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Gray received an American flag from Retired General George W. Casey for his services during the 9/11 attacks. 

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Robert Gray was the battalion chief in the Arlington County Fire Department. On 9/11, he served as the captain of the technical rescue station and he heard that an aircraft went down in the Crystal City area, which was Arlington’s jurisdiction. When he arrived at Arlington, he was pretty sure that the plane flew into the Pentagon. After reaching the Pentagon, he and his team entered the building with the aim of finding any survivors. However, after going on the way to the impacted area on the first floor, he and his team realized that they were not going to find any survivors. Due to this, for the first couple of days, his team cleaned up all of the building and plane debris. Once that was managed, they went to get the bodies and personal possessions of the people out of the building. At the end, he and the Technical Rescue Team gathered around a flag, said a couple of words, requested a clergy to say a prayer, and paid their respects to people who lost their lives in this act of terrorism.

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The Sky during 9/11 was clear and perfect for flying.  People in charge of air traffic control were expecting it to be a great day for the job.  At 9:03 AM when planes crashed into the twin towers it was ordered that all departures of civilian aircraft prohibited.  At 9:37 AM when the Pentagon was attacked it was ordered that all aircraft land at the nearest airport as soon as possible.  It became clear that work at air traffic control had a lot of work cut out for them as they worked quickly and efficiently as one could work during a crisis as they grounded flights.  It was by 12:16 PM when all commercial air flights were on the ground.https://text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2021/09/10/shutting-down-the-sky-the-federal-aviation-administration-on-9-11/

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The story of Joe was a good one. This funny, intelligent, and former FDNY Lieutenant, who was twice buried alive on September 11, 2001, tells incredible tales and imparts important lessons that his listeners will never forget. Joe travels the globe as a professional speaker on a mission to "Re-Unite the States of America," reviving patriotism, praising the military personnel, working with youth, and motivating audiences of all kinds to embrace change and pursue their ambitions.

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This is a picture of President Bush at the Pentagon, greeting and thanking first responders and military personnel for their help.

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Vivaan Bendapudi - President George W Bush’s response to 9/11.

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Vivaan Bendapudi - President George W Bush’s response to 9/11.

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On September 11th, 2001 the terrorist group al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger planes in the United States. Two of the hijacked planes were flown into the twin towers in New York City. The third plane was flown into the Pentagon in Virginia, and the fourth plane, was suppose to hit the White House or the Capitol. Luckily, passengers on this plane were able to stop the hijackers from every reaching these locations by storming the cockpit and crashing the plane in rural Pennsylvania.

At the time of these events, the President of the United States was George W Bush. On the morning of 9/11, President Bush was visiting Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida to spread his national agenda, which was to enable a better education for everyone. In the middle of reading to a class, he was told that America was attacked. He made sure to keep calm and composed to make sure none of the kids would start to panic. Once he finished reading, he went to a different classroom to be briefed on what had happened and to address the country and confirm that the rumors are true; American has been attacked. After addressing the nation, President Bush left to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana on Air Force One to gather more information on the hijacking’s and creating a plan to stop the hijackers. He also addressed the press and answered any questions they might have. Bush had been doing all of these things away from the Oval Office. Luckily, he was able to reach the White House later that day. This is when Bush formally addressed the nation. He would go on to say things like “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America” and “These acts can shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steal of American resolve.” These two statements specifically gave Americans across the country hope that the attackers will be severely punished and that America will bounce back better than ever from this short setback. Over the next few days after 9/11, President Bush would go to the Pentagon and the fallen World Trade Centers to assess the damage done and conducted military response efforts. He would also take the time to remember all of the first responders that had died saving people from the Towers or the Pentagon. Overall, President Bush, even in the darkest times, was able to light a fire under America and motivate them and unite them like no one in this country has done before. Due to Bush’s efforts, many changes have been made over the years to make sure nothing like this will happen every again.

