@@SuperLuminalElfwhy on earth would they minimize the casualties?? Bush was using this incident to go to war, so every death was important and carefully documented. The whole thing was! Have you been to the museum? Have you watched lots of footage? Take off your damn aluminum hat.
I am not American, never lived there, but I am never tired of watching and listening to 911 stories, that day impacted the whole World, I will never forget the horror I felt,watching those towers fall on TV. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY.
I’m sorry, but the fact that a whole plane flew into the world trade center and they had the audacity to tell people they were safe and not evacuate is Beyond me!
I agree, but they didn’t know it was a plane at first. They thought it was and explosion and from other interviews I’ve seen they assumed it was an internal issue. I can see why they thought tower 2 was okay. Unfortunately, they were very wrong.
@@MilcaRhodes that’s crazy. I’ve seen interviews where they say They know it was a plane but they told them to stay in the office either way it’s also sad.
I went on a walking tour in NYC last year (I’m from London) and our tour guide told us a story at the 9/11 memorial, he told us about Morgan Stanley’s security team and main security manager had everyone so prepared for a threat like this, they had evacuation plans and did drills all the time, nobody ever understood this. Most of Morgan Stanley successfully got out on 9/11 except the main guy himself who was responsible for the whole company being prepared enough to get out. What a hero, I cried listening to that on the tour, so it’s great to listen to this.
I did not know that. Wow. Amazing you were able to take that tour. I imagine it put a lot of context to what you remember from the day. I've never been to New York, but would love to visit one day.
What gives me chills is stories from people who were meant to be in the world trade centers on 9/11, but something happened in their daily life out of the norm and they missed work that day. God bless all effected by this tragedy
Some big wigs who always had breakfast up on the "eyes of the world" restaurant would cancel due to the wife making a dermatology appointment and such...
@@CameTo Also: Michael Lomonaco, top chef and director of Windows on the World, stopped at a LensCrafters to get his eyeglasses fixed before the first impact.
Worked both ways unfortunately such as Jim Gartenberg who went up to clear his desk after accepting a job elsewhere and got trapped. There’d be people who perhaps went in earlier than they needed too. To be in that position is unimaginable.
@@Sole-tx9cx why would god save his life and not the 3000 other people that died? That’s a ridiculous statement he just happen to be in the right place at the right time and was able to get out. that’s all it was. simple. God had nothing to do with it.
@@justme-on7bn First, nothing can happen without God’s express or permissive Will. I say it was God because the other guy prayed with him. The survivor said after the prayer, his mind was clear and he knew not to go up. As for why some died while others do not, that’s is an answer only God can answer. However, there was a saint who spoke with Jesus Christ Out Lord and savior, and our Lord said it is better for some to die in this world of it means they get to heaven rather than love long enough there to be in hell.
Something that 9/11 taught me at a very young age, was to never be so dedicated to authority or your job in general, that you'll go back up an elevator just because someone says you have to. No one knew the second plane would hit, and no one knew that tower two would collapse. What I do know is that my life is and always will be more important than a job. I can get another job.
They just taught an accident happened, they naver taught humans did this intentionally. This is a crucial information that changes how we think. Sure watching that should've messed with your head enough to not go back as few did but these are people who were there cause they went against all odds, these are people who chased careers, their future, people who had ambitions, people who went through things to be there, people who had skills or knowledge, down to the least important job you think exist in those buildings. America didn't just lose people, it lost important people. I'm not saying one is better than another, some just contribute more than others. If the first one was an accident, they had time to reevacuate slowly , the second one fell first
Yes, but it's only easy to do this in hindsight. People panicking every time something strange happens also doesn't help. They can also be wrong. I've seen where people who say what you said leave work during a tornado Warning only to die after they get home, in the tornado. I have seen them stay and die. We have access to so much more information at our fingertips than we did back then. Most the people in the building, didn't even know what happened till they left the building and saw it. There's not always a right or wrong answer, Sometimes people just get lucky or unlucky. Sometimes people do the right thing and die, And sometimes people do the wrong thing And live.
"Now they know that the reason why I'm optimistic and the glass is half full, is because I'm on borrowed time. I shouldn't be here!" That is a deep statement man. I'll rather say he's on blessed time, because he chose to hear a prayer of protection over him, and then chose to stay, rather than go back for items that, honestly a lot of us would've gone back up for! Shout out to that person who did that prayer, because what ever words of discernment came out, did enough to resonate to this gentleman, for him to stay where he was, and live the life he's SUPPOSED to. ⭐❤️🙌🏾
That was my thought too.. It really does seem like someone was looking out for or helping to guide him that day. He chose the prayer of protection and it worked to bless him by sparing his life so he can live the life he unknowingly chose in that moment.
Thank you so much for this interview. 9/11 survivors experienced a major historical event just like our soldiers did. Their stories deserve to be recorded and remember for future generations.
@@user-sp8eb6iz7f Shhhhhhh. The average American doesn't do well with objectivity. If you point out all the hypocrisy, they're bound to start whipping bibles at you or some'm. 😆
To younger generations now 9/11 may seem like history like World War II but for me being just a year old when the attack happened its still somewhat relevant
@@user-sp8eb6iz7fIrrelevant, I could care less when they chose violence against innocents on this scale. Those mud rats died like the fools they were lol. No virgins in heaven for them. Just a few smelly mud rats cooked in the name of a goofy and barbaric religion. If you look at Pakistan and Afghanistan and the generations upon generations of inbreeding… this all becomes easier to understand.
There was this really moving scene. Several days after the attacks; the responders and construction workers who were removing and clearing the rubble; they were doing it with such a regard and consideration for the potential undiscovered victims. Even the people who were operating the big and heavy excavators were using such caution and sensitivity. I got some filmmaking/acting experience and I swear, they deserve a tribute, especially since many of them suffered and died of cancer and other related illnesses. And a big thank you for anyone who fought for the James Zadroga Compensation act!
In 1995 my brother, Jon, was in the same Morgan Stanley - Dean Witter training program as Giovanni was for three or four weeks. He talked about the fire drills and how the 1993 bombing was still on peoples' minds during that time. He was devasted by the attacks, too. Sadly Jon passed away in February of 2015 due to cancer. Thank you Giovanni for sharing your account of 9/11
Yes, one decision in a moment can change your life. The man who was the head of security for Morgan Stanley is credited for saving 2,600 plus lives that day. He and his team went back up into the tower and died. Check out the National Geographic special about 911. Also, check out the story of the ... Man in the Red Bandana ... an awesome story of a young man who gave his life to save others.
What an intelligent and nice man. He followed his instinct to not go back up to his floor. Life can be taken away at any moment and every day is truly a gift. ❤
lol intelligent....he took an aweful lot of time to grasp what was happening and that MAYBE he should leave a burning building son to come down.....suits i tell ya oof
I met a RF technician a few years back over in Europe, who told me he worked in the US and a few days after 9/11 decided to go back to Europe. So I asked why and he told me that on the morning of 9/11 he got a service call to the deck of Tower 1 to diagnose a RF transmitter. He was working with a colleague who had never been on the deck and when they finished their work, they stood up and enjoyed the views. They took the elevator down, walked pass the security saying goodbye and walked out the door, just as the first plane hit the tower. He said they immediately ran to their service truck and drove away, through the tunnel to NJ where they parked and then watched as the second tower was also hit. He said he couldn't handle the fact that he cheated death and needed to get away from the reminder, so went back home.
That’s live isn’t it. I’m sure there were many that, for example weren’t working that day but nipped in to pick something up and died. Similar stories with the planes. Many that should have been on that weren’t and many that were on that normally wouldn’t have been. Pure luck
A friend I grew up with, Andrew, had a wife at that time. She worked for Cantor Fitzgerald (the target of the plane for tower 1 on 9/11). She planned on putting in a" personal day" for September 11 only if the weather was good, as she wanted to spend her second wedding anniversary outside someplace. Well, she saw the weather report and found that September 11 was going to be a beautiful day, so she took the "personal day". Had she gone into work that she would have been incinerated along with over 600 of her co-workers that day.
@@PutDownTheBunnyok go back watch the footage of rhe planes hitting towers play it in slow motion watch how the wings slice thru the 48 titanium reinforced pillars like a samurai sword through a banana, keep in mind planes wings is where the fuel is kept, and planes are relatively lite so they can fly, basically youd have to be super dumb to think planes wings can cut through 48 titanium reinforced concrete pillars , titanium steel is the hardest steel known to man
As someone who was a teenager when 9/11 happened in southeast Pennsylvania what sticks out to me the most the day after 9/11 was how united the country was, everyone was hand in hand ready to go. I sadly miss that feeling today. We have never been more divided. It was a special time for such a tragic event. I’ll never forget.
@@raff23able To an extent. America was built on a mess. It was a nation of radicalised Christians that escaped Britain. A lot of the civilians are still religious fanatics and genuinely believe everyone should live by their rules. Take away the politicians and you still an overgrown cult that’s angry at everything that doesn’t aline with their world views.
