Hingson said that he and about eight others stopped and had a group hug right there on the stairs, encouraging the woman to keep going.
“Roselle gave her kisses,” Michael Hingson remembered, according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. “Roselle was really good at that.” They continued downward. Firemen passed the group on their way up to fight the flames above them. Many gave the easygoing Roselle a quick pet as they passed her. Tragically, it would likely be one of their last moments of joy.
After that, the pair helped keep everyone else calm, as they completely trusted each other at that point. And Hingson’s encouraging words to Roselle as they descended each flight of stairs resonated with everyone.
Finally, the group reached the main lobby. However, officials instructed crowds not to leave because dangerous debris — including dead bodies — was still raining down onto the street. So Hingson and the others headed into the central complex and found another exit to walk out.
Fleeing The Collapse Of The Twin Towers It wasn’t until they were outside that the group realized the extent of the damage caused to the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks. Frank saw fire in the South Tower, as well as the North. He stopped to take a picture at Vesey Street and Broadway, just a block north of the World Trade Center.
Then, Hingson heard it. A rumble he described as resembling both a “freight train and a waterfall.” At that time, the South Tower was collapsing. Everyone turned on their heels and ran. Hingson had to rely on Roselle to lead him through the pandemonium. “The dirt and debris was so thick, I could feel it going down my throat and into my lungs,” Hingson said.Continue reading…