Link/source: https://www.georgewbushlibrary.gov/explore/exhibits/911-steel-american-resolve

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Michael Hingson and his partner David Frank were doing their jobs for the corporation they work for on the 78th floor until they heard a faint explosion and felt the building shake. David started escorting everyone and they panicked. But Michael Hingson remained calm and let his guide dog, Roselle, guide him to the exit because he was blind. Because of Roselle, Michael safely found shelter in a subway station.

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Michael Hingson felt a sense of calmness as he walked floor by floor - exiting the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Hingson has been blind since birth and he, with his former guide dog, Roselle, had to work as a team to find their way to safety.

Hingson, the author of "Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog and the Triumph of Trust," recently shared his story at Saint Leo University.

He was accompanied by his current guide dog, Alamo.

During his talk, Hingson detailed what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, but also shared experiences from throughout his life that gave him the instincts to survive that devastating day.

On 9/11, Hingson said he and his business partner, David Frank, were working for the Artecon corporation on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower.

As they prepared for an important presentation, Hingson said, "suddenly we heard a muffled explosion, the building shook.

"Then it began to tip. We moved about 20 feet, I think," he said.

Frank began shouting for everyone to leave the office, imploring Hingson to come along.

Hingson, and his guide dog, Roselle, evacuated with everyone.

Hingson remained calm and tried to assure Frank to do the same.

He said he was able to contain his emotions because he previously had developed a mindset that kicked in automatically.

Before the day of the attacks, he said: "I kept thinking almost every day I went in, 'What if there's an emergency today? What do I do?'

So, when he had to suddenly leave the building, he said, "I was prepared."

As people descended the stairs, Hingson noticed a familiar smell - jet fuel.

He had not yet learned that a commercial airplane had slammed into the North Tower, just floors above his office.

The South Tower had already been hit by a second plane when Hingson and others exited from the North Tower.

He and his business partner were still in the vicinity when the South Tower began collapsing.

"As I started to run, the first thought I had in my brain was: 'God I can't believe that you got us out of a building just to have it fall on us.'

"I heard a voice that said, 'Don't worry about what you can't control. Focus on running with Roselle and the rest will take care of its self.'"

With the assistance of his guide dog, Hingson found shelter in a subway station - where he found others who had gone underground to keep safe.

They were escorted out by a police officer and Hingson was later reunited with his wife, Karen.

Hingson told the audience that his ability to navigate through the world - even though he is blind - began when he was just a little boy.

"I was born two months premature and was put in an incubator," Hingson said, explaining that a pure oxygen environment can cause blindness.

When he was four months old, his aunt noticed he wasn't reacting to sunlight.

The doctor confirmed the baby was blind and said nothing could be done.

The doctor went on to tell Hingson's parents that the infant wouldn't amount to anything and should be placed in a special home.

But, his parents didn't accept that prediction.

They believed their son could live a productive and successful life.

Their attitude was: "Blindness isn't going to be the problem," Hingson said, and that made all of the difference.

When he was 5, the family moved from Chicago to California.

He began to learn braille in kindergarten and his parents got him a braille writing machine.

They also gave him freedom to go outdoors, like his older brother, Ellery.

Even though Hingson was blind, he frequently walked to the candy store, and rode his bike on his own, he recalled.

"It wasn't even scary for me," he said. "What it did teach me though, was how to be aware of my surroundings."

Neighbors, however, would express concern about his safety.

But, Hingson said he didn't want to be treated differently from other kids.

The issue, Hingson said, is people's misconception that "eyesight is the only game in town."

When he was 14, he received his first guide dog - a golden retriever.

He developed an interest for electronics and magnetism, which led to a master's degree in physics, at the University of California-Irvine.

During his career, he sold machines that could read print to the blind.

He also sold data entry machines to companies, lawyers and banks, too.

He joined The National Federation of the Blind, advocating for civil rights.

And, he married.

While working for the Artecon corporation, Hingson was transferred to New York where he opened up another branch.

That is why he was working in the North Tower of the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, when it was struck by a commercial airliner that had been hijacked by terrorists.

The 9/11 terror attack involved a total of four commercial airliners. Two were crashed into the Twin Towers, another was crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth never reached its intended target because it was forced down by its crew and passengers in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The 9/11 terrorist attacks caused a total of 2,977 fatalities.

But, Hingson and his guide dog, Roselle, made it out.

Hingson appreciates the teamwork between him and Roselle that led to their survival. He thinks so highly of Roselle, who has since died, that he dedicated his book to the dog.

"When I work with a guide dog, it's all about creating a team. It's all about all of us working together to accomplish a task," said Hingson, who travels across the country, to share his experiences.

While he appreciates the bond that he has shared with his guide dogs, Hingson reminded the crowd that people can experience special bonds, too.

"We each have to show each other how we add value to what the other does," Hingson said.
Published March 4, 2020

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78 floors up, blind man and guide dog survive 9/11

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Michael Hingson felt a sense of calmness as he walked floor by floor - exiting the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Hingson has been blind since birth and he, with his former guide dog, Roselle, had to work as a team to find their way to safety.

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Marcy Borders also known as “The Dust Lady” is recognized by many when photographed covered in concrete dusk as well as ash. Marcy showes an immense amount of fear in this photo as her mouth is opened trying to communicate with the photographer according to the article. This picture really does a good job at representing how before the tragic event took place, it was just a normal day in which citizens were going to their regular day jobs as she is wearing work attire, but in seconds everything can change. Due to the amount of toxins Borders inhaled she ended up developing stomach cancer in which she had to fight for a year until she passed. Marcy Borders is honored until this day by many paying their respect and remembering her.

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9/11 ‘Dust Lady’ Marcy Borders: depression, rehab, back from the brink – then a final bombshell

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The photo of her covered in debris went around the world. For 10 years she struggled with the trauma. Just as she was recovering, cancer dealt a fatal blow

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Tanishhkaa Kumar: “The Man In The Red Bandana”

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Tanishhkaa Kumar: “The Man In The Red Bandana”

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https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/09/11/september-11-man-red-bandanna

Welles Remy Crowther was born on May 17th of 1977. He was an American equities trader and a volunteered firefighter. During the 9/11 attacks he save 18 lives by showing them how to get out of the South Tower. These survivors recall seeing a man with a red bandana covering his face as he came up to them and in a calm but authoritative voice lead them to an exit. At the time nobody knew who he was, he led the survivors out of the building and ran back in. When the towers collapsed his body was found in the rubble. When Welles was younger he’d ask his father for a handkerchief to put in his shirt pocket, for show and a red bandana in his back pocket for blows. He always carried that red bandana around. Around the time of the attacks he was an equity trader in the Sandler O’Niell investment back in the south tower. One day a woman who worked in the same office asked him about the bandana, and he told her “With this red bandana I’m going to change the world”. The last weekend he saw his parents before the attacks his mom recalls him saying he’s “meant to be a part of something really, really big”. Ling Young was one of the 18 lived Welles saved. It was a long process for his mother Alison to track him down, she finally realized it was her son after his death. She finally realized when she was reading an antics and found out that he was covering his face with a red bandana. His father would blow a kiss into the sky every time he read the honoring speech for his son. He definitely did change the world especially for those 18 survivors.

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The devastating attack on 9/11 and the horror that people felt that day. Both large economy size planes misled into the North and South Towers. On the second of impact many lives were lost. With these two massive planes crashing it caused a horrific amounts of black smoke. There was so much black smoke combined with debris as well as dust, inhaling it can lead to many medical problem which happened. But all these substances it created such a enormous dark cloud seen from space satellites. The amount of damage was done was imparable, the destruction done from before and after is unimaginable. The trail of this smoke lasted weeks making surrounding air deadly. https://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/features/sept11.html

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https://www.ksat.com/features/2021/09/10/a-key-rescue-on-911-how-a-janitor-at-the-world-trade-center-used-this-tool-to-save-lives/     https://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/07/prweb543289.htm

William Rodriguez is a former custodian who was on duty during 9/11. The morning of the attack he was working in the basement when he heard explosions. Rodriguez fortunately had a master key that could open all the doors in either tower. Using this key Rodriguez was able to open the doors on various floors and help lead firefighters and police through the building. He risked his life and re-entered the building three separate times to help more people. If not for his brave actions the amount of casualties likely would have been much higher.