@@raff23able To an extent. America was built on a mess. It was a nation of radicalised Christians that escaped Britain. A lot of the civilians are still religious fanatics and genuinely believe everyone should live by their rules. Take away the politicians and you still an overgrown cult that’s angry at everything that doesn’t aline with their world views.
I feel exactly the same way. I was late 30's and was overwhelmed by the solidarity that occurred in the months afterwards. It took something as unthinkable and horrifying as those attacks to bring the country together. But sadly, 22 years later in this abysmal political climate, if it happened now our dumb asses would just blame each other. Sorry. It really sucks.
It also needs to be documented that Bill Clinton had Bin Laden in his sights and did NOT take him out plus the CIA was aware that the terrorists were at US flight schools.
I firmly believe that all of this should be put into the schools and children and college students should all see this. This might change their mind on certain things
WOW chills. I was not expecting the story to start the way it did and it is blowing my mind a little. My uncle Alan was also in the building that day, with Morgan Stanley, and in the room with Philip Roth at the 8am meeting on the 64th floor of Tower 2... He also went down for a break after to smoke, saw the man yelling to get back in the building as the first plane hit, and he survived the event praise God ❤️ Thank you for sharing your story. (Edit: I am so convinced my Uncle Alan is the one this story refers to as he has spoken of convincing those he was with to not go back up … and he also spoke of the man he was with Giovanni!!!!! Every detail is the same…what are the chances?????)
@@wyleFTW My uncle is named Alan - he was on the 64th floor that day at training for Morgan Stanley, at the 8AM meeting this man speaks about, being led by Philip Roth….if you watch the video this man refers to his roommate that week “Alan” who prayed with him to stop him from going up to grab his stuff. I am 99.9% sure that Alan is my uncle. I have heard my uncle Alan’s story and it is the exact same as this man - and he talks about praying with the man he was with who’s name was Giovanni. I didn’t put 2 and 2 together until I got all the way through the video
@@hmq9052 except I don’t have any questions, me saying “what are the chances?” is rhetorical. I am shocked at the coincidence that this video I clicked on had so many similarities and seems to be the other side of the same one I’ve heard so many times. Tbh I don’t want to randomly message my Uncle and bring up 9/11, I find it disrespectful because I rarely get to see him these days, but next time we are together I may ask him ❤️
I was 28 on 9/11 and living on the west coast. I’m amazed at how many stories there are from that day that I’ve never heard. This is one of them. Grateful to you for sharing ❤
I'm from western Europe and 9/11 was the first international event, that I conciously remember. I was 13 at the time, just returning from school (the planes hit around 3pm in our time zone) and my brother told me what was on the news. So we sat in disbelief watching the coverage and also the second plane hitting. The next day all the papers were full of news about the attacks and we started basically every lesson in school talking about it - we all were shocked - and having minutes of silence for the victims. So even across the pond, it was a very influencial event on a personal level. Years later talking with my family my brother and I stated, that this event changed our world view. It changed our sense of security. If they could attack New York, they could attack Europe as well.
@@xKarenWalkerxjit said he was 13 you’re talking abt something that was 80 years ago💀 also Europe wasn’t bombed by terrorists the situations are so different lmao
I would've been 16, in my final year at school. I remember going to my Grandparents' house a short walk from school for lunch and seeing it on the news. I believe it was 12:46pm in the UK when the first plane hit, 13:03 when the second hit. I must have gotten to my grandparents' house sometime after 13:03, and would've been heading back to school around 13:30. So the news I watched was the two towers with smoke billowing out and the early indications that planes had crashed into them. At that point, they were still standing and no-one had any idea they might collapse. I don't even think the president had spoken by the time I'd headed back to school. I can't say for certain now what my actual memories are, for they've been tainted somewhat by the knowledge we've gained since. What I do very distinctly remember was that, even over here in Scotland, I was left stunned, absolutely gobsmacked that this was really happening. It was more like a film trailer than news. I remember it being very much a discussion that afternoon at school. Lessons weren't actually cancelled, but we didn't do much learning that afternoon - it was all talking about what had happened, taking time to think of those affected, and also considering our own mortality. Of course, terrorists wouldn't target this kind of attack on a small high school in a very rural town, but we did wonder about people in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh - could any of those be targeted next?
I worked with a gentleman who was employed by the Marriott at the Trade Center and walked through the dust to escape. He will never recover from the damage to his lungs. A real tragedy of many.
6 หลายเดือนก่อน +10
That has killed as many people as the original attack.
Giovanni, you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE HERE!!! AND THANK GOD YOU ARE. Your story is inspiring and grateful I found it. Would be honored to cross paths with you one day. My son was born that morning in Florida.
@@RailyardProductionspity god didn’t touch the lives of the thousands of other people who died that day…. Hopefully this statement make you realize how daft your statement is.
That guy who asked to pray with him was an angel.. He was literally at the brink of death, and he was saved! ❤ I’m glad he is alive & well to tell this story..
There surely was power in that prayer because he seemed quite sure he was ok to go back upstairs to the office. His peer felt something powerful! God blessed them that day.
What a great story - Just glad he trusted his instincts and didn't go back up for his stuff. Nothing is worth risking your life over in such a situation.
@@c.eb.1216 - Sound advice.... Having grown up in the solid and liquid fueled rocket industry, I could tell you some chilling stories about fire and survival of people my father worked with and of his near misses through his 3-decade career.
I don’t know if I am the only one, I can never get enough of hearing survivors stories because I know so many didn’t make it. I was no where near the WTC, yet I cried and stayed of for days worried about how these people were killed. This is a day nobody will ever forget, hugs to all the survivors and families of the ones that didn’t make it!🤗🥰
My life at the time was imploding like the towers. I was desperately juggling too many lies & balls in the air in order to hide the shame of my pain pill & tranquilizer addiction. I watched TV as I prepared to go out & find another job so my family wouldn't know I'd been fired again. I was equally horrified by the attacks as I was by my shame. Three months later to the day I went for an assessment & was in treatment starting 12-12-01. My sobriety date. I watch the films & testimony of 9-11 to connect with people who didn't have the blessing of a choice that awful day. I'm sober still. Grateful. And pray for the souls of the deceased and for the healing and consolation of all the sick & suffering left behind. May the God of their understanding hold them all in a loving & healing embrace.
Thank you for posting these interviews. These pieces of history need to be told and remembered. Still gives me goosebumps when they mention the speaker of Morgan Stanley finished his presentation early.
i really admire people who go through trauma like that and can turn it into a driving force like he does. i struggle a lot to be positive but people like this are just grateful for life after all the suffering they've gone through. i hope i can adopt a mindset like him someday, i'm sure he had to work really hard to overcome all the negative emotions of the experience and grow from it like he has.
My Auntie asked me about my 9/11 near miss experience a few days ago. We spoke for hours. After 22 years I finally cried & truly got the poison out. It was so cathartic. I still cannot fathom what my friends and colleagues had to do that day. If you didnt know WTC, felt like a college to me.
This is the perfect example of why they need to bring pay phones back. There's a lot of times when you don't have a signal on your cell phone depending on where you're at and the battery is about to go dead. Sometimes you don't have a battery charger in your car. I'm glad he made it out, but we'll never forget the hell those poor people went through that didn't make it out. 😢😭💔 That was such a sad and scary day.
I worked on the 79th floor of WTC2 but left for another job a few months before 9/11 but I was stuck coming out of the Battery Tunnel when the 2nd plane hit WTC2. I heard it, but couldn't see it. I still had a lot of friends in that tower. I saw it collapse when I was on the Brooklyn Bridge walking home. Before the collapse and after I saw a stream of people walking out of Manhattan and small groups of construction workers walking towards the site in the opposite direction to us. I saw their faces and before the tower collapsed they were smiling and I think enjoying feeling like heroes going towards the disaster area. When the tower collapsed. I saw them stop and I saw their faces afterwards and we all shared the same experience of horror... but after a few minutes, they KEPT walking towards that site. I am sure they were all alive because the 2nd tower collapsed before they would've had a chance to get there but still... they didn't know that! And another experience I had was just remembering my colleagues at WTC2 on that 79th floor and not knowing if they were all dead or alive. I was so scared calling them, half expecting their loved ones to pick up the phone and say that didn't return but most of them made it out. A number died (including this one girl I kind of knew) - she made it out alright and then, security said it was safe to return and she got on that elevator. A few more died as well that I didn't know. Their names are on that wall of the reflecting pool at the memorial site now.
@@leonchalita2169 Yes, very lucky! I was more of a witness to these events than a victim, though. It was just a bit more personal for me, knowing those people and being nearby.
I once met somebody who was there. She was on a lower floor & got out OK, but she was so traumatized by the whole thing that she never went back into a tall building again & also left NYC.
his calmness is describing it all is so powerful. it makes me so grateful for life…I hope everyone that survived that day has a blessed/nourishing life… I couldn’t imagine the complete psychological devastation from being there that day. God bless all of them!
