Joel Gould
Queensland players have embraced an inspirational message from New York firefighter James Dowdell as they prepare to unite as one in the State of Origin’s battle.
Dowdell, who became a New York Fire Department (FDNY) lieutenant on what would have been his father’s 70th birthday, was invited by coach Billy Slater to speak to the players at camp Saturday about his experience.
James turned 17 the day before his father, Lt. Kevin Dowdell of Rescue 4, died in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Kevin Dowdell was one of 343 firefighters who lost their lives helping others that fateful day.
The unity and resilience of the FDNY came to the fore during and after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
James and older brother Patrick joined the search and rescue mission in the rubble with firefighters in a united band.
Dowdell said his theme for the players was about “resilience, leadership, taking action and having a strong outlook on life”.
“And we go together,” he said.
“A team is only as good as everyone working as a unit.
“What makes a uniform good is not the individual, it’s all the members who put it in front of you and all the people who support you.”
Maroons defender Lindsay Collins said Dowdell’s story about firefighters was inspiring.
“He said they don’t do a building assessment. They go straight to war,” Collins said.
“It has to do with us next Wednesday night. We’re going straight down into the fire and we’re going together. It was good to get that message.”
New York firefighters were motivated for the right reasons, Dowdell said.
“It wasn’t about the pay checks or the glory. Guys acted a certain way because it was the moral and right thing to do,” he said.
“My older brother and I were able to wake up with the firehouse people, join them and get a first-hand experience of what they were working on…. digging out all the missing people.
“We were able to survive. Looking back we are proud to get the first account instead of sitting on the sidelines.”
Dowdell became a New York City firefighter and carried on his father’s legacy.
“I think it’s the same with a lot of these people who grew up playing rugby league and their fathers played,” he said.
“That’s what you know. That’s what I knew and I enjoyed it. I saw how it made my father happy.”
Maroons defender Tino Fa’asuamaleaui was touched and inspired by Dowdell’s story.
“When he lost his father … he came from his mother making his lunch the day before and just jumped right in like a volunteer to find his father during the rubble,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.
“He said that in one day he became an adult and grew up. That really touched me, because in life things happen and he just had to manage his team – firefighters, volunteers and his family – and he went ahead in the most difficult thing. He did his job and helped.
“For him to go, ‘I want to carry on my father’s dream’ and be as good as his father and hold on to his name was very powerful.
“In the sense of Origin, we wear our last names and we get to defend our family name.”
Fa’asuamaleaui said that “having someone from there (USA) who understands our game and loves our game tell his story was great”.
“There are a lot of things he said about being together as a team that we can take from,” he said.
AAP
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