 With fellow U.S. Marine David Karnes, he helped find a pair of Port Authority Police officers buried in the rubble of the World Trade Center.On September 11, 2001, Thomas was dropping his daughter off at the home of his mother on Long Island when she told him planes had struck the towers.The 27-year-old Thomas, having left active duty in August 2001, quickly put on his Marine uniform, sped to Manhattan, and had just parked his car when the North Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed.