位于曼哈顿中城八大道48街上的纽约市消防局54分队4号云梯队，在“9·11”事件发生后最早奔赴世贸现场救援，但上至队长，下至普通队员，全队15人无一返还，成为纽约市消防系统在“9·11”事件中人员牺牲最多的一个队。时至今日，在消防队墙面上挂着的记事板上，依然保留着“9·11”当天队长分排每个队员的工作安排表。
　　2002年11月22日曹勇来到纽约，将一幅同原作尺寸相当的《自由》复制品捐赠给54分队，并现场为消防队员和该分队在“9·11”事件中遇难者的家人签名赠画。参加赠画仪式的一名殉职消防队员的姐姐莲慈说，她的弟弟是为救援困在2号楼电梯里的人牺牲的，留下太太和两个幼小的儿子，半年后遗骸才找到。当她第一次在皇后区交响乐团纪念“9·11”音乐会上看到这幅画时，便为画中所表现的自由民主的精神深深感动，看见这幅画，她就像看见了自己的弟弟，长时间来忧伤的心情轻松了许多。她随后就给曹勇写信要求赠画，她非常感激曹勇的慷慨。54分队队长柏任提说，他们将把这幅画放在消防局最显眼的地方，让所有消防队员都看到。
　　The first fire team to arrive on the site of 9/11 was the 4th Ladder Team of the 54th Fire Contingent of the New York Fire Department. This fire contingent received the most casualties among New York's fire departments, as none of the fifteen firemen returned to their fire station. Even today, their working schedule of 9/11, 2001, remains on the billboard in their office.
　　Cao Yong went to New York on November 22, 2002 and presented the 54th Fire Team with an autographed copy of "Freedom". Berandette Linch was a sister of one of the dead firefighter whose remains were not found until six months later. When she saw the "Freedom" painting, she was deeply moved. She wrote a letter to Cao Yong expressing her appreciation for his donation of the "Freedom" painting to the 54th Fire Contingent of the New York Fire Department of which her brother was a member. Richard Parenty, director of the 54th fire contingent ordered the painting be put in a conspicuous place for all the firefighters to forever see and remember.