An Army of Normal Folks

A 24-year-old man dies—and over 10,000 people show up to his funeral, revealing a hidden life of quietly showing up for others. This Shop Talk explores how Pier Giorgio Frassati built that kind of life—and how you can too.
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2,977 people died on 9/11—but the tragedy didn’t end that day. Since then, over 3,000 people have died from Ground Zero-related illnesses, including 409 FDNY firefighters—more than died on the day itself. Niels Jorgensen was part of a whole Army of Normal Folks who put their own lives at risk by volunteering to clean up Ground Zero for 8 months and he contracted the rarest form of leukemia that nearly killed him. This episode reveals the part of 9/11 that most Americans have never been told: it’s still claiming lives.
Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2,977 people died on 9/11—but the tragedy didn’t end that day. Since then, over 3,000 people have died from Ground Zero-related illnesses, including 409 FDNY firefighters—more than died on the day itself. Niels Jorgensen was part of a whole Army of Normal Folks who put their own lives at risk by volunteering to clean up Ground Zero for 8 months and he contracted the rarest form of leukemia that nearly killed him. This episode reveals the part of 9/11 that most Americans have never been told: it’s still claiming lives.
Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Service didn’t disappear—it got outsourced. In this Shop Talk, we unpack the trend of nonprofits shifting from relying on volunteers to paid staff members, how it’s weakening our communities—and why reclaiming responsibility starts with normal folks like you choosing to show up.
Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people don’t find purpose after losing a child—Joe Herr did. After his 4 year-old son died from complications of having cerebral palsy, he started Logan’s Heart and Smiles, a nonprofit that’s helped 450 other families with disabilities by building wheelchair ramps and home modifications —and showing us how service can bring light to the darkest corners of our lives (and the lives of others).
Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#join
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.