Learn more about the StoryCorps September 11th Initiative.


Alfred Braca worked in the north tower of the World Trade Center for sixteen years. He was a bond broker at Cantor Fitzgerald. Alfred was killed in the World Trade Center the morning of September 11, 2001. He was 54 when he died.His wife, Jean, and their son David came to StoryCorps in New York to remember how the day unfolded. Click here to listen. 


On the first night of the recovery effort, Jack Murray began working as a steel burner at ground zero, cutting apart steel beams so rescue workers could search for those buried in the rubble. Earlier that day, Murray watched the disaster unfold from the roof of his Lower East Side apartment. Here he tells his friend, Jud Esty-Kendall, about that day. Click here to listen.


Antonia Landgraf and Matthew Gambale remember their sister, Giovanna “Gennie” Gambale, who died on September 11th, 2001. Gennie worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of Tower One. She was 27 years old at the time, and living near her parents’ home in Brooklyn. Click here to listen.


Andrea Doctor remembers her husband, Johnny Doctor Jr., who was killed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Doctor was an information systems technician first class in the United States Navy. Click here to listen.



Jeanette LaFond-Menichino, who worked in Tower One at Guy Carpenter Insurance Company, was killed on September 11, 2001.  Her sister, Anita Korsonsky, and her mother, Dina LaFond came to StoryCorps to remember her.  Jeanette was 49 when she died. Click here to listen 

Claudia Suzette Sutton was working as an accountant at Cantor Fitzgerald when she was killed on September 11, 2001.   Her office was on the 101st floor of Tower One at the World Trade Center, where she had been employed since July of that year. Sutton was a native of St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands who came to the United States in the mid 1980s. Recently, her husband, Bernell Sutton, came to StoryCorps to remember the woman he describes as his best friend and companion. Click here to listen


New York City firefighter, Michael D'Auria, was 25 years old when he was killed on September 11, 2001.  Michael had been on the job for just nine weeks and had fought only one fire before 9/11.   Here, his mother, Nancy Cimei remembers that morning. Click here to lisen



Daejin and Kyung Woo Ryook lost their daughter, Christina Sunga Ryook, on September 11, 2001. Sunga was 25 at the time and working at Cantor Fitzgerald. Although the Ryooks live in Ohio, they made a special trip to New York to do a StoryCorps interview in Sunga’s memory. Here, Daejin is interviewed by Sunga's friend Lauren Woo. Click here to listen


When Christine Kraft saw the Twin Towers fall on television she knew she had to act. Kraft was a Red Cross volunteer and made her way to Ground Zero to help. Here, she remembers how she responded to the news of the attacks. Click here to listen


Racquel Kelley was working as an information management specialist at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.  Kelley was a new mother; her son was only 8-months-old at the time.  Here, she describes what happened to her that morning.  Click here to listen


On September 11, 2001, John Yates, an Army civilian security manager, was working at the Pentagon. After learning of the attacks on the World Trade Center, he spoke briefly to his wife just before the plane hit the Pentagon.  Though he survived, Yates suffered burns on almost 40 percent of his body. Click here to listen


After September 11, thousands of men and women came to New York to aid in the recovery effort.  As a construction project manager with the city agency in charge of the clean up, John Romanowich arrived at the World Trade Center site just days after the attack. Click here to listen

On September 11, 2001, Ester DiNardo lost her daughter, Marisa.  Ester remembers the how on her last night, Marisa brought her to Windows on the World on top of the World Trade Center to celebrate her birthday.
Click here to listen


Beverly Eckert, a passenger killed on Flight 3407 on February 12, 2009, was the courageous widow of 9/11 victim Sean Rooney. She remembers meeting Sean at the age of 16 at a high school dance. Just moments before the South Tower collapsed, Sean and Beverly spoke of the incredible time they shared together.
Click here to listen


On September 11, John Perry was in the process of resigning from the police force when the first plane hit the World Trade Center.  John took back his badge and reported for duty.  In an interview with Patricia and James Perry, Patricia recalls her son John’s passion and appreciation for living every day of his life..
Click here to listen

Like many Americans on September 11, 2001, Angie Kardashian watched the terrorist attacks on television.  She was living in California at the time. But in 2002, she moved to New York City with one thing in mind: to cook meals for the city's firefighters.  In the end, she cooked for over one hundred companies.
Click here to listen



