Born and raised in New York City, Hank Fellows is an author, songwriter, performer, and educator. On September 11, 2001, Hank was living in Guttenberg, New Jersey, across the Hudson River and north of Ground Zero. Hank was an eyewitness to the immediate aftermath of the destruction of the World Trade Center. In the hours, days and months following the attacks, Hank watched the black smoke rising from the ruins of the Twin Towers as he walked the streets of New York City everyday. It was during these dark days following 9/11/01 that Hank Fellows wrote "The Spirit of America", a love song to his grief-stricken country. His song "Halfway to Heaven" followed soon after, as Hank and the nation began to comprehend the terrible loss of innocent lives on that fateful September day. Hank's two 9/11 songs have been sung by school children across America. Hank has also had the opportunity to speak to, and to perform his songs for audiences across the USA. It was during his appearances at schools, churches, and community groups across America that Hank realized the need for a children's book about 9-11-01, to explain this tragic day in a gentle way that children could understand. "Sirius, The Hero Dog of 9/11" is the result. This 32-page book, illustrated with 19 child-friendly color photographs, is currently being used in elementary and middle-school classrooms to tell the story of tragedy, triumph and courage on the darkest day in America's history. On September 10, 2006, Hank Fellows received a Citation from the New York City Council for his "continued generosity and devotion to the remembrance of September 11th."
