9/11 and What It Means To Me Now

When the terrorist attacks on 9/11 happened in 2001, our whole world was turned upside down. Everything we knew about our safety and security changed.  We became more aware of the larger world around us. Then it happened all over again. The terror attack in Benghazi, Libya on 9/11 of 2012 was less impactful from a human casualty standpoint but more impactful (to me and hundreds, if not thousands, of others) on a personal level. Glen ‘BUB’ Doherty was among the four Americans killed in that attack while working to save American lives. Glen was my roommate, my best friend (hell of a brother), and a best friend to all that knew him. He was that special of a human. If you’ve read the BUBS story then you know all the great things he stood for.  As I sit here and reflect on Glen, and 9/11, and what they both mean to me it occurs to me that my feeling around 9/11 has been shifting these past few years. You see, I’m less ‘angry’ at what happened and more and more grateful for what Glen has left behind for me and for all of us. Try to understand, Glen was literally best friends with hundreds of people. That’s no small feat. He kept in touch with them all, made them each feel special in some way, and genuinely cared about what was happening in their lives. That’s rare. That’s special. That is way way more impactful than a Facebook ‘like’.  Hell I’ve joked that ole G was the Facebook before Facebook. That brings me to this pivot in thinking of Glen around this time of year. I’m grateful to all Americans who have laid down their lives so we can know freedom and our American way of life. I’m grateful for Glen’s way, his way of connecting so many good people together. I have friends now through Glen that I would not have known without him. He blended Massholes, ski bums, and Navy SEALs seamlessly. And I was lucky enough to be connected to each of these special groups. For example, during Glens time in the Navy, he served in SEAL Team 3 with three NY Times best selling authors and one of the most skilled knife makers I’ve ever met. (Admittedly I only know two knife makers.) 

I knew Mike Ritland when he and Glen were just getting out of the Navy. He’d swing by the house, swap stories with Glen and me, then I’d fade out and those two would talk for hours. Mike and I not only kept in touch after Glen, we’ve become friends and he’s someone whose opinion I value. His podcast ‘’ is a must listen. Clint Emerson aka @100DeadlySkills worked with Glen for years and fondly recalls their time together in his new book ‘The Right Kind of Crazy’. We recently connected on an Instagram Live and he is just as entertaining in real life as he is in his books. Shane Hiatt aka SH9 Edgeworks has become one of my closest friends.  Of all Glens teammates I’ve known Shane the longest. Not only does he make world class knives (pieces of steel that are functional works of art) he will drive across the country to spend time with you and will help you ‘bury the body’ as only a close friend would. When the idea for BUBS came up three years ago I called Shane for his thoughts. Never one to mince words he famously said, “Glen would kick your ass if you don’t do this.”  These are but a few of the amazing characters I’ve come to know and call friends since Glen’s passing. I have Glen to thank for that. We all have Glen (and countless others who’ve laid down their lives for us) to thank for that. So as we take a solemn moment to remember both 9/11’s, maybe stop for a moment to give thanks and appreciation not just for the sacrifices made but for the love and friendships left behind and new ones born from tragedy.  It won’t take away from what happened, but it does replace the anger with something far more useful, friendship. And as Glen used to say ‘Friends are Family.”

-- Sean Co-Founder of BUBS Naturals