  • Carton QTY: 40

AUTHOR BIO

Frank Marra worked at the Staten Island Landfill World Trade Center Recovery Site from September 2001 until February 2002, an experience that served as inspiration for From Landfill to Hallowed Ground: The Largest Crime Scene in America. His law enforcement career included seventeen years with the New York City Police Department and the rank of Detective and then Lieutenant. He was born in Staten Island, New York, and currently resides in Millstone, New Jersey, with his wife Laura and three sons, Anthony, Dominic, and Frank.

Maria Bellia Abbate, inspired by Frank's experiences at the Recovery Site, was eager to assist in helping to put all his stories and memories together to create From Landfill to Hallowed Ground. Currently she is a teacher in Staten Island. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Maria lives in Millstone, New Jersey, with her husband Michael and her three children, Alexa, Michael, and Delilah.

PRAISE

"From Landfill to Hallowed Ground is a compelling saga, detailing the events following the horrific attack on America on September 11, 2001. Marra details how many first responders, filled with sadness and disbelief, selflessly acted with courage, love, and dignity in what became a massive recovery operation. The heroic efforts of these public servants helped restore our faith in the human spirit in the face of monstrous acts perpetrated upon so many. We shall never forget what they gave, and the victims will never be forgotten." —Anthony J. Marra, Retired Assistant Chief, New York City Police Department

"Lt. Frank Marra, NYPD-Ret., artfully, adeptly, and sensitively takes us through the most horrific experiences of his honored career, leaving no stone unturned. The Staten Island Landfill, 'that sacred and hallowed ground,' became the world's largest 'moveable' crime scene, where the debris was picked apart to find anything that might identify victims who had perished, from human form to dust. This book is a must-read for those who were there, and it is an excellent resource for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers in mass disasters, terrorism, psychological trauma, and the resulting stressors. I urge you to read it." —Richard L. Levenson, Jr., Psy.D., CTS, NYS Licensed Psychologist, Certified Trauma Specialist, Police Surgeon, NYS Troopers PBA