There was a guy who called in sick that day to stay home and watch his favourite European football team Roma FC play. Openly has said his love for his team saved his life. His office was located where the first plane hit. Insane
Your are a survivor, able to share this precious moment in prayer…..this trauma never will leave you but enables you to give to others in need, bless you for being alive …..
So glad you are interviewing different 9/11 survivors, they were not trained for that day, but they fought hard to survive and help those they could with little preparation for the enormous impact that was happening in a short time period. We need to preserve their legacy just as we honor those who fought in the battles. 9/11, in NYC especially, was a testament to the worst of humanity contrasting the best. Giovanni has decided to represent the best in the most optimistic way a survivor can, understanding how blessed life is and not to take it for granted.
Out of all of the stories I’ve seen, this one stands out for some reason. Perhaps because of the simplicity of the escape- the simple human choice of whether or not to gather superficial personal belongings, or the gut instinct to stay safe. And the message is so optimistic and hopeful out of such calamity. Thank you for that.
I was a freshman in high school and I remember it was a cloudy dark day when we found out what happened in NY. Nobody said much in high school. We did nothing. We sat in shock. We walked outside in the dark clouds and truly we didn’t see the severity then, but I remember watching on the news and seeing all of the people jumping out of the building. I remember seeing one man in particular to this day I will never forget, there was a closeup on him from the helicopter. A man who had a suit on and he had taken off his jacket and was waving it at the helicopter cameras for help. It was when the first building had been hit. Then you just see hundreds of people either jumping or falling off. They showed it all on live television. You cannot un see that.
Yes I was a freshman in college at Western Michigan University in math class. Our teacher came in and told us class was over and explained what was going on. You’re right you can’t unsee that stuff and it affected our generation more than people like to admit. I find it’s helped me to go back and listen to these stories.
I just met a 9/11 firefighter while on vacation. So fascinating talking to him about his experience and how he survived. It was the highlight of my whole trip. So much respect for the people who went towards the WTC buildings rather than away. I don’t think I would’ve been that brave.
Did the firefighter talk about how the evidence of who killed his fellow firefighters was removed immediately preventing any investigation into the causes of their deaths?
Can you imagine getting confirmation of where your son is and feeling relief, and then seeing the plane hit the other tower exactly where he was just said to be?? What a horrible feeling... I'm so happy he was able to call home and tell them he was alive. That must have been some emotional whiplash.
you don't forget something like that, it feels like yesterday. I was only 14 and watching from the other side of the world and I remember many things in great detail
I remember a sign being up on the top floor saying this building is built to withstand a 9 magnitude earthquake. It felt so safe there. It's a shock still that 9/11 even happened.
I literally just learned a couple days ago about who Rick Rescorla was through an interview from this channel. Can't believe I haven't heard about him. Keep these interviews coming! Keep history alive!
You hear plenty about how helpful everyone was... You don't often hear about the people caught under foot or left behind with the save yourself mentality that was prevalent. Never shy away from a 9/11 interview, this was another good one.
I agree. It's good to try to focus on the positive moments that occur throughout tragic events such as this with all the bravery and camaraderie that goes on but I think it can also be wise to understand and be aware of the fact that in moments of desperation, there are some people who cannot help themselves and act purely out of a need for their own self preservation which will often put others in danger so it's a good idea to know that you need to watch out for that potential safety hazard as well. That stuff is shown far less but is still very important to keep in mind.
That man that stop to pray for him was a ram in the bush for this man. This was a supernatural intervention from God Almighty. And it’s amazing that the team was also not hurt. The hand of God is on this man’s life, I hope he’s see it and gives God all the glory and praise. Wonderful testimony!!!
I'm sure the people standing on the window ledges were praying sincerely too...look what happened to them? Your comment is so offensive to those that died.
@@nw6070 how is it offensive? And why are you offended?… my family was supposed to be in Windows on the World that morning, my Aunt heard the wrong time to be there and made everyone late. They were going to the WTC to pick up some tickets for something then have breakfast but because they were late getting into the city from Jersey, they was in some traffic and seen the first flight crash then all the smoke that followed, my Uncle who was driving turned the car back around to go home. Six family members of mine would’ve been in Windows, I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ God Almighty for my Aunt hearing the wrong time to be ready. So when you talk this ra ra ra and disregard the miracles that also happen on that day it seems insensitive to people that did ESCAPE but thanks to God Almighty it wasn’t in his WILL for them to die that day!.. We will never forget those who suffered and still is suffering and those who parish! They will ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED!!!! United we Stand
@@Its_Prince_AllDay im not disregarding those that got lucky and were spared, im just saying it's offensiven to imply faith in God is what saved. What about all those innocent people klinging to windows with skin starting to melt or trapped under rubble with horrific injured that were no doubt praying sincerely? It's offensive to say oh well it was just gods way to let the suffer but spare others.
@@nw6070 its offensive to you. Those innocent people that was burning and clinging to the windows, with no way out but to jump or trapped, I’m sure they was praying sincerely but it was there time, no matter how much you pray. Everyone is gonna die right? Do you know?… probably not but you can still pray to the end. I never ever said “oh well it was just God’s way to let them suffer but spare the other” you took it that way because you wanted to. People die everyday a peaceful death and horrible death and still have fait…. So what are you really saying? And please don’t put words in my mouth that I didn’t say.
The logic of religious people is so twisted. Why does god get credit for saving this one dude but manages to escape responsibility for the thousands of others who died that day? God either killed them or at the very least didn’t save them. God is an asshole
I was watching after my brother called to say a "cargo plane" hit the trade center. When the 2nd plane hit, I screamed "a second plane just hit!! they're bombing it!!!" My brother couldn't believe it. It made me sad to hear this man say he's been on borrowed time but glad he appreciates every day ❤ We all need to live for those who lost their lives on that horrible day. We owe them that 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I watched it happen live on TV as a teen. Like people just falling from buildings. After I just pushed it out of my head, never talked about it and would never watch or listen to anything about. I think this is the first thing I watched in 23 years since it happened. This man finding a way to be positive about life after is inspiring.
I did the same thing. I was a kid and just tucked it away as a tragedy without ever looking into surviver accounts and the like. Had no idea until this past week how much footage there is of the day. But then I fell down a rabbit hole about it and then ended up watching the National Geographic documentary “9/11: One Day in America” and I’m completely haunted by these stories now. There are so many inspiring, but also tragic, first-hand accounts of the day. So much bravery, not just from first responders, but from your average citizens, too. But also so much terror and confusion and pain :(
@@effigy8093 I think when you live through something traumatic it takes many years to come back around and really think about it and deal with it. 9/11 was a collective trauma.
Always keep a clear head to escape danger. I've had many encounters. Drowning, amputation, explosion, cancer, bankruptcy. I stayed calm. It's not what happens to you in life, it's how you react that matters.
My father's friend at Merrill Lynch was heading to work, driving and as he was approaching WTC, he saw the floor at WTC 1 where his meeting was taking place get hit by the plane. A lot of fortunate near-misses for many people.
So glad you made it Giovanni. Your approach & attitude to life after this event is truly inspiring, and I've learnt so much through your story. Thank you.
Very moving and emotional to listen to a first hand account of being in one of the towers. That was a day I'm sure the world will never forget. I'm Canadian and it really affected me emotionally that day. My heart still breaks for all those who were lost to such a cowardly, selfish and unnecessary act of violence on Americans. Thank you for sharing this. ❤
Thank you so much for sharing your 9/11 story with us. You have such a calm & graceful manner; I could listen to you tell stories all day long. This is incredibly refreshing & genuine despite the topic. Again, thank you. 🙏♥️
Morgan Stanley security conducted drills monthly ever since '93. Almost ever single MS employee made it out. There's a documentary about the MS head of security. He's considered the man who predicted this.
The fact he wanted to go back up to get his wallet and phone shows what type of world we lived in back then. There were not terrorists attacks, hijacks, bombings, shootings.. this opened everyones eyes. 🙏🙏
Not really, most of us would do the same thing now. Collecting personal belongings is something human beings have done since the time they could climb up a tree!
But what did we learn from 9-11? There was never a proper investigation and the Patriot Act and other horrible legislation passed curtailing liberties and starting wars. Who do you think was behind 9-11?
I will NEVER forget this day. I worked across the street and saw it all happen and was caught up in the debris. A horrible sight to see and be involved in. The scariest day of my life. Grateful to be here but health issues since 2002. God bless everyone from that day. We live with horrible survivors guilt and nightmares to this day.
@jojoradio1668: That's fascinating. Just to be clear, which direction would you have been facing to be looking at the towers that day, and do you mean across the street from WTC1 or WTC2? Sorry to hear about your health issues.
