NEW YORK — We all know Steve Buscemi as an iconic actor who's been in some of the biggest blockbusters on the silver screen and critically acclaimed TV shows — "Armageddon," "The Big Lebowski," "The Sopranos" and "Boardwalk Empire," just to name a few.
But, did you also know he is a former firefighter?
Buscemi was a firefighter in the Little Italy area of Manhattan from 1980-1984, when he left to become a full-time actor.
However, after the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Buscemi found himself back at Engine Company 55.
On September 12, 2001, the day after the tragedy, Buscemi returned to his roots to help out his fellow New Yorkers.
According to Yahoo, Engine 55 had lost four firefighters on 9/11.
"From September 12, he worked 12-hours-a-day for a week, helping his former colleagues search for survivors (343 firefighters were killed when the towers collapsed), digging through the remains of the World Trade Center for signs of life and helping to take away those who had lost their lives," Yahoo reports.
It was only about seven years ago that anyone found out about the actor's selflessness.
On the Brotherhood of Fire Facebook page, Jonathan Lusk, a fire captain in Fresno, California, brought Buscemi's good deeds to light.
In 2014, Buscemi produced a documentary for HBO, "A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY," where he explores the daily lives of New York City firefighters.
Today, Buscemi serves on the advisory board for the nonprofit Friends of Firefighters.
Friends of Firefighters is a 501(C)3 organization dedicated to providing free, confidential mental health and wellness services to New York City's active and retired firefighters and their families.