Fall River Man Honored For Bravery At Statehouse Ceremony

A Fall River man who rushed into a burning building to alert residents to a fire has been honored with a civilian bravery award given each year on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The award presented at the Statehouse on Thursday is named for Madeline Amy Sweeney, a flight attendant aboard one of the jetliners hijacked from Boston and flown into the World Trade Center towers.

Sweeney discreetly provided ground crews with some of the first information about the terrorists.

Michael DeSousa was credited with knocking on doors to warn residents about the July 6, 2013 fire and carrying one elderly woman to safety.

Other events in Boston included a wreath-laying in the Public Garden at a memorial to the more than 200 victims with Massachusetts ties.