@Willem-The-Strange my job was 2 blocks away on Broadway. I was on the corner of liberty street having just arrived to NY. Those coming out of the building before the planes hit were arriving into ny. The trains from nj and all over ny were in the lowest/ground level. WTC is a transformation hub.
@@jojoradio1668 Wow, so you were pretty close to the towers. That must've been scary. You mean you saw people coming out of the WTC building before the planes hit? And do you mean the South Tower building (before the 2nd plane hit), or the North Tower building (before any planes hit)?
@Willem-The-Strange I saw the second plane hit while I was standing on the corner. Two blocks in ny aren't long. I came out of the wtc after the first plane hit. I was going to work like everyone else. I was caught up in the collapse of both towers while on the streets.
Glad you made it out. That day changed many of our young lives forever and made us fight those pieces of crap 7000 miles away. That day stripped the youth of many of us.
I believe Morgan Stanley employees were saved due to a heroic man named Rick Rescorla He ran the security department and always believed the Muslims would attack the World Trade Center again-from the sky. He essentially predicted 9/11 would happen at some point. So much so that he would actually lead regular drills with the employees at Morgan Stanley. When the first plane hit the other tower, he said, “This is it, folks.” And he began evacuating the Morgan Stanley people out of the building. Unfortunately, Rick died in the second tower that day. A great man and a true hero.
Thank you for this amazing and life saving story. You are truly blessed. I remember how blue the sky was and the cool temperature that morning. The story of the man with new shoes that rubbed his toe never left my mind. He was late to work because he had to buy a band-aid and his life was saved. I would treasure those shoes for life.
He stopped to pray at another's request. In that moment, he opened himself up to the Divine Influence, and then felt an urging to NOT go back up. Listening to that quiet voice that echoes inside us, call it God or intuition, or whatever...made a difference.
It's such a crazy reminder that from a 1st-person perspective, there is ZERO clarity as to what's going on on the ground, while at the same time such a huge and significant event in history is taking place. Mr. Renteria even said that he thought to himself at the time, "there is NO way it could've been a plane". This clarifies that there is such an important difference between experience and knowledge.
When discussing his Mother, I am covered in Goose bumps. I couldn't imagine that horror and for Giovanni to be able to call her, that's incredible. Thank you for sharing your story Giovanni, your wallet and phone are replaceable, You are not so I'm really glad you stayed
Hindsight is 20/20, but I could never understand how security and others told the people working at the towers to go back up, everything is fine, when one of the towers was on fire. It made no sense at the most basic level. Something is on fire near you, get away from it. Hearing survivor stories similar to this one, it seems many people are alive because they listened to their instincts.
I agree. Both buildings should have been evacuated immediately after the first plane hit. I wonder how many would have not perished if that had happened.
@@BrianBourgeois- but also i think they didn't want all those people outside with heavy debris falling out the sky either way it sucks cause you didn't give the people a fighting chance
I'm sure you have watched it, but just in case. Look up what happened in Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11. That is a heartwarming story of people coming together to help complete strangers.
I can remember this day as if it were yesterday. Its scary that is so lang ago. I really love the survivor story's. Happy for this nice man that he did escape.😊
I will never get tired of watching 9/11 survival stories.
I have always believed that *far* MORE people have died in those attacks than we’ve been told. From Day ONE
@@SuperLuminalElfwhy on earth would they minimize the casualties?? Bush was using this incident to go to war, so every death was important and carefully documented. The whole thing was! Have you been to the museum? Have you watched lots of footage? Take off your damn aluminum hat.
I am not American, never lived there, but I am never tired of watching and listening to 911 stories, that day impacted the whole World, I will never forget the horror I felt,watching those towers fall on TV. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY.
Vicarious living rids your boredom
Same here,
"Never forget" they meant it
I’m sorry, but the fact that a whole plane flew into the world trade center and they had the audacity to tell people they were safe and not evacuate is Beyond me!
Right! I know hindsight is 20/20 but I can’t image a worse situation. 😢
I always thought this too.
I agree, but they didn’t know it was a plane at first. They thought it was and explosion and from other interviews I’ve seen they assumed it was an internal issue. I can see why they thought tower 2 was okay. Unfortunately, they were very wrong.
@@MilcaRhodes that’s crazy. I’ve seen interviews where they say They know it was a plane but they told them to stay in the office either way it’s also sad.
Right!! I wouldve dragged people out with my bare hands like LEAVE!! GO
I went on a walking tour in NYC last year (I’m from London) and our tour guide told us a story at the 9/11 memorial, he told us about Morgan Stanley’s security team and main security manager had everyone so prepared for a threat like this, they had evacuation plans and did drills all the time, nobody ever understood this. Most of Morgan Stanley successfully got out on 9/11 except the main guy himself who was responsible for the whole company being prepared enough to get out. What a hero, I cried listening to that on the tour, so it’s great to listen to this.
Rick Rescorla?
@@karenrussell8704 yes
Rick Rescoria. Presumed by many to be Italian-American but was in fact British, born in Cornwall. A true hero. RIP Rick.
@@paulinekilburnie2224 His bio is fascinating! Anyone who has not read it please do so. You will not be disappointed.
I did not know that. Wow. Amazing you were able to take that tour. I imagine it put a lot of context to what you remember from the day. I've never been to New York, but would love to visit one day.
What gives me chills is stories from people who were meant to be in the world trade centers on 9/11, but something happened in their daily life out of the norm and they missed work that day. God bless all effected by this tragedy
Some big wigs who always had breakfast up on the "eyes of the world" restaurant would cancel due to the wife making a dermatology appointment and such...
@@CameTo Also:
Michael Lomonaco, top chef and director of Windows on the World, stopped at a LensCrafters to get his eyeglasses fixed before the first impact.
or the people who missed their flight .
Worked both ways unfortunately such as Jim Gartenberg who went up to clear his desk after accepting a job elsewhere and got trapped.
There’d be people who perhaps went in earlier than they needed too. To be in that position is unimaginable.
You know the creator of family guy was supposed to be in one of the twin towers
He stopped for a moment to say a prayer. Those few seconds of mental focus with a co-worker saved his life.
God saved his life
You know who else was praying? The hijackers. Their devout focus cost thousands of people their lives. Let's not cherry pick.
@@Sole-tx9cx why would god save his life and not the 3000 other people that died? That’s a ridiculous statement he just happen to be in the right place at the right time and was able to get out. that’s all it was. simple. God had nothing to do with it.
@@justme-on7bn First, nothing can happen without God’s express or permissive Will.
I say it was God because the other guy prayed with him. The survivor said after the prayer, his mind was clear and he knew not to go up.
As for why some died while others do not, that’s is an answer only God can answer. However, there was a saint who spoke with Jesus Christ Out Lord and savior, and our Lord said it is better for some to die in this world of it means they get to heaven rather than love long enough there to be in hell.
@@Sole-tx9cxyes God saved him. Do not let non believers fog your love for the Lord. Praise the Lord we are not worthy
Something that 9/11 taught me at a very young age, was to never be so dedicated to authority or your job in general, that you'll go back up an elevator just because someone says you have to. No one knew the second plane would hit, and no one knew that tower two would collapse. What I do know is that my life is and always will be more important than a job. I can get another job.
They just taught an accident happened, they naver taught humans did this intentionally.
This is a crucial information that changes how we think.
Sure watching that should've messed with your head enough to not go back as few did but these are people who were there cause they went against all odds, these are people who chased careers, their future, people who had ambitions, people who went through things to be there, people who had skills or knowledge, down to the least important job you think exist in those buildings.
America didn't just lose people, it lost important people. I'm not saying one is better than another, some just contribute more than others.
If the first one was an accident, they had time to reevacuate slowly , the second one fell first
How's that even possible? What about your actual experience on that day made you feel that way?
Yes, but it's only easy to do this in hindsight. People panicking every time something strange happens also doesn't help. They can also be wrong. I've seen where people who say what you said leave work during a tornado Warning only to die after they get home, in the tornado. I have seen them stay and die. We have access to so much more information at our fingertips than we did back then. Most the people in the building, didn't even know what happened till they left the building and saw it. There's not always a right or wrong answer, Sometimes people just get lucky or unlucky. Sometimes people do the right thing and die, And sometimes people do the wrong thing And live.
Facts! Imagine hearing a loud noise and your building shake and your boss say go back up stairs 😂 I’m quitting today
Well said but it's not that cut dry.
Wow when he said ‘I’m on borrowed time’I felt a chill. Lucky man to have survived.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢
Not luck, divine providence!
It was because of prayer 🙏
@@debbiescott6732Prove it.
THE GIFT OF GOD TO PRAY..CAN HELP US !ALL . U NEVER KNOW . IM DAILY ON BORROWED TIME
"Now they know that the reason why I'm optimistic and the glass is half full, is because I'm on borrowed time. I shouldn't be here!"
That is a deep statement man.