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Thomas Girgis 9/11 Genelle Guzman Mcillan

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Thomas Girgis 9/11 Genelle Guzman Mcillan

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While Genelle Guzman McMillan was working when she felt the North Tower was shaking. Then she thought it was an earthquake. When she witnessed the South Tower getting struck, her and her co-workers quickly noticed they were in an emergency.. They all quickly went downstairs on foot, and for a moment Genelle was disconnected from the group with her co-workers. She was crushed under the destruction, her faced was burned, and her head was wedged between two pillars. Before she gave up, some man with the name of Paul came to her and helped her out. She was the last person recused from the twin towers.

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Caption Freitas was sleeping when the plane hit the towers. The day before he took a few people on a joyride on his boat the Adirondack. He was woken up and when he looked at the TV he was horrified. He immediately started up his boat. Most people there didn’t think much. Freitas was about to take part in what is now known as the 9/11 boat lift. The 9/11 Boat Lift was one of the biggest water evacuation. Transporting around 500,000 people form Manhattan to NJ. All types of boats came to the shore. Yachts, farriers and even small tugboats came the help. They wanted to help in anyway they could. If you were in Manhattan at the time the only way to get out of that island was the water. That is why the Boat Lift was an important event that took place that day that insured the safety of those people. Without the help of all those strangers that just did what was right and kind that day, a lot more people would have died that day. This is the Untold Story of Boat Lift.

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Sahil Gupte: 9/11 The Man in the Red Bandana

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Sahil Gupte: 9/11 The Man in the Red Bandana

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Wells Crowther was 24 years old at the time of the 9/11 attack, and he worked as an equities trader and a volunteer firefighter. Wells always carried a red bandana and he used it to prevent himself from inhaling the smoke. He helped people that were stuck on the 78th floor sky lobby of the south tower safely make it down. He went back up three times trying to save people before the tower collapsed.
https://www.911memorial.org/connect/blog/remembering-man-red-bandana

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Adhya Mukunda 9/11 Firefighter, Adrienne Walsh

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Adhya Mukunda 9/11 Firefighter, Adrienne Walsh

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This is the story of Adrienne Walsh. She was a first responder, a firefighter, during 9/11. She recalls the day as being a normal one, until it wasn’t anymore. She had heard reports of planes crashing into the trade center, and once she rushed to the scene, she could see three floors of the building burning. Then, she and her team got to city hall. Then the buildings began to fall. She and the team began to run away and she managed to make it through the dust clouds from the ruined building. She said that she drew a line in her head and on one side were all the people she thought were dead, and on the other was people she thought had a chance to survive.
https://www.911memorial.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/Adrienne%20Walsh%20Transcript.pdf

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https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/september-11-anniversary/911-anniversary-ed-fine-dust-photo-10-years-later/1925799/
Edward Fine was working on the 87th floor in 1 World Trade Center when the planes hit. He led and directed fellow office workers to the emergency exit. He recounted walking down 87 flights of stairs with countless others, sweating, holding cloths to their mouths, constantly stopping and going. Fine worked his way down the building and was able to escape the tower, covered in debris, just as the tower collapsed.

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/last-man-out/
John McLoughlin was an officer with the Port Authority, and when the first tower was struck he was off-site, but he ran to the tower to try to save people who were in the towers. He took a few rookie officers with him, but while he was on the bottom concourse, the second tower fell on him, trapping him underground with Will Jimeno, where he tried to give Jimeno’s last words to his pregnant wife, but he was later rescued as the last person out of the buildings.

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Sgt. John McLoughlin Describes His Rescue From Ground Zero After 9/11

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Sayee Deshpande- How Micheal Jackson might have died in the 9-11 attacks.

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Sayee Deshpande- How Micheal Jackson might have died in the 9-11 attacks.

