Remembering 9/11: How President Bush Still Cherishes a Fallen Officer's Police Badge

Dad-of-two George Howard, a volunteer firefighter, was killed by falling debris at the World Trade Center site.

Even though September 11, 2001 was George Howard's day off, the volunteer firefighter raced to World Trade Center when he heard about the attacks.

The 45-year-old father-of-two, who was also a police officer at Port Authority, was ultimately killed by falling debris at the site.

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Fourteen years on, INSIDE EDITION is remembering Howard's sacrifice by revisiting our earlier report about him - and looking at how his story continues to resonate with President George W. Bush.

Howard's mother Arlene previously spoke to INSIDE EDITION about her son.

"My son loved to go and fight fires," she said. "He loved to save people's lives."

But after he rushed to the World Trade Center, she said she knew he was not coming back.

"I called my daughter and I said, 'George hasn't called in' and we knew," she said. "We're military and we know that if you don't make the call-in, something's drastically wrong."

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Following her son's death, she gave her son's police badge to President Bush.

Days after the attacks, Bush said that it was given to him as "a proud memorial."

"It is my reminder of lives that ended in a task that does not end," he said.

 A year ago, he paid tribute to Howard as he shared an image of his badge on his Instagram page.

He wrote: "Some will remember an image of a fire, or a story of rescue. Some will carry memories of a face and a voice gone forever.

"And I will carry this: It is the police shield of a man named George Howard, who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others."

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