I'll rather say he's on blessed time, because he chose to hear a prayer of protection over him, and then chose to stay, rather than go back for items that, honestly a lot of us would've gone back up for!
Shout out to that person who did that prayer, because what ever words of discernment came out, did enough to resonate to this gentleman, for him to stay where he was, and live the life he's SUPPOSED to. ⭐❤️🙌🏾
That was my thought too.. It really does seem like someone was looking out for or helping to guide him that day. He chose the prayer of protection and it worked to bless him by sparing his life so he can live the life he unknowingly chose in that moment.
Yes! the same thing I thought… he’s on blessed time… poor thing he’s probably suffering from survivors remorse.
Amen! He's blessed. God gave him another chance at life so he would have a relationship with him.
@@Twistedpeppermint99what about the 3000 people who died? He doesnt want a relationship with any of them? Not even a couple?
I'm studying engineering and I say that glass is twice as large as it needs to be.
Thank you for not adding any crazy music or editing. Just the story. Perfect
Yes. You are so right…
I agree 1000% So sick of YTers putting in annoying music.
Thank you so much for this interview. 9/11 survivors experienced a major historical event just like our soldiers did. Their stories deserve to be recorded and remember for future generations.
Unlike the 100 million Amer-Indians murdered and robbed, that we do not need to remember for future generations.
@@user-sp8eb6iz7f Shhhhhhh.
The average American doesn't do well with objectivity.
If you point out all the hypocrisy, they're bound to start whipping bibles at you or some'm. 😆
To younger generations now 9/11 may seem like history like World War II but for me being just a year old when the attack happened its still somewhat relevant
@@Railhog2102 Young man, find out WHY they took the tower down.
@@user-sp8eb6iz7fIrrelevant, I could care less when they chose violence against innocents on this scale. Those mud rats died like the fools they were lol. No virgins in heaven for them. Just a few smelly mud rats cooked in the name of a goofy and barbaric religion.
If you look at Pakistan and Afghanistan and the generations upon generations of inbreeding… this all becomes easier to understand.
There was this really moving scene. Several days after the attacks; the responders and construction workers who were removing and clearing the rubble; they were doing it with such a regard and consideration for the potential undiscovered victims. Even the people who were operating the big and heavy excavators were using such caution and sensitivity. I got some filmmaking/acting experience and I swear, they deserve a tribute, especially since many of them suffered and died of cancer and other related illnesses. And a big thank you for anyone who fought for the James Zadroga Compensation act!
There was no rubble the buildings turned into dust white phosphorus was burning weeks after the event
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢
I smell bullshit
@@michaelmarama-de4gxthat acting filmmaking aside is sketchy.
Well, they're still dying from all that stuff. And not just the first responders, remember that.
In 1995 my brother, Jon, was in the same Morgan Stanley - Dean Witter training program as Giovanni was for three or four weeks. He talked about the fire drills and how the 1993 bombing was still on peoples' minds during that time. He was devasted by the attacks, too. Sadly Jon passed away in February of 2015 due to cancer. Thank you Giovanni for sharing your account of 9/11
So sorry for your loss
im so sorry for your loss❤
Is his cancer related to that day ?
🪽🪽🕊️🕊️🙏🏾
@@pierren___I doubt they will know
That person who stopped him to pray saved his life. ❤️
Yes, one decision in a moment can change your life. The man who was the head of security for Morgan Stanley is credited for saving 2,600 plus lives that day. He and his team went back up into the tower and died. Check out the National Geographic special about 911. Also, check out the story of the ... Man in the Red Bandana ... an awesome story of a young man who gave his life to save others.
God God God
No, the Lord saved his life!
@@kathyr.8135 What about FREE WILL?
No, it’s down to timing
What an intelligent and nice man. He followed his instinct to not go back up to his floor. Life can be taken away at any moment and every day is truly a gift. ❤
9/11
lol intelligent....he took an aweful lot of time to grasp what was happening and that MAYBE he should leave a burning building son to come down.....suits i tell ya oof
God gave him wisdom not to go back up. That took place after the prayer. His instinct was telling him to go get his stuff.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢❤❤
@@thereisnopandemic100%. The simple act of prayer, exhibiting that faith, enabled him to hesr what God wanted him to know.
I met a RF technician a few years back over in Europe, who told me he worked in the US and a few days after 9/11 decided to go back to Europe. So I asked why and he told me that on the morning of 9/11 he got a service call to the deck of Tower 1 to diagnose a RF transmitter. He was working with a colleague who had never been on the deck and when they finished their work, they stood up and enjoyed the views. They took the elevator down, walked pass the security saying goodbye and walked out the door, just as the first plane hit the tower. He said they immediately ran to their service truck and drove away, through the tunnel to NJ where they parked and then watched as the second tower was also hit. He said he couldn't handle the fact that he cheated death and needed to get away from the reminder, so went back home.
That’s live isn’t it. I’m sure there were many that, for example weren’t working that day but nipped in to pick something up and died. Similar stories with the planes. Many that should have been on that weren’t and many that were on that normally wouldn’t have been. Pure luck
DAmn what a lucky person! Wow.
A friend I grew up with, Andrew, had a wife at that time. She worked for Cantor Fitzgerald (the target of the plane for tower 1 on 9/11). She planned on putting in a" personal day" for September 11 only if the weather was good, as she wanted to spend her second wedding anniversary outside someplace. Well, she saw the weather report and found that September 11 was going to be a beautiful day, so she took the "personal day". Had she gone into work that she would have been incinerated along with over 600 of her co-workers that day.
yep theyve totally fooled you and it was so easy
@@PutDownTheBunnyok go back watch the footage of rhe planes hitting towers play it in slow motion watch how the wings slice thru the 48 titanium reinforced pillars like a samurai sword through a banana, keep in mind planes wings is where the fuel is kept, and planes are relatively lite so they can fly, basically youd have to be super dumb to think planes wings can cut through 48 titanium reinforced concrete pillars , titanium steel is the hardest steel known to man
As someone who was a teenager when 9/11 happened in southeast Pennsylvania what sticks out to me the most the day after 9/11 was how united the country was, everyone was hand in hand ready to go. I sadly miss that feeling today. We have never been more divided. It was a special time for such a tragic event. I’ll never forget.
Woke culture had divided us. The enemy destroying the US from the inside.
Division is an illusion being perpetrated by those who want us divided.
@@raff23able To an extent. America was built on a mess. It was a nation of radicalised Christians that escaped Britain. A lot of the civilians are still religious fanatics and genuinely believe everyone should live by their rules. Take away the politicians and you still an overgrown cult that’s angry at everything that doesn’t aline with their world views.
@@raff23able To an extent. America was built on a mess. It was a nation of radicalised Christians that escaped Britain. A lot of the civilians are still religious fanatics and genuinely believe everyone should live by their rules. Take away the politicians and you still an overgrown cult that’s angry at everything that doesn’t aline with their world views.
I feel exactly the same way. I was late 30's and was overwhelmed by the solidarity that occurred in the months afterwards. It took something as unthinkable and horrifying as those attacks to bring the country together. But sadly, 22 years later in this abysmal political climate, if it happened now our dumb asses would just blame each other. Sorry. It really sucks.
This is history that needs to be documented for the rest of time. Thank you for this.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢
History should also remember how much people in the Middle East were killed by the USA for "US interest"..........oil.
@@mayaasan7201Great documentary
It also needs to be documented that Bill Clinton had Bin Laden in his sights and did NOT take him out plus the CIA was aware that the terrorists were at US flight schools.
I firmly believe that all of this should be put into the schools and children and college students should all see this. This might change their mind on certain things
WOW chills. I was not expecting the story to start the way it did and it is blowing my mind a little. My uncle Alan was also in the building that day, with Morgan Stanley, and in the room with Philip Roth at the 8am meeting on the 64th floor of Tower 2... He also went down for a break after to smoke, saw the man yelling to get back in the building as the first plane hit, and he survived the event praise God ❤️ Thank you for sharing your story. (Edit: I am so convinced my Uncle Alan is the one this story refers to as he has spoken of convincing those he was with to not go back up … and he also spoke of the man he was with Giovanni!!!!! Every detail is the same…what are the chances?????)
This guy is you're uncle?
@@wyleFTW My uncle is named Alan - he was on the 64th floor that day at training for Morgan Stanley, at the 8AM meeting this man speaks about, being led by Philip Roth….if you watch the video this man refers to his roommate that week “Alan” who prayed with him to stop him from going up to grab his stuff. I am 99.9% sure that Alan is my uncle. I have heard my uncle Alan’s story and it is the exact same as this man - and he talks about praying with the man he was with who’s name was Giovanni. I didn’t put 2 and 2 together until I got all the way through the video
@@breezy-duz-itUncle Alan will be able to answer these questions
@@hmq9052 except I don’t have any questions, me saying “what are the chances?” is rhetorical. I am shocked at the coincidence that this video I clicked on had so many similarities and seems to be the other side of the same one I’ve heard so many times. Tbh I don’t want to randomly message my Uncle and bring up 9/11, I find it disrespectful because I rarely get to see him these days, but next time we are together I may ask him ❤️
@@breezy-duz-it You should. He'd be as amazed as you are.
