STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- John Wholihan retired from the FDNY in 1996, but on Sept. 11, 2001, he knew he had to go back to work.

Wholihan, formerly of New Brighton, said he and his wife were waiting for the ferry when they saw the first plane hit, and went home.

"I told her I was going to have to go in, so I got on my bike and headed back down to the ferry," he said.

Wholihan retired from Engine 155/Ladder 78 in New Brighton, and was working as the Petrides head basketball coach at the time of the terrorist attacks.

About 20 other emergency responders joined him on that ferry into Manhattan, and when they got off they knew they would have to stick together, Wholihan, who now lives in Naples, Fla., said.

He said they arrived in Manhattan as the second building was falling.

"There were about a thousand people at the ferry trying to get on," Wholihan said. "But when they saw us they all opened up and started clapping. I think it gave us the confidence boost we needed."

They took a bus toward the sight where the towers fell, and when they arrived it was hard to make out what was going on.

"All you could see was the smoke," Wholihan said. "But when it would clear we could see there was nothing left."

He searched through the rubble for the next few hours with the other first responders, came back to Staten Island, and went back in to see how else he could help.

Now, 15 years later, he lives in Florida, but he still comes back from time to time.

"I think living down here helps me," Wholihan said. "It's still sad to think about it."

He knew of all the firefighters who lost their lives that day, but says he lost about 100 friends.

"I miss a lot of my friends," Wholihan said. "Now I see their kids graduating high school and college, and it's still sad."

He said the tragedy of the day should never be forgotten, and believes the memorial site is doing a good job at that.

"I think the building is beautiful, I think the museum is wonderful," Wholihan said.

Almost 3,000 people lost their lives, but Wholihan said some 20,000 were saved by first responders.