FORT LAUDERDALE Blog

Looking Back On September 11th

September 11th, 2001, is a day in history that changed our lives forever. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day and over 6,000 were injured. Al Qaeda hijackers flew airplanes directly into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York City. Let’s remember some of the brave people who were selfless that day.

 To begin let’s talk about a 24-year-old equities trader who helped at least over a dozen people to safety. Not only did he get people out of the building he also went BACK in when firefighters arrived to help more victims. Once the United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center the 24-year-old Welles Crowther called his mom and left a calm voicemail letting her know that he is ok. Crowther was a trader for Sandler O’Neil and Partners with their office located on the 104th floor. Crowther was a volunteer firefighter in his younger years and was able to make his way all the way down to the 78th floor where he became a hero to strangers. Through the smoke and debris, Crowther helped disoriented and injured people to safety all while risking his own life. He wore a red bandanna to cover his mouth and nose from inhaling the smoke which gave him the nickname of “The guy in the red bandana”. While he directed strangers in the staircases to safety, he held an injured woman on his back bringing her 15 floors down. After securing the woman he headed back upstairs to help other injured victims. Crowther’s body was later recovered alongside fellow firefighters in a stairwell holding the jaws of life rescue tool. Crowther is not only a hero but now a guardian angel.

Moving on to a group of strangers that teamed up on United Flight 93 preventing the hijackers from crashing into the US Capitol. On 9:24 Am on September 11, 2001, the flight was hijacked by four al Qaeda terrorists. The terrorist violently stabbed the piolet and flight attend

and told passengers they had bombs on board and they were heading back to the airport. This took place after the two planes already destroyed the World Trade Center. Passengers huddled together in the back of the plane and when making phone calls to loved ones they were able to reveal the terrorist's plan. Deena Burnett told her husband who was a passenger on the flight that they were hitting designated targets on the east coast of the USA. Burnett got together with a few other passengers Mark Bingham, Jeremy Glick, and Todd Beamer to develop a quick plan to interfere. The four-man group rushed the cockpit and attacked the terrorists resulting in the plane crashing into an empty field in Shanksville, PA killing all 44 passengers on board.

The last hero we are going to speak about is a tour guide outside the Pentagon who gave medical aid to the injured and then went back inside the burning building to help others. Army Spc. Beau Doboszenski was working as a tour guide at the Pentagon the day it was struck by American Airlines Flight 77. The tour was on the other side of the building, and they did not even hear it happen. Doboszenski was a former firefighter/EMT and was able to respond after a Navy captain pleaded for anyone with medical training to help.  Doboszenski ended up running to the other side of the building to try to bypass the crash, but the police stopped him. Eventually, he was able to maneuver around the barricades to reach a medical triage station and aided numerous victims. After that, he joined a six-man team that went into the building full of flames to look for more survivors. For hours Doboszenski aided survivors in and outside of the building going back and forth following the screams for help.

 “If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”

—Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in 2002

“One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the bravest acts in Americans’ history. We’ll always honor the heroes of 9/11. And here at this hallowed place, we pledge that we will never forget their sacrifice.”

—President George W. Bush at the Pentagon in 2008