I was 28 on 9/11 and living on the west coast. I’m amazed at how many stories there are from that day that I’ve never heard. This is one of them. Grateful to you for sharing ❤
I’m glad he found hope through all of that and he’s living a great life now. Rip to the rest that didn’t make it.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢
I'm from western Europe and 9/11 was the first international event, that I conciously remember. I was 13 at the time, just returning from school (the planes hit around 3pm in our time zone) and my brother told me what was on the news. So we sat in disbelief watching the coverage and also the second plane hitting. The next day all the papers were full of news about the attacks and we started basically every lesson in school talking about it - we all were shocked - and having minutes of silence for the victims. So even across the pond, it was a very influencial event on a personal level. Years later talking with my family my brother and I stated, that this event changed our world view. It changed our sense of security. If they could attack New York, they could attack Europe as well.
Except it will never happen in Europe because our governments don’t plan to demolish buildings in advance and blame it on airplanes. Lol
England was bombed heavily in WW2
@@xKarenWalkerxjit said he was 13 you’re talking abt something that was 80 years ago💀 also Europe wasn’t bombed by terrorists the situations are so different lmao
I was 13 at the time too but my 14th bday was 9 days later I'll never forget that day
I would've been 16, in my final year at school. I remember going to my Grandparents' house a short walk from school for lunch and seeing it on the news. I believe it was 12:46pm in the UK when the first plane hit, 13:03 when the second hit. I must have gotten to my grandparents' house sometime after 13:03, and would've been heading back to school around 13:30. So the news I watched was the two towers with smoke billowing out and the early indications that planes had crashed into them. At that point, they were still standing and no-one had any idea they might collapse. I don't even think the president had spoken by the time I'd headed back to school.
I can't say for certain now what my actual memories are, for they've been tainted somewhat by the knowledge we've gained since. What I do very distinctly remember was that, even over here in Scotland, I was left stunned, absolutely gobsmacked that this was really happening. It was more like a film trailer than news. I remember it being very much a discussion that afternoon at school. Lessons weren't actually cancelled, but we didn't do much learning that afternoon - it was all talking about what had happened, taking time to think of those affected, and also considering our own mortality. Of course, terrorists wouldn't target this kind of attack on a small high school in a very rural town, but we did wonder about people in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh - could any of those be targeted next?
a prayer saved this mans life . that moment made him realize it wasnt worth going back up for a phone and paperwork .
.
Those are just things, your life is more important.
The prayers of 3000 people were unheard.
This is such a beautiful man, he was meant to share his story with us today.
"I shouldn't be here."
Yes, you should. And that's why you are. You have every much right to be alive as any of the rest of us. Hugs
I worked with a gentleman who was employed by the Marriott at the Trade Center and walked through the dust to escape. He will never recover from the damage to his lungs. A real tragedy of many.
That has killed as many people as the original attack.
9/11 Prophet- Sean O'Dwyer- 136- 140 Hobson Street.- Auckland 1010.- new Zealand.
These stories are extremely important. They preserve the integrity of everyone who was there that day.
Giovanni, you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE HERE!!! AND THANK GOD YOU ARE. Your story is inspiring and grateful I found it. Would be honored to cross paths with you one day. My son was born that morning in Florida.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢😢
What a beautiful and haunting recollection. I’m so glad this man is still with us-one less of our loss.
Glad you're still with us.👍
That moment where he prayed with the guy he only knew for 48 hrs saved his life
Yeah? What about it?
@@boyznthewoodz770 God touched his life.
@@RailyardProductionspity god didn’t touch the lives of the thousands of other people who died that day…. Hopefully this statement make you realize how daft your statement is.
Had no impact on his life at all.
You think gid was busy saving this guy while others melted and plummeted to their death
@@RailyardProductionsHe also touched the lives of the thousands of people that died that day. What a dumb statement.
That guy who asked to pray with him was an angel.. He was literally at the brink of death, and he was saved! ❤ I’m glad he is alive & well to tell this story..
There surely was power in that prayer because he seemed quite sure he was ok to go back upstairs to the office. His peer felt something powerful! God blessed them that day.
God must have thought. Man, dont be so stupid.
Amen.
Wonderful interview. Such a calm and gentle man.
What a great story - Just glad he trusted his instincts and didn't go back up for his stuff. Nothing is worth risking your life over in such a situation.
Yeah, you never go back into a fire unless you're a firefighter. That's basic fire safety.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢❤❤❤❤
@@Vilcabamba_RE_Disclosures - Always great to hear from a negative Nellie...
@@c.eb.1216 - Sound advice.... Having grown up in the solid and liquid fueled rocket industry, I could tell you some chilling stories about fire and survival of people my father worked with and of his near misses through his 3-decade career.
I don’t know if I am the only one, I can never get enough of hearing survivors stories because I know so many didn’t make it. I was no where near the WTC, yet I cried and stayed of for days worried about how these people were killed. This is a day nobody will ever forget, hugs to all the survivors and families of the ones that didn’t make it!🤗🥰
My life at the time was imploding like the towers. I was desperately juggling too many lies & balls in the air in order to hide the shame of my pain pill & tranquilizer addiction. I watched TV as I prepared to go out & find another job so my family wouldn't know I'd been fired again. I was equally horrified by the attacks as I was by my shame. Three months later to the day I went for an assessment & was in treatment starting 12-12-01. My sobriety date. I watch the films & testimony of 9-11 to connect with people who didn't have the blessing of a choice that awful day. I'm sober still. Grateful. And pray for the souls of the deceased and for the healing and consolation of all the sick & suffering left behind. May the God of their understanding hold them all in a loving & healing embrace.
Thank you for posting these interviews. These pieces of history need to be told and remembered. Still gives me goosebumps when they mention the speaker of Morgan Stanley finished his presentation early.
The seminar was fortunately held some 13 floors below the impact zone.
(77 - 64 = 13)
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢😢❤
When someone says "stay at your desk" they are prioritizing PROFIT. 😢
i really admire people who go through trauma like that and can turn it into a driving force like he does. i struggle a lot to be positive but people like this are just grateful for life after all the suffering they've gone through. i hope i can adopt a mindset like him someday, i'm sure he had to work really hard to overcome all the negative emotions of the experience and grow from it like he has.
its sad that survivors guilt is so common though.
Survivor guilt, sir. A sign of someone being a stellar person.
i'm more of a fosters person
I'm more of a everyone's on their own person
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢❤❤❤
No, someone who doesn’t understand randomness.
@@johnp139 Only the autistic mind fail at baysian statistics.
My Auntie asked me about my 9/11 near miss experience a few days ago. We spoke for hours. After 22 years I finally cried & truly got the poison out. It was so cathartic. I still cannot fathom what my friends and colleagues had to do that day. If you didnt know WTC, felt like a college to me.
This is the perfect example of why they need to bring pay phones back. There's a lot of times when you don't have a signal on your cell phone depending on where you're at and the battery is about to go dead. Sometimes you don't have a battery charger in your car. I'm glad he made it out, but we'll never forget the hell those poor people went through that didn't make it out. 😢😭💔 That was such a sad and scary day.
we have free payphones in Australia
Who carries change to put in a pay phone?
You don’t know what “collect call” or “reverse charges” is…?
Contactless card payment is an option
Great idea. The few remaining pay phones we have in UK seem to be regularly vandalised though.
I worked on the 79th floor of WTC2 but left for another job a few months before 9/11 but I was stuck coming out of the Battery Tunnel when the 2nd plane hit WTC2. I heard it, but couldn't see it. I still had a lot of friends in that tower. I saw it collapse when I was on the Brooklyn Bridge walking home. Before the collapse and after I saw a stream of people walking out of Manhattan and small groups of construction workers walking towards the site in the opposite direction to us. I saw their faces and before the tower collapsed they were smiling and I think enjoying feeling like heroes going towards the disaster area. When the tower collapsed. I saw them stop and I saw their faces afterwards and we all shared the same experience of horror... but after a few minutes, they KEPT walking towards that site. I am sure they were all alive because the 2nd tower collapsed before they would've had a chance to get there but still... they didn't know that! And another experience I had was just remembering my colleagues at WTC2 on that 79th floor and not knowing if they were all dead or alive. I was so scared calling them, half expecting their loved ones to pick up the phone and say that didn't return but most of them made it out. A number died (including this one girl I kind of knew) - she made it out alright and then, security said it was safe to return and she got on that elevator. A few more died as well that I didn't know. Their names are on that wall of the reflecting pool at the memorial site now.
Damn. Sorry that happened to you. Though it is lucky you left the position before it happened
@@leonchalita2169 Yes, very lucky! I was more of a witness to these events than a victim, though. It was just a bit more personal for me, knowing those people and being nearby.