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Micheal Jackson might’ve died in 9-11 if it weren’t for his mom. He was supposed to attend a meeting on one of the top floors of the twin towers. Thankfully, he overslept after staying on the phone late with his mom. Michael’s family didn’t know about the meeting. If they had, his mom probably wouldn’t have called him so late at night, and maybe Micheal would have been in the twin towers, suffering. He didn’t know it yet, but missing that very important meeting was truly a blessing in disguise.

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In 2001 international pop star Michael Jackson was working on what would be his final album prior to his death, Invincible. The record eventually came out on October 30, 2001, reaching number one in the US and UK. Just a month earlier, however, he was due to attend a meeting at the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001 about the record.

Michael was reportedly due to attend the meeting at the top of one of the skyscrapers first thing in the morning.

However, he missed the appointment by oversleeping.

One of Michael's brothers, Jermaine Jackson, wrote about the experience in his biography: You Are Not Alone: Michael: Through a Brother's Eyes.

Jermaine wrote: "Thankfully, none of us had had a clue that Michael was due at a meeting that morning at the top of one of the Twin Towers."
READ MORE: Michael Jackson 'was nuts' - Cher lashed out at star's parenting
Jermaine explained: "We only discovered this when mother [Katherine Jackson] phoned his hotel to make sure he was okay. She, Rebbie [Jackson] and a few others had left him there around 3am."

Michael went on to tell his mother how she had saved his life, without even realising it.

He said: "Mother, I'm okay, thanks to you. You kept me up talking so late that I overslept and missed my appointment."

He went on to hold a benefit concert for the victims of 9/11 and their families the following month, on October 21, 2001, called United We Stand.

Michael held the concert at RFK Stadium in Washington DC, beginning in the afternoon and going through to the evening.

The King of Pop was joined by the likes of The Backstreet Boys, James Brown, Usher and Mariah Carey.

At the concert, Michael said: "I am not one who sits and says: Oh how wrong I am for what happened! I want the whole world to sing What More Can I Give, because all the people are united because this song is like a mantra, something you repeat endlessly. We need peace, we need to give to others, we need to love and unity."
DON'T MISS...
Michael Jackson: Why did MJ buy the rights to The Beatles' music? [INFO]
Michael Jackson 'was nuts' - Cher lashed out at star's parenting [INTERVIEW]
'Michael Jackson feared he would die like Elvis' said wife Lisa Marie [INSIGHT]
The event was hosted by John Stamos who also welcomed other celebrities onto the stage to speak about the tragedy the country had endured.

Various Washington DC politicians arrived on stage with Michael, as well as actor Kevin Spacey.

During the concert, on top of hosting portions of it, Michael performed two songs for the audience.

He first sang Man in the Mirror, from his seventh album Bad.

Michael also sang What More Can I Give, a song specially written and recorded for the 9/11 attacks.

Included in the song are a number of artists, including Beyonce, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Usher and Shakira.

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Michael Jackson was 'saved' from 9/11 at the last minute by family

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In 2001 international pop star Michael Jackson was working on what would be his final album prior to his death, Invincible. The record eventually came out on October 30, 2001, reaching number one in the US and UK. Just a month earlier, however, he was due to attend a meeting at the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001 about the record.

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Sai Bulusu 2A- William Rodriguez WTC Maintenance Worker

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Sai Bulusu 2A- William Rodriguez WTC Maintenance Worker

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William Rodriguez was a janitor from the North Tower of the World Trade Center and he lost his life saving many people from the incident that day. He got lots of awards after the attack for his heroism and bravery. When flight 11 crashed into the tower William was in the basement and he had keys to all the emergency exists in the tower. He rescued 15 people and then he guided firefighters and other rescue teams into the building do they could save more people. It is estimated that unlocking these exists has saved more than 100s of people that day which he is very well known and appreciated for. Even after knowing the risk of this situation Rodriguez went back into the tower 3 more times putting his life at risk to save other people. He put many unknown peoples lives in front of his own which was very unselfish and caused many families to be happy at home today alive and well. After these events took place he spent the rest of the day helping out many people get to safety and assisted police officers and medics. William Rodriguez really proved that he is unselfish and was really a hero that day.

