COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the dictionary, the word "hero" is defined as a person who is admired for great or brave acts. Jason Thomas exceeds that definition.

What You Need To Know

  • As a Marine, Thomas drove an hour into New York City moments after the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center in 2001

  • Thomas now serves as a security officer at the Ohio Supreme Court

  • Thomas spoke with Spectrum News 1 about what he hopes others will take away from his story

“I see myself as a person who loves to serve. I do not consider myself a hero," Thomas said. “On Sept. 11, I assisted those who needed help. I prayed over the dead, and I saved two Port Authority Police Officers.”

Spend a few minutes with Thomas and you will notice he is quiet, humble, kind and only speaks his story when asked, preferring to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

"We lost a lot of lives, so on Sept. 11 when I reflect back on the day, I think of how many countless men and women who put themselves in harm's way and didn’t make it out to see their families," he said.

He said you never leave your brother behind.

“And my parents raised me to be your brother’s keeper."

Simply put, Thomas said he acted because it was the right thing to do.

“What I want people to take away from that day is [that] there was a lot of courageous who act unordinary. There’s a lot of men and women who lost life and because they put themselves in harm's way. They put themselves in harm's way because they didn’t want to leave their brother behind. They wanted to make a difference in someone else’s life," he said.