Thanks for sharing this story 🙏🏻
Thank you for sharing ✝️🙏🏻🇺🇸❤️
@@tumbleweed2240 thank you!
As a fellow man who also received cultural training to “keep emotions in check” I find the tears welling up for this gentleman’s story. Wow.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢😢
@@mayaasan7201 P!ss on them.
Probably saved his life by making him keep calm and thinking rationally
That guy that prayed with him helped save his life.
Yes Amen
Powerful
Yes!!
Didn’t help the other couple thousand
@@mrsparkymajor5284they didnt stop to pray
I once met somebody who was there. She was on a lower floor & got out OK, but she was so traumatized by the whole thing that she never went back into a tall building again & also left NYC.
Where did she move to? I’ve also heard of others who moved away - I don’t blame them
@@georgialee6755 Upstate New York, about 150 miles away from nyc..
his calmness is describing it all is so powerful. it makes me so grateful for life…I hope everyone that survived that day has a blessed/nourishing life…
I couldn’t imagine the complete psychological devastation from being there that day. God bless all of them!
his acting is realy good, he almost made me believe that planes were involved instead of controled demo. ALMOST
His decision after the prayer... completely changed his mind... That was God saving him... Blessed.
There was a guy who called in sick that day to stay home and watch his favourite European football team Roma FC play. Openly has said his love for his team saved his life. His office was located where the first plane hit. Insane
Cant be true
> *(He) openly has said his love for his team saved his life*
When actually him being a flake is what saved his life.
@@majormarketing6552yeah, I had to check that 2001 AS Roma schedule because it sounded too… “good.” They didn’t play that day.
Your are a survivor, able to share this precious moment in prayer…..this trauma never will leave you but enables you to give to others in need, bless you for being alive …..
*you’re!
a real survivor who didnt go back into a building everyone else was evacuating. Smart.
So glad you are interviewing different 9/11 survivors, they were not trained for that day, but they fought hard to survive and help those they could with little preparation for the enormous impact that was happening in a short time period. We need to preserve their legacy just as we honor those who fought in the battles.
9/11, in NYC especially, was a testament to the worst of humanity contrasting the best. Giovanni has decided to represent the best in the most optimistic way a survivor can, understanding how blessed life is and not to take it for granted.
When building security says “everything is fine” … RUN!
People whom are given a little authority are usually the worst to listen to.👍🏻
Out of all of the stories I’ve seen, this one stands out for some reason. Perhaps because of the simplicity of the escape- the simple human choice of whether or not to gather superficial personal belongings, or the gut instinct to stay safe. And the message is so optimistic and hopeful out of such calamity. Thank you for that.
And to also keep your keys, phone and wallet on or nearby at all times in case of danger.
Divine intervention. Wow
I was a freshman in high school and I remember it was a cloudy dark day when we found out what happened in NY. Nobody said much in high school. We did nothing. We sat in shock. We walked outside in the dark clouds and truly we didn’t see the severity then, but I remember watching on the news and seeing all of the people jumping out of the building. I remember seeing one man in particular to this day I will never forget, there was a closeup on him from the helicopter. A man who had a suit on and he had taken off his jacket and was waving it at the helicopter cameras for help. It was when the first building had been hit. Then you just see hundreds of people either jumping or falling off. They showed it all on live television. You cannot un see that.
Yes I was a freshman in college at Western Michigan University in math class. Our teacher came in and told us class was over and explained what was going on. You’re right you can’t unsee that stuff and it affected our generation more than people like to admit. I find it’s helped me to go back and listen to these stories.
💔
I just met a 9/11 firefighter while on vacation. So fascinating talking to him about his experience and how he survived. It was the highlight of my whole trip. So much respect for the people who went towards the WTC buildings rather than away. I don’t think I would’ve been that brave.
Did the firefighter talk about how the evidence of who killed his fellow firefighters was removed immediately preventing any investigation into the causes of their deaths?
@@Larry26-f1wi think if he asked that , he could be slapped
@@toudi_pnobody asked you what you thought, I’m waiting for the poster to reply
@@Larry26-f1w no person with empathy or social skill would ask that that kind of question while talking to a firefighter from that time
@Nunya5789: "how he survived"
What did he survive, and what was his name and official job title?
Can you imagine getting confirmation of where your son is and feeling relief, and then seeing the plane hit the other tower exactly where he was just said to be?? What a horrible feeling... I'm so happy he was able to call home and tell them he was alive. That must have been some emotional whiplash.
It's fascinating how he recalls so much detail despite it being over 20 years ago
you don't forget something like that, it feels like yesterday. I was only 14 and watching from the other side of the world and I remember many things in great detail
A lot of people remember their trauma in slow motion!
I mean yeah… it was traumatic and life changing … not just another day in the office.
Because he has recalled it many times over those 20 years.
I remember a sign being up on the top floor saying this building is built to withstand a 9 magnitude earthquake. It felt so safe there. It's a shock still that 9/11 even happened.
It was also built to withstand being hit by an airplane. Engineers design for what they expect will happen, physics doesn't always agree.
And definitely not built to withstand explosions throughout
My sisters friend went to a conference that day she died...SHE was British... So sad RIP SARAH...❤️🙏❤️
🙏
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I literally just learned a couple days ago about who Rick Rescorla was through an interview from this channel. Can't believe I haven't heard about him. Keep these interviews coming! Keep history alive!
The documentary about him was great. It’s called the man who predicted 9/11.
I didn't know about him until this week either. What an absolute legend.
@@MR1977. is it by the history channel?
@@ir8free yes.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢
The person who ask him to pray could have been an angel 😇!!
That's a very pleasant thought...
You hear plenty about how helpful everyone was... You don't often hear about the people caught under foot or left behind with the save yourself mentality that was prevalent.
Never shy away from a 9/11 interview, this was another good one.
I agree. It's good to try to focus on the positive moments that occur throughout tragic events such as this with all the bravery and camaraderie that goes on but I think it can also be wise to understand and be aware of the fact that in moments of desperation, there are some people who cannot help themselves and act purely out of a need for their own self preservation which will often put others in danger so it's a good idea to know that you need to watch out for that potential safety hazard as well. That stuff is shown far less but is still very important to keep in mind.
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢
That man that stop to pray for him was a ram in the bush for this man. This was a supernatural intervention from God Almighty. And it’s amazing that the team was also not hurt. The hand of God is on this man’s life, I hope he’s see it and gives God all the glory and praise.
Wonderful testimony!!!
I'm sure the people standing on the window ledges were praying sincerely too...look what happened to them? Your comment is so offensive to those that died.
@@nw6070 how is it offensive? And why are you offended?… my family was supposed to be in Windows on the World that morning, my Aunt heard the wrong time to be there and made everyone late. They were going to the WTC to pick up some tickets for something then have breakfast but because they were late getting into the city from Jersey, they was in some traffic and seen the first flight crash then all the smoke that followed, my Uncle who was driving turned the car back around to go home. Six family members of mine would’ve been in Windows, I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ God Almighty for my Aunt hearing the wrong time to be ready. So when you talk this ra ra ra and disregard the miracles that also happen on that day it seems insensitive to people that did ESCAPE but thanks to God Almighty it wasn’t in his WILL for them to die that day!.. We will never forget those who suffered and still is suffering and those who parish! They will ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED!!!!
United we Stand
@@Its_Prince_AllDay im not disregarding those that got lucky and were spared, im just saying it's offensiven to imply faith in God is what saved. What about all those innocent people klinging to windows with skin starting to melt or trapped under rubble with horrific injured that were no doubt praying sincerely? It's offensive to say oh well it was just gods way to let the suffer but spare others.
@@nw6070 its offensive to you. Those innocent people that was burning and clinging to the windows, with no way out but to jump or trapped, I’m sure they was praying sincerely but it was there time, no matter how much you pray. Everyone is gonna die right? Do you know?… probably not but you can still pray to the end. I never ever said “oh well it was just God’s way to let them suffer but spare the other” you took it that way because you wanted to. People die everyday a peaceful death and horrible death and still have fait…. So what are you really saying? And please don’t put words in my mouth that I didn’t say.
The logic of religious people is so twisted. Why does god get credit for saving this one dude but manages to escape responsibility for the thousands of others who died that day?
God either killed them or at the very least didn’t save them. God is an asshole
I was watching after my brother called to say a "cargo plane" hit the trade center. When the 2nd plane hit, I screamed "a second plane just hit!! they're bombing it!!!" My brother couldn't believe it. It made me sad to hear this man say he's been on borrowed time but glad he appreciates every day ❤ We all need to live for those who lost their lives on that horrible day. We owe them that 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I watched it happen live on TV as a teen. Like people just falling from buildings. After I just pushed it out of my head, never talked about it and would never watch or listen to anything about. I think this is the first thing I watched in 23 years since it happened. This man finding a way to be positive about life after is inspiring.
