Apparently heroism runs in the Andruzzi family.

Twelve years ago, during the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the three brothers of Joe Andruzzi were working as firefighters in New York City. They were some of the first responders to the attacks on the World Trade Centers.

On Monday, when tragedy struck Boston, it was Joe Andruzzi's turn to help.

Sports fans may recognize Andruzzi for his time in the NFL. After attending Southern Connecticut State University, Andruzzi played professionally as a guard for nine years. He won three Super Bowls with the Patriots during his four-year tenure in New England.

Now Andruzzi, a cancer survivor himself, runs a foundation which raises support and awareness for pediatric brain cancer. Each year the Joe Andruzzi Foundation organizes a team of runners in the Boston Marathon, and so on Monday Andruzzi found himself in the middle of all the chaos after a pair of bombs exploded near the race's finish line.

While Andruzzi's exact whereabouts during the race are still unclear, an amazing photo emerged of the 37-year-old carrying an injured woman to safety. The image was captured on Exeter Street, which is the last cross street before the finish line.

On Monday night Andruzzi confirmed that he and his wife are safe and also tweeted a thank you message to the emergency personnel.


Boston Marathon Explosions: How You Can Help