9/11 Survivor Recalls Chaos, Heroism on Day of Attacks
Utah business leader Gary Crittenden shared his personal account of the September 11 terrorist attacks, 25 years after they occurred. At the time, Crittenden was executive vice president and chief financial officer of American Express, with an office in the company's building across from the World Trade Center in New York City.
On that day, Crittenden watched as a passenger plane flew directly into the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. 'It was a gorgeous day; it was absolutely beautiful,' he recalled. 'There was nothing unusual about the day whatsoever until 8:46 a.m.'
Crittenden initially believed the crash was an accident, but as the reality of what was happening became clear, his company's CEO Kenneth Chenault quickly ordered the evacuation of their building, which had roughly 5,000 employees. Crittenden believes this decision likely spared many lives since the building was evacuated before the towers fell.
Only he and three co-workers remained when the South Tower collapsed. They were on the 47th floor. 'We suddenly felt this terrible swaying of the building; it was just terrifying,' he recalled. Crittenden witnessed some of the devastation and people emerging from the ash and debris, and his story has stayed with him.
Among the memories that remain with him are those of the first responders who rushed toward the danger as others escaped. He also remembers the resilience of New Yorkers, business leaders, and government officials who returned to Lower Manhattan and rebuilt at Ground Zero. Crittenden hopes his story can become part of the collective memory of the attacks and honor the 2977 lives lost.