Veteran character actor Steve Buscemi has revealed that he experienced post-traumatic stress disorder after heroically helping rescue survivors in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.
The “Reservoir Dogs,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Sopranos” legend dropped the bombshell during an emotional appearance Thursday on the “WTF Podcast: with Marc Maron.”
“I was depressed, I was anxious, I couldn’t make a simple decision,” divulged the 63-year-old Emmy winner, who had worked as a firefighter in the 1980s, and then courageously volunteered to aid search and recovery efforts following 9/11.
Buscemi said he called the fire house multiple times on the day of the attacks but there was no answer, so he traveled to the site and found his old company, Engine 55, working there.
“I asked if I could join them,” said the “Fargo” actor, adding “I could tell they were a little suspicious at first, but I worked with them that day.”
Buscemi worked grueling 12-hour shifts alongside other brave first responders but would reportedly refuse pics and interviews — indeed very few photos exist of the actor during that time.
The experience reportedly left the “Ghost World” star emotionally devastated.
“I haven’t experienced any health issues, and I get myself checked out — but definitely, yeah, post-traumatic stress? Absolutely,” admitted Buscemi.
He continued, “I was only there for like five days, but when I stopped going and tried to just live my life again, it was really, really hard.”
On the 20th anniversary of the horrific tragedy, Buscemi admitted those harrowing few days following 9/11 will stay with him forever.
“There are times when I talk about 9/11 and I’m right back there,” he told Maron. “I start to get choked up and I realize, ‘Ah, this is still a big part of me.’”
The thespian has even been a part of several film projects about September 11, including co-producing “A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY,” a 2014 documentary about NYC about New York City firefighters that describes their experiences during that fateful day. Most recently, Buscemi served as executive producer of “Dust: The Lingering Legacy Of 9/11,” which discusses the ongoing health problems faced by firefighters who were at Ground Zero.
