The 24th anniversary of 9/11 is upon us. For those who were young enough to live through it, it’s pretty unfathomable that 24 years have come and gone, isn’t it? For those not quite of age or not yet born, it’s almost impossible to tell you the story of this country and how it existed prior to the September 11th attacks.
There’s a poignant moment I think we’ve spoken about before: commercials playing on television during the morning newscasts. Regular, benign, mundane commercials aired immediately before one of the networks broke in with coverage of the attacks. The very first image of the burning tower was preceded by an advertisement for McDonald’s.
And the rest was history..
But there are stories that still stand out, both compelling and depressing. There are countless stories of heroes who sacrificed themselves for others, but also the tragic stories of everyday people caught off guard, with no way out.
There’s always the debate of when it’s “too soon” to make jokes. Pete Davidson, whose firefighter father died in the attacks, has found ways to weave 9/11 into his comedy.. it’s his coping mechanism.
But this story isn’t about jokes.
This story is about some of the more heart-wrenching things that still linger, 24 years on.
Edna Cintron: The Waving Woman
Edna Cintron, an administrative assistant at the World Trade Center, became known as the “waving woman.” She was trapped around the 93rd floor, standing on the side of the building, surrounded by fire and smoke, desperately signaling for help. Images of her are still among the most haunting from that day.
She seemed to defy gravity, clinging to the side of the tower with hope in her eyes. But by 9:28 a.m., her waving stopped. The North Tower collapsed on top of her, making her one of the 2,996 victims that day.
Edna’s bravery, her perseverance in the face of certain death, still resonates.
She may have believed someone could rescue her.
That hope makes her story even more tragic.
The Search for Remains
What followed 9/11 was not only the removal of dust and debris but also an immense scientific mission: identifying those who perished. The grim reality is that very few intact remains were found. Bone fragments, often smaller than a fingernail, became the only evidence of a life once lived.
In 2005 and 2006, remains were discovered in the Deutsche Bank building—fragments as small as 1.5 millimeters—collected and tested by New York City’s medical examiner. Even more recent, in 2024, DNA technology continues to help identify victims, giving families long-delayed answers.
It was last reported that 40% of the 2,753 victims from the World Trade Center remain unidentified. Twenty-four years later, that lack of closure still weighs heavily on those who don’t have it.
The Jumpers
Perhaps the most haunting images are those of the jumpers. It’s a subject often left unspoken, too painful to face. Videos still surface from time to time, showing figures plummeting, or the chilling sounds of bodies hitting the ground.
But I’ve never viewed the jumpers as people committing suicide. To me, they were seizing control in their last moments, refusing to let whoever performed the ultimate crime to dictate their fate. They made a choice. That choice, however horrifying, gives them a kind of tragic heroism.
One video captured by Jack Taliercio remains burned in memory: while bodies fell, “She’s Always a Woman” by Billy Joel played over the plaza loudspeakers.
Elevator-style musac turned into the soundtrack of horror. The eerie quiet of that footage is a soft song contrasted with unimaginable terror.. it’s one of the most disturbing juxtapositions from that day.
Bandana Man: Welles Crowther
Then there is the story of Welles Crowther, forever remembered as the “man in the red bandana.” A former lacrosse player turned equities trader, Crowther was working on the 104th floor of the South Tower when the plane hit. Instead of fleeing, he tied a red bandana around his face to protect against the smoke and repeatedly went back up the stairwells, guiding people down and carrying others on his back.
Survivors later recalled that a mysterious man in a red bandana saved them—one after another. It wasn’t until months later that they learned his name. Crowther died when the tower collapsed on top of him, but not before saving at least 18 lives. His story is one of the clearest examples of selfless heroism that day…
The Survivors Above Impact
While thousands were trapped, a few defied the odds. Brian Clark and Stanley Praimnath were two of just four people who survived from above the impact zone of Flight 175 in the South Tower.
Their survival hinged on ignoring the official advice to “stay at their desks.” Clark, a Canadian executive, heard Praimnath’s cries for help, broke through debris, and pulled him to safety. Together, they descended 78 floors and escaped before the building fell.
In the North Tower, where American Airlines Flight 11 struck between floors 93 and 99, no one above the impact zone survived. Around 1,300 people died from smoke, fire, or falling.
That contrast…the difference between being told to stay put versus taking a chance to flee…remains one of the most tragic lessons of that day.
The Voices Left Behind
There are calls that still echo. Kevin Cosgrove, a senior insurance manager, dialed 911 from the towers, begging for help. The words that they were not ready to die still cut deep. The operator tried to calm him until the call abruptly ended in a rumble, as the towers collapsed.
That was his last moment, captured forever on tape.
Music and Memory
Songs became markers of that era. Laurie Anderson’s “O Superman,” written long before 9/11, took on a prophetic eeriness with its references to planes and technology. Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” became an anthem of resilience. But O Superman was deeper and caught popularity in the immediate aftermath of the day..
Remembering, 24 Years Later
Twenty-four years on, we still remember. The trauma comes back every year with a September sky. Even as more information surfaces and new conspiracy theories swirl, the raw emotion of that day remains.
We watched as every channel cut to wall-to-wall coverage. MTV, Nickelodeon, even the Hallmark Channel—all replaced with the same horrific images. We lived through anthrax scares, duct-taped windows, and a strange new era of fear.
Sports, laughter, holidays..all eventually returned. But everything was different thanks to Bush throwing at strike at Yankees and Letterman telling us to laugh again..
The images remain. The voices remain. And the silence of that day, broken only by sirens, falling bodies, and soft music, remains the most haunting sound of all.
And we end this all with a story of the Fresh Kills Landfill — the place where..
After 9/11, the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, now closed, became the primary site for sifting and sorting the estimated 1.5 million tons of debris from the World Trade Center site. This operation, which ran from September 2001 to July 2002, was crucial for the recovery of human remains, personal effects, and evidence..
At Fresh Kills, a ghost story has been shared, of a female apparition resembling a World War II-era Red Cross worker, seen by some recovery workers in the aftermath of 9/11 while they were sifting through World Trade Center debris.
Let’s hope that that soul collector has led them to a better place..
24 years on.
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