I did the same thing. I was a kid and just tucked it away as a tragedy without ever looking into surviver accounts and the like. Had no idea until this past week how much footage there is of the day.
But then I fell down a rabbit hole about it and then ended up watching the National Geographic documentary “9/11: One Day in America” and I’m completely haunted by these stories now. There are so many inspiring, but also tragic, first-hand accounts of the day. So much bravery, not just from first responders, but from your average citizens, too. But also so much terror and confusion and pain :(
@@effigy8093 I think when you live through something traumatic it takes many years to come back around and really think about it and deal with it. 9/11 was a collective trauma.
I was about 13 and watching the next morning from the other side of the world, and the sound of planes to this stay still gives me chills
@@jj-if6it Yeah, I hate that sound too
Such a well-spoken man, with an Angel on his shoulder.
Always keep a clear head to escape danger. I've had many encounters. Drowning, amputation, explosion, cancer, bankruptcy. I stayed calm. It's not what happens to you in life, it's how you react that matters.
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I admire your resilience
I work for Morgan Stanley WM, Thank you Giovanni for sharing this with us!
That prayer literally saved his life! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻some of the survivor stories are nothing short of a miracle.
It's crazy how all of these stories happen at the same time there is so much stories about 911 its heart breaking 😢
My father's friend at Merrill Lynch was heading to work, driving and as he was approaching WTC, he saw the floor at WTC 1 where his meeting was taking place get hit by the plane. A lot of fortunate near-misses for many people.
These true stories without the endless horrible footage are the strongest. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this, For those who perished rest in peace
The prayer he did with that man, when he was thinking going back to get his wallet and stuff, changed his mind and saved his life. Thanks God.
And while poeple on higher floors were praying instead of evacuating, they died.
So glad you made it Giovanni. Your approach & attitude to life after this event is truly inspiring, and I've learnt so much through your story. Thank you.
Very moving and emotional to listen to a first hand account of being in one of the towers. That was a day I'm sure the world will never forget. I'm Canadian and it really affected me emotionally that day. My heart still breaks for all those who were lost to such a cowardly, selfish and unnecessary act of violence on Americans. Thank you for sharing this. ❤
Love detailed individual stories like this from the people who were there
Excellent interview. Beautiful story of chance and survival. You're one blessed man Mr. Rentaria, I'm happy you and all your classmates survived.
Thank you so much for sharing your 9/11 story with us. You have such a calm & graceful manner; I could listen to you tell stories all day long. This is incredibly refreshing & genuine despite the topic. Again, thank you. 🙏♥️
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢😢❤❤❤
Great story of survival of such a horrific event. Stopping to say that prayer saved his life and I’m so glad he and others were able to escape ❤🙏🏻
Rick Rescorla, Marine Vietnam Vet, must have been the security guard. Rick's story th-cam.com/video/Wzmgk-G1EW8/w-d-xo.html
I was hoping he'd talk about how he kept in touch with the security guard that saved his life
Morgan Stanley security conducted drills monthly ever since '93. Almost ever single MS employee made it out. There's a documentary about the MS head of security. He's considered the man who predicted this.
@@griffinsutich1067yes it’s called The Man who Predicted 9/11 Rick Rescalia
The fact he wanted to go back up to get his wallet and phone shows what type of world we lived in back then. There were not terrorists attacks, hijacks, bombings, shootings.. this opened everyones eyes. 🙏🙏
Not really, most of us would do the same thing now. Collecting personal belongings is something human beings have done since the time they could climb up a tree!
I always keep my belongings with me even in school because I don’t know what might happen
I agree
Not if you lived in Northern Ireland. Terrorist attacks as far back as the 1970s.
But what did we learn from 9-11? There was never a proper investigation and the Patriot Act and other horrible legislation passed curtailing liberties and starting wars. Who do you think was behind 9-11?
It breaks my heart when he says “I’m on borrowed time I shouldn’t be here”. 😞
Incredible interview, thank you for conducting this. What a scary eyewitness account of that day.
I will NEVER forget this day. I worked across the street and saw it all happen and was caught up in the debris. A horrible sight to see and be involved in. The scariest day of my life. Grateful to be here but health issues since 2002. God bless everyone from that day. We live with horrible survivors guilt and nightmares to this day.
No talks about the survivors suffering from cancer or PTSD much. Yesterday the survivors were on my mind
@jojoradio1668: That's fascinating. Just to be clear, which direction would you have been facing to be looking at the towers that day, and do you mean across the street from WTC1 or WTC2? Sorry to hear about your health issues.
@Willem-The-Strange my job was 2 blocks away on Broadway. I was on the corner of liberty street having just arrived to NY. Those coming out of the building before the planes hit were arriving into ny. The trains from nj and all over ny were in the lowest/ground level. WTC is a transformation hub.
@@jojoradio1668 Wow, so you were pretty close to the towers. That must've been scary. You mean you saw people coming out of the WTC building before the planes hit? And do you mean the South Tower building (before the 2nd plane hit), or the North Tower building (before any planes hit)?
@Willem-The-Strange I saw the second plane hit while I was standing on the corner. Two blocks in ny aren't long. I came out of the wtc after the first plane hit. I was going to work like everyone else. I was caught up in the collapse of both towers while on the streets.
I know Mr. Renteria. He is a nice guy and I never knew he was involved on that horrific day.
Glad you made it out. That day changed many of our young lives forever and made us fight those pieces of crap 7000 miles away. That day stripped the youth of many of us.
I believe Morgan Stanley employees were saved due to a heroic man named Rick Rescorla
He ran the security department and always believed the Muslims would attack the World Trade Center again-from the sky. He essentially predicted 9/11 would happen at some point. So much so that he would actually lead regular drills with the employees at Morgan Stanley. When the first plane hit the other tower, he said, “This is it, folks.” And he began evacuating the Morgan Stanley people out of the building. Unfortunately, Rick died in the second tower that day. A great man and a true hero.
@@lindacosta5688 iirc, Rick was also a pilot in Vietnam and was a hero long before that day, too.
He was an amazing man.
RIP
*terrorists
Let me remind you that “Muslims” and “terrorists” are not synonyms.
@@TheAfia94 😂😂😂😂😂
@@TheAfia94then why do you guys come to our countries and try to change our laws and cultures?
Thank you for this amazing and life saving story. You are truly blessed. I remember how blue the sky was and the cool temperature that morning.
The story of the man with new shoes that rubbed his toe never left my mind. He was late to work because he had to buy a band-aid and his life was saved. I would treasure those shoes for life.
He stopped to pray at another's request. In that moment, he opened himself up to the Divine Influence, and then felt an urging to NOT go back up. Listening to that quiet voice that echoes inside us, call it God or intuition, or whatever...made a difference.
It's such a crazy reminder that from a 1st-person perspective, there is ZERO clarity as to what's going on on the ground, while at the same time such a huge and significant event in history is taking place. Mr. Renteria even said that he thought to himself at the time, "there is NO way it could've been a plane". This clarifies that there is such an important difference between experience and knowledge.
All my love to the survivors and the people who passed away ❤
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Love all of your vids! Jeep it going! You don’t know how much it means to the world of what you are doing!❤️❤️
I was watching the 9/11 documentary "Loose Change" and the interviews were really really heartbreaking. God help them all.😢😢😢😢😢😢
When discussing his Mother, I am covered in Goose bumps. I couldn't imagine that horror and for Giovanni to be able to call her, that's incredible. Thank you for sharing your story Giovanni, your wallet and phone are replaceable, You are not so I'm really glad you stayed
Being above the impact zone must have been the ultimate nightmare, especially for anyone afraid of heights
Hindsight is 20/20, but I could never understand how security and others told the people working at the towers to go back up, everything is fine, when one of the towers was on fire. It made no sense at the most basic level. Something is on fire near you, get away from it. Hearing survivor stories similar to this one, it seems many people are alive because they listened to their instincts.
I agree. Both buildings should have been evacuated immediately after the first plane hit.
I wonder how many would have not perished if that had happened.
They said they didn't evacuate because all those people flooding the streets would have blocked firefighters and ems from getting to the towers
@@IYHIGJthen you tell people to head a certain direction. So other access points are free. This is emergency planning 101.
@@BrianBourgeois- you right i think the evac plans wasnt executed properly in it cost thousands there lives sadly
@@BrianBourgeois- but also i think they didn't want all those people outside with heavy debris falling out the sky either way it sucks cause you didn't give the people a fighting chance
I never get tired of watching these. These people are so real in the recounts. Its refreshing even under circumstances I wish never happened.
I'm sure you have watched it, but just in case. Look up what happened in Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11. That is a heartwarming story of people coming together to help complete strangers.
I can remember this day as if it were yesterday. Its scary that is so lang ago. I really love the survivor story's. Happy for this nice man that he did escape.😊
I really enjoy hearing stories from the survivors.
Thank you for this interview