News 12 at 11 o'clock / Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011

CLEARWATER, S.C. -- Joanne Kennelly and Rick Doran never met before until today: Sept. 11, 2011.

"I had to meet him today. I made it my goal that I was going to meet him today," said Joanne Kennelly, whose brother, Paul Tegtmeier died when the South Tower collapsed.

"It was a big day for me," said Rick Doran, the former New York firefighter she came to meet.

The two New Yorkers live in Augusta and Aiken today. They're not related, but they say they're family now.

"This just makes it a little bit more special, brings it a little bit closer, because now I know, you know, I attach a face to somebody," said Doran upon meeting a tearful Kennelly.

That somebody is Paul Tegtmeier, a New York City firefighter killed on 9/11. His remains, to this day, have never been found or identified.

Paul's sister, Joanne Kennelly showed a picture of Paul to Doran, who was one of the first responders on that September morning. Doran had seen the face of the rookie firefighter before.

"Many times. Many times, and I had wondered who that probie was, you know," he said.

"This is somebody who I feel had that connection with my brother -- who can relate, was in the fire department, knows exactly what my brother went through," said Kennelly.

"Living down here, I'm kind of sheltered from that. I know all my folks that I was in a company with, but down here, you know, I just kind of talk with people about it. Now, I associate a face with a name and with a family, and so it's a little bit different," Doran said.

And so after all the remembrance ceremonies, they held their own. The two sat and talked quietly about the hero who gave the ultimate sacrifice ten years ago: Paul Tegtmeier

"He was great. I couldn't have asked for a better brother. I miss him. A lot," said Kennelly of Tegtmeier.

"That day, 25,000 people were saved because of people like him. That's something you got to take to the bank. He was going upstairs -- up 20 something floors -- while everyone was getting out, telling people to get out. For all we know, he was carrying somebody out," Doran said.

Ten years later, Kennelly may not have any remains of her brother or the strength yet to visit the place where he died, but she now has a new family member living right up U.S. 1.

"Awesome. Absolutely awesome," she said.

The two exchanged contact information. They hope we remember all those sacrifices not just on the anniversaries.

As for Kennelly, she's yet to visit Ground Zero. After meeting with Doran, however, she feels she may be emotionally ready to make that trip.