Crystal Lake resident, Sept. 11 survivor shares story in new book

Crystal Lake resident Ryan Yantis, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army who survived the attack on the Pentagon, is one of 12 people to share their memories of Sept. 11 in a new book.

The book – “9/11 Survivors’ Stories: Midwest Memories” – contains the accounts of eight Sept. 11, 2001, survivors, all Midwesterners, according to the release. Yantis is one of two who write about the attack on the Pentagon, and six others experienced the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Gary Sinise, an actor and veteran advocate, penned the forward of the book, which went on sale in August.

The book also includes a chapter with perspective from Willow House staff, a regional therapeutic counseling center that helped victim families and many of the survivors in the area. Its team writes about the trauma and post-traumatic stress techniques used to address the symptoms of survivors.

Published by nonprofit, American Pride Inc., writers were not compensated and the copy-editing, proofreading, design, and legal assistance were provided pro bono. All the profits from the book will be “used to help preserve the history, as well as provide hope and healing,” said . Don Bacso, American Pride Inc. president and one of the authors.

Yantis, who has given thousands of speeches over the last 20 years, is the vice president of American Pride Inc.

“There is a generation born in those 20 years we hope will find this book helpful to authentically understand the tragedy,” Yantis said in a release.