Eric was 12 years old when his older brother, Paul, went into work at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Paul didn't make it out. And things at home turned ugly.

"Paul was the peacekeeper in the family," said Eric, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. "Suddenly Paul was gone and we no longer had the mediator, and my mother and I started clashing worse than ever before."

Now, ten years after the loss of his brother, Eric said acting helped him work through his anger and grief.

"Theater is what kept me alive," he said, "because I had something to channel all of my emotions and experiences into." 

Eric participated in the WNYC Radio Rookies "Our 9/11" program and his radio story will air on Sept. 9 on WNYC 93.9 FM during Morning Edition. Listen to his story here.