Steve Giacchi worked for Bank of America securities in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He was in his office on the 81st floor when American Airlines Flight 11 hit the building. Along with his coworkers, he headed to the stairwell to begin the long descent. Here, he remembers what it was like as he joined the thousands trying to make their way to safety.
Click here to listen

 
                                Retired New York City firefighter John Vigiano Sr. remembers his sons, John Jr., a firefighter, and Joe, a policeman, who both died at the World Trade Center.
Click here to listen



10 year-old Frankie DeVito remembers his grandfather, Bill Steckman, in an interview with his mother Diana. Bill Steckman was killed in the World Trade Center on September 11th.
Click here to listen



Deputy Fire Chief Ray Downey was just one of the 343 New York City firefighters lost on September 11th, 2001. At the time of his death, Chief Downey was the most decorated member of the New York Fire Department. His wife, Rosalie Downey, remembered him in a StoryCorps interview with their son Joe Downey, who is himself a Fire Captain.  
Click here to listen



John Abruzzo is a quadriplegic confined to an electric wheelchair. On September 11, 2001, he was working as an accountant for The Port Authority in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.  Abruzzo escaped the building with the help of 10 colleagues, who carried him down 69 flights of stairs in an emergency evacuation chair. At StoryCorps, Abruzzo spoke with Michael Curci, one of the ten who helped him to safety. 
Click here to listen


Phyllis Johnson tells her friend Danny Perasa about how she went from New York City Police Department clerk to beat cop and describes what it was like to work at the Fresh Kills landfill, where the debris from the World Trade Center site was transferred and examined.
Click here to listen



Monique Ferrer fondly remembers her ex-husband, Michael Trinidad, 33, who was killed on September 11, 2001. Unable to evacuate from the 103rd floor of the North Tower, he called her to say goodbye and talk about their children.
Click here to listen



Arlene Sullivan remembers her son, Tommy Sullivan, in an interview with her daughter, Norene Schneider. Tommy Sullivan was a stockbroker at Harvey Young Yurman. He was 28 when he died.
Click here to listen

17 year-old Jessica DeRubbio remembers her father, David DeRubbio, a New York City firefighter. DeRubbio was a member of Engine Company 226. He was 38 when he died.
Click here to listen


Firefighter Steven Bates was with Engine Company 235 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn for 18 years. He was 42 when he died. Here, FDNY Lieutenants Bob Carberry and John Cullen remember Bates a fellow firefighter who loved the brotherhood of the squad.
Click here to listen

John and Elaine Leinung remember their son Paul Battaglia. Paul was a 22 year-old risk consultant at Marsh & McLennan on September 11, 2001. He lived at home with his parents.
Click here to listen

Richard Pecorella remembers his fiance, Karen Juday, who worked as a secretary at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor of the North Tower. She perished in the attack, four years after meeting Pecorella and moving to New York.
Click here to listen

Russell Siller remembers his youngest brother Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter. Siller was off duty on 9/11. When he heard about the attacks, the 38 year-old drove immediately toward the site. Prohibited from entering the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Siller ran through the tunnel, with his gear strapped to his back.
Click here to listen


Marjorie Miller remembers her husband, Joel Miller, who worked at Marsh & McLennan as a disaster-recovery technology specialist. They were married five years before 9/11. It was a second marriage for both of them. Joel Miller was 55 when he died.
Click here to listen

Alison and Jefferson Crowther remember their son, Welles Remy Crowther. Welles was a 24-year-old equities trader for Sandler O'Neil and Partners on the 104th floor of the South Tower.
Click here to listen

Keith Meerholz worked at Marsh & McLennan. He was on an express elevator up to the 100th floor when the first plane hit, he miraculously survived and managed to make his way out. His wife Grete Meerholz, remembers almost every moment of that day.
Click here to listen

Hermanos Helman y Martin Correa recuerdan la ninez de Danny A. Correa-Gutierrez, el hijo de Helman. Danny trabajando en el departamento de contabilidad en Marsh y McLenna. El tenia 25 anos cuando murio.

Brothers Helman and Martin Correa remember the childhood of Danny A. Correa-Guitierrez, Helman's son. Danny worked in the accounting department of Marsh  McLennan. He was 25 years old when he died.
Click here to listen in Spanish