Utah Business Leader Recalls Harrowing Experience on 9/11

Gary Crittenden, executive vice president and chief financial officer of American Express on September 11, 2001, has shared his personal experience of witnessing the terrorist attacks. From the 51st floor of the American Express building across from the World Trade Center in New York City, 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,' Crittenden 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, he said CEO Kenneth Chenault quickly ordered the evacuation of the American Express building, which had roughly 5,000 employees. This decision likely spared many lives since the building was evacuated before the towers fell.

Crittenden also witnessed some of the devastation and people emerging from the ash and debris. He remembered the first responders who rushed toward the danger as others escaped, saying 'These firemen are amazing that they would actually run up the stairs at the same time everybody else is running down.'