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On September 11, 2001 and for approximately nineteen years prior, William Rodriguez was employed as a maintenance worker at the World Trade Center. On the day of the attacks, Rodriguez initially rescued fifteen persons from the World Trade Center, and as the only person at the site with the master key to the North Tower stairwells, he led fire-fighters up the towers unlocking doors, aiding in the successful evacuation of unknown hundreds of those who survived. Rodriguez, at risk to his own life, re-entered the Towers three times after the first, North Tower impact at about 8:46 AM, and is believed to be the last person to exit the North Tower alive, surviving the building's collapse by diving beneath a fire truck. After receiving medical attention at the World Trade Center site for his injuries, Rodriguez spent the rest of the day aiding as a volunteer in the rescue efforts, and at dawn the following morning, was back at Ground Zero continuing his heroic efforts. This is the account of his version of events...

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William Rodriguez - What Really Happened On 9/11

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On September 11, 2001 and for approximately nineteen years prior, William Rodriguez was employed as a maintenance worker at the World Trade Center. On the day of the attacks, Rodriguez initially rescued fifteen persons from the World Trade Center, and as the only person at the site with the master key to the North Tower stairwells, he led fire-fighters up the towers unlocking doors, aiding in the successful evacuation of unknown hundreds of those who survived.

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Saharsh Duddilla 9/11 The Story of Col. Marylin Wills

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Saharsh Duddilla 9/11 The Story of Col. Marylin Wills

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It was like any old day at the pentagon. Wills was in the building walking down a corridor. Suddenly, the building shook, everyone stopped what they were doing. Gasoline started filling the hallways and fire pulled the oxygen out. Wills knew she had to escape. However, Wills saw one of her coworkers struggling to escape. Wills saw that her coworker couldn’t walk, so said “Oh, yes you can. Just get on my back. I’ll just carry you.”.  That day Mark Lewis rescued one of his coworkers successfully, and earned a Soldier’s Medal and the Purple Heart Award.

https://www.army.mil/article/250093/survivors_stories_heroism_tragedy_inside_pentagon_on_911

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John G Coughlin was a NYPD Sergeant who loved to spend time with his family whenever he got the chance. On the day of 9/11, Erin, John’s daughter, didn’t get to see him as he had to leave early. Little did she know, the last time she saw him, would her last time. Erin knew that her father’s job was to rescue people, and that’s what he did. He would try and rescue as many people as he could. Erin was informed that no one knew who made it out alive, which made her worry. Eventually later that day, her mom was told that her dad was officially missing. John was recognized as a hero, and saved as many lives as he could.

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Twenty years ago on September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 lives were cruelly taken away from their family, friends, and colleagues. They senselessly lost fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, and even young children at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. As a New York City college focused on educating firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical professionals, the toll on our community was steep-John Jay lost 67 heroes that day. These brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to save others in need. Now, after two decades, the emotional, psychological, and physical pain of that tragic day still runs deep. First responders and civilians continue to face life-threatening diseases because of the toxic air they inhaled; while many others have died because of the exposure to deadly dust and debris. As a community committed to public service, we honor the legacy of our fallen heroes, and we strive to ensure that a tragedy like 9/11 never happens again.
In 2012, Erin Coughlin found the best way she could to honor her late father, New York Police Department (NYPD) Sergeant John Coughlin. After graduating from the Police Academy and becoming an NYPD police officer herself, she put on a badge inscribed with her father's shield number. Before September 11, 2001, Sergeant Coughlin was taking classes at John Jay College, working in the NYPD Emergency Services Unit, and finding precious time to be with his wife and three daughters. "He was just this big teddy bear of a human being," says Erin, the oldest of the three girls, about her six-foot-two dad. "He was so much fun and he loved his little girls." We sat down with Erin to learn more about her courageous father.

