Rob Fazio, the son of 9/11 hero Ronald Fazio Sr., has launched a new artificial intelligence tool called Doora to help people navigate grief and trauma. The AI chatbot offers voice and text support 24/7, and was designed by a team of lawyers, psychologists, and business leaders to reach those who are hesitant to seek help. Doora is the latest initiative from Hold the Door, a nonprofit founded in memory of Fazio Sr.'s heroism, which has been working on post-traumatic growth for 24 years. The tool aims to provide support to people who struggle with grief when therapy or other forms of support are not available.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On October 8, 2024, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was killed, an event that has become a significant marker for young conservatives in America, akin to September 11, 2001 and the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. The day of his death is now referred to by some as 9/10, symbolizing its impact on political activism among students. Meanwhile, the small Canadian town of Gander played a pivotal role during the September 11 attacks when U.S. airspace was closed, leading to 38 international flights landing there, doubling the population overnight and necessitating an impromptu humanitarian effort by locals to aid around 7,000 stranded passengers and crew members for several days. This act of kindness inspired the Broadway musical "Come From Away," which highlights Gander's generosity and humanity in times of crisis.
Written for “9/11 Anniversary Reflections” on 2026-09-12,
grounded in this article and the 167 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 8089 · logged 2026-09-11
A father's legacy is living on through a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps others navigate grief and trauma — two-and-a-half decades after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
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others → live → attacks
Launched on the 25th anniversary of the horrific attacks on U.S. soil, Doora is a new AI grief companion from Hold the Door, a nonprofit founded in memory of Ronald Fazio Sr., who was killed after helping his coworkers evacuate the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
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coworkers → launch → Center
"We designed Doora to be a bridge for people in the moment when they're going through a very difficult time so they can have a moment... where they say, 'Maybe I can get through this.
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I → design → this
Maybe I can grow from this experience,'" Rob Fazio, Fazio Sr.'s son and founder of Hold the Door, told Fox News Digital.
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Fazio → grow → Digital
The foundation of Doora is built upon our 24 years of experience and research on post-traumatic growth and growth through loss and adversity.
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foundation → build → loss
"
The 24/7 chatbot, which Fazio described as a "growth guide," offers voice and text support to help people navigate grief when therapy or support from counselors, friends or family isn't an option.
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therapy → describe → counselors
In a world increasingly skeptical but reliant on AI tools, a team of lawyers, psychologists and business leaders worked together to create Doora specifically for people who are hesitant to seek help.
"Where we used to have people come to us, we realized that going to people and meeting them where they are physically, emotionally and psychologically gets much better results," he said.
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he → work → results
Every Hold the Door initiative, including the new AI tool launch, is intended to honor his father and his final act of heroism, according to Fazio.
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initiative → hold → Fazio
"His natural instinct of putting others first was really the birth of Hold the Door for others," he recalled of his father.
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he → put → father
"That's what me and my family have done for the last 25 years."
Hold the Door also offers free workshops, grief resources and community programs inspired by the resilience that followed 9/11.
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that → do → 9/11
Fazio said grieving without his father's remains brought unique challenges that he and his family had to work through.
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he → say → that
At the memorial service, they filled a coffin with treasured belongings that reflected the life his father lived.
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father → fill → life
"In the absence of a body, sometimes it is hard to grieve," he said.
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he → grieve → body
That day, Fazio made a promise that would later inspire his nonprofit.
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that → make → nonprofit
"I'll never forget, I was in a Catholic Church when we were doing the service, and I said, 'You know, my dad was a quiet man, but his legacy is going to be damn loud,'" he said.
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he → forget → service
That promise now lives on through Hold the Door and Doora, which Fazio said is designed to "really walk with users" through grief.
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Fazio → live → grief
"We really are supportive and at the same time give people a little nudge toward their future while they're honoring a loved one they lost or some adversity that they faced," he said.
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he → give → that
When grief feels overwhelming, Fazio said Doora can help people keep their pain from defining who they are or what comes next.
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what → feel → pain
"You are who you are, and we can help you develop and create more of who you want to be," he said.
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he → help → who
