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Resilience in aftermath of 9/11: Pleasantville woman produces film honoring husband, widows of NY firefighters

It has been 25 years since Andrea DeGeorge Garbarini lost her husband, Lt. Charles Garbarini.

Melanie Palmer

Sep 8, 2026, 5:30 AM

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A story of human resilience in the wake of an unfathomable tragedy - that's what's behind a film produced by a Pleasantville woman who lost her husband on Sept. 11, 2001.

"You would think it would be easier after 25 years but I will say, it's still there," said Andrea DeGeorge Garbarini.

It has been 25 years since Andrea DeGeorge Garbarini lost her husband, Lt. Charles Garbarini.

"Charlie responded to World Trade Center 3, the Marriott hotel. He was sent in there to get all guests out or anybody that was left and when the South Tower was hit, it fell on top of the Marriott hotel," Garbarini told News 12.

Garbarini was an emergency room nurse at the time.

On Sept. 12, Garbarini says she went down to the area to volunteer and to look for Charlie.

"I personally felt in my gut that he was gone. The devastation was beyond comprehension," said Garbarini.

Throughout that devastation, Garbarini says her Westchester community of Pleasantville really helped her, along with their two kids.

"People were there for us. The children continued in school. We did the best we can to move in a direction that would support them and support my family," Garbarini explained.

News 12 spoke with Garbarini inside the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville.

"After Sept. 11, I knew that there were friends of mine and women that were widows that were doing incredible things to honor their husbands and I wanted to make a film to honor them," said Garbarini.

That film is called "From the Ground Up." It was created in 2011.

"There are incredible things that were done. My friend has two autistic children and she opened group homes to help children and adults on the spectrum. I have another friend that started a library in her town," Garbarini said.

She says it's about human resilience. The film will be playing on Sept. 10 at the Jacob Burns Film Center.

"It's about being handed something that was so tragic and trying to make the best out of a tragic situation," said Garbarini.

For details on the upcoming showing of the film, CLICK HERE.

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