"He dreamed of staying at a lakefront resort with a pool. Ironically, on our last trip with him, we were on the lake with a pool. God knows how much overtime he had to do to get us that place, but even in the moment we knew it was exciting and we appreciated it. We just didn't know how important that trip would be." -Erin Coughlin

The Family Man
Whenever Sergeant Coughlin had some time off, he made a point of spending it with his family. "He was always just there, always fun, and he loved us to death. He told us every chance he could get that he loved us," says Erin. For the Coughlin girls, their dad's precinct was almost an extension of their own home. "We'd go upstairs and eat in the kitchen. We'd go and see his big truck. We'd play in the nearby playgrounds," she remembers. "And, when it was career day at school, he'd always come in with all this cool NYPD stuff." It was important to Sergeant Coughlin that his daughters be proud of the work he did-and they always were.

In an effort to cool off in the summertime and spend some outdoor time together, the Coughlin family annually made their way up to Lake George for a week. "We weren't rich by any means, but my parents made sacrifices to make sure that we had such a good childhood," says Erin. Normally, the family would stay in a modest cabin, but in the summer of 2001, Sergeant Coughlin got to experience something he always wished for his family. "He dreamed of staying at a lakefront resort with a pool. Ironically, on our last trip with him, we were on the lake with a pool. God knows how much overtime he had to do to get us that place, but even in the moment we knew it was exciting and we appreciated it. We just didn't know how important that trip would be."

"When I got to my sixth-period chemistry class, my teacher announced that the buildings had crashed down, and they didn't know if anyone made it out." -Erin Coughlin

The News
On September 11, 2001, Erin was only 16 years old, and her sisters were 13 and six. Their father had to head to work extra early that day, so they didn't get the chance to say goodbye to him that morning. It was Erin's second week as a junior in high school, and during her third-period math class, an announcement came over the loudspeaker. The principal explained that there had been a plane crash at the World Trade Center. "I was looking out the window at the time, and I had this weird feeling even before the announcement came on. I had a gut feeling that something was wrong," she says. "I knew he'd be down there because that's what his unit did. They rescued people. None of us knew how serious it was at the time."

A lot of her school friends had parents in the NYPD and the FDNY (New York City Fire Department), and on September 11th, most of those students got picked up from school early. But because her mother was a nurse, Erin knew that wouldn't be the case for her. "When I got to my sixth-period chemistry class, my teacher announced that the buildings had crashed down, and they didn't know if anyone made it out."

Erin made her way home from school that day and the phone was ringing off the hook. Everybody was wondering if her father was okay. Her aunt came over to comfort the girls and they anxiously watched the news coverage of the attack. When Erin's mother finally made it home, it was 10:00 at night, and she was exhausted from both work and worry. Then a call came through and Mrs. Coughlin was informed that her husband was officially listed as "missing."

The Final Moments
Sergeant John Coughlin's last radio transmission stated that his unit was on the 20th floor of the South Tower. "They grabbed all the stuff off the truck that day and they went in-ropes, harnesses, the whole bit. They just wanted to get people down the staircases as fast as they could," says Erin. In the midst of the chaos, Sergeant Coughlin ran into an old high school friend. This friend actually made it out of the building and relayed his experience to Mrs. Coughlin. "He told my mother, 'I saw him. He looked me in the eye and he said get out and run.' I think that they all knew it was going to be bad. A few of the guys even found a way to quickly call home."

"They just knew that the building was chockfull of humanity-from the dishwashers, to the window washers, to CEOs, and people visiting. There were people in those buildings and other human beings went in to get them out." -Erin Coughlin

The Message
Even after 20 years, the memory of that agonizing time-the waiting, the uncertainty, the unbearable feeling of loss-still pains NYPD police officer Erin Coughlin. Thinking back to her father-a John Jay student and avowed history buff-she wants the next generation of public safety leaders to always remember one thing: the humanity of those we lost. "When they went into those buildings that day, they were grabbing people and helping them run away. It didn't matter what they looked like, what they believed in, what political party they were in, or anything like that. They just knew that there were thousands of people in that building who had heartbeats," says Erin. "They just knew that the building was chockfull of humanity-from the dishwashers, to the window washers, to CEOs, business people, and people visiting. There were people in those buildings and other human beings went in to get them out."

