Charleston, SC, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Palmetto Publishing has released Engine 26, a new memoir by Mary Farino-Thomas and Robert Trotta. The book chronicles the life of Mary Farino-Thomas before, during, and after September 11, 2001, when her husband Tom, a firefighter with Engine Company 26, responded to the World Trade Center and never returned home. 

The memoir opens in the neighborhoods of Queens, New York, where Mary and Tom first met as teenagers and built a life together. It moves through the ordinary rhythms of marriage and motherhood into the chaos of that September morning, when Tom’s engine company was dispatched to the towers. What follows is a detailed, first-person account of the hours, days, and years that came after. With the assistance of retired FDNY Firefighter, Rory Maguire, retired FDNY Firefighter, Michael Incantalupo and her nephew, retired Captain of the West Hamilton Beach, Queens, volunteer fire department, Richie Farino, Mary and Robert reconstruct the timeline of Engine Company 26’s movements on September 11, documenting the actions of the firefighters who served alongside her husband in a story that has largely gone untold. 

At the center of the narrative is a set of questions that haunted Mary for more than twenty years. Where was Tom in the final hours? What exactly was Engine 26 doing that day? And why were those answers so difficult to find? The book traces her persistent search through official records, personal accounts, and the frustrations of incomplete information. It is also a record of grief without closure, of raising children in the shadow of a loss that offered no remains and few explanations, and of the slow, difficult work of rebuilding a life from the wreckage of the unimaginable. 

Mary Farino-Thomas stated, “Writing this book was one of the most difficult tasks I’ve ever taken on. The result is something I am extremely proud of. I achieved everything I set out to accomplish. This book gives me the peace I’ve been needing the past twenty-five years.” 

The book arrives at a time when first-person September 11 narratives continue to find a committed readership among those who lived through the event and seek accounts that go beyond the headline coverage. Engine 26 sits alongside memoirs such as An Unbroken Bond by Edie Lutnick and Reluctant Hero by Michael Benfante, works that center the human cost behind the historical record. It is written for adults who remember that day, for first responder families, for New Yorkers, and for readers drawn to stories of resilience and the long aftermath of national tragedy. 

Engine 26 is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information about the authors, please visit any of their social media platforms. 

 

Mary Farino-Thomas 

Facebook: Mary Farino Thomas 

Instagram: @maryfarinothomas 

Website: maryfarinothomasauthor.com 

 

Robert Trotta 

Facebook: Robert Trotta – Author 

Instagram: @rtrotta123 

TikTok: @roberttrotta123 

 

About the Authors: Mary Farino-Thomas and Robert Trotta join voices in Engine 26, a powerful memoir that takes readers into the heart of the September 11, 2001 experience. Mary is also the author of Almondine Squirrel; I Thought You Were My Friend, bringing prior publishing experience to this deeply personal collaboration. Robert, a lifelong resident of Queens, New York, offers a perspective rooted in one of the communities most profoundly affected by the events of that day. 
 
Drawn together by their shared connection to 9/11 and its lasting impact, Mary and Robert set out to tell a story that captures the full emotional arc of the tragedy: the ordinary days leading up to it, the chaos and courage of the day itself, and the long, difficult journey of rebuilding life in its aftermath. Engine 26 is a testament to resilience, written for the first responders, their families, fellow New Yorkers, and all readers who carry the memory of that day and seek stories of endurance and healing. 
 
Mary Farino-Thomas was born and raised in Ozone Park, New York, and currently resides in Oakdale, New York, with her husband, Brian. Between them they have three adult children and four grandchildren. A retired Circuit Billing Analyst for the airlines, Mary splits her time between New York and Myrtle Beach, where she devotes herself to reading, writing, and enjoying her grandchildren. Robert Trotta continues to reside in Queens with his wife, Giovanna, and their son, Matthew. Follow Mary Farino-Thomas and Robert Trotta for updates on new releases. 

Media Contact: publicity@palmettopublishing.com 

Available for interviews: Authors, Mary Farino-Thomas and Robert Trotta 

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Palmetto Publishing
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