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9/11 Stories: John Jay Student and NYPD Sergeant John Coughlin Sacrificed His Life to Save Civilians in the South Tower

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Twenty years ago on September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 lives were cruelly taken away from their family, friends, and colleagues. They senselessly lost fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, and even young children at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

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After the catastrophe, they decided to make a memorial for the event, that would not only remember the towers, but also all of the hero’s that died that day. The lower Manhattan development corporation decided to launch an international competition to design a memorial in place of the towers, in 2004 architect Michael Arad, and landscape architect Peter walker’s designs were chosen. The pools at the site are officially the largest man made water fall in North America. Also, the names of 2983 people, who were killed, and 1993 Terrorist attacks are written on bronze parapets on the sides of the pools. They also Chose a specific tree to signify all three crash sites. The white oak tree is native to New York City, Arlington, Virginia, and some rest county Pennsylvania. There is one callery pear tree that workers recovered from the site in critical condition, it was then nursed back into health and returned back to the site where it currently thrives . The southwestern section of the memorial is dedicated to all who were sick or died to exposure to toxins in at the building. site: https://www.911memorial.org/visit/memorial/about-memorial

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Before 9/11, there was a bombing that took place in 1993 in a parking garage located in the World Trade Center complex. A bomb was planted on the bottom of a van parked inside the garage and detonated. The driver was able to escape, but was captured after fleeing to Pakistan. The source of the information needed for the capture of the culprit was given a reward of 2 million USD. Pakistani law enforcement were able to capture him in his hotel room, and he was handed over to US authorities and the FBI.

https://www.state.gov/1993-world-trade-center-bombing/

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Nitin Malli 9/11 Mystery hero: Jason Thomas

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Nitin Malli 9/11 Mystery hero: Jason Thomas

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Jason Thomas was a U.S. Marine worker who helped look for survivors of 9/11. His famous rescue was of two officers named Will Jimeno, and John McLoughlin who were entombed in 20 feet of debris when the twin towers collapsed. He had been unknown a while until he came out with proof of his identity in a video with him seen helping the officers. When he heard of what had happened he put on his uniform and he famously said “Someone needed help. It didn’t matter who. I didn’t even have a plan, but I have all this training as a Marine, and all I could think was my city is in need.” He is remembered as an unsung hero in helping people in need. Website: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna14350685

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https://www.outwardhound.com

The dogs of 9/11 were working heroes. They helped to recover live survivors , and also dead bodies. Along with this, they provided comfort to rescue workers and firefighters. However, this provided trauma to most of the working dogs. For example, because these dogs were finding more dead bodies then live people, they developed depression , ptsd, and other mental health issues. Also, some developed cancer due to smoke and fire inhalation.

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The picture of the man in the frame is Benjamin Clark. He was a former marine and chef at the Fiduciary Trust Company. He saved hundreds of lives, and he made sure that everyone on floor 96 in the tower exited the building safely. He also stopped to help a woman in a wheelchair on the 78th floor. He passed when the tower collapsed. He was a brave man and an amazing person who wanted to help as many people as he could that day.
https://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-heroes/articles/13-heroes-to-remember-13-years-later-53kVvEgJI8M0fOvN/

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There were 23 NYPD officers who died during 9/11 but, Moira Smith was the only female. The picture above displays Smith as she helped Ed Nicholls near the World Trade Center. He was one of the only people who made it out of the South Tower. She sacrificed her life to save many others.

Source: https://www.news10.com/remembering-9-11/nypd-officer-moira-smith-remembered-20-years-later-by-the-men-whose-lives-she-saved-on-9-11/
Source: https://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-heroes/articles/13-heroes-to-remember-13-years-later-53kVvEgJI8M0fOvN/

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Danny Lewin a internet entrepreneur and former Israeli special forces was among those that died on 9/11. He was fluent in Arabic and knew what the terrorist were planning to do. He tried to stop the terrorist but was stabbed to death. He was an exceptionally smart man and is known as the first person to die on 9/11.

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For all the men and women who were killed during the 9/11 attacks, there were countless lives saved by the bravery of others