On September 11, 2001, 2,977 innocent people lost their lives when 19 terrorists hijacked four airplanes and launched the deadliest attack on US soil in history.
Credit: Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora/GettyTragically, the attacks are still claiming lives as a result of illnesses and diseases caused by the sheer amount of dust, smoke, and debris that blanketed New York City, per BBC News.
As well as so many stories of tragedy and heartache that emerged from 9/11, there were also many stories of hope and faith.
One of which came from a fan of Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow, as they have both shared their incredible story.
On the morning of 9/11, the now-51-year-old Marvel star was in New York and had just attended a very early yoga class.
Gwyneth Paltrow shared her incredible 9/11 story. Credit: Stefanie Keenan/ GettySpeaking to Reuters back in 2011, Paltrow revealed that she was on the way home when she encountered a young woman "jaywalking across the street".
"We kind of both stopped at the same time and waited a really long time," Paltrow told Reuters while promoting her movie Contagion in Venice.
Paltrow then revealed how she and the woman did "this stop-start thing" for some time before they laughed and finally went on their separate ways - presumably never to cross paths ever again.
However, the Goop mogul then revealed that 10 years after their encounter that morning, she received a letter from the same woman - who later identified herself as Lara Lundstrom Clarke.
In her letter, Clarke revealed that due to their run-in, she missed her train to work at the nearby Christopher Street station - arriving just in time to watch it pull away.
Gwyneth Paltrow. Credit: Frazer Harrison / GettyShe then revealed that she worked on the 77th floor of the South Tower - which was struck at 9:03AM by the hijacked Flight 175 - collapsing less than an hour later at 9:59AM.
Paltrow revealed that Clarke described their interaction as her 'Sliding Doors moment' - referring to the plot of one of her movies where a character's choice about catching a train determines how things will turn out for her.
Clarke - who was 24 at the time of the chance meeting - has also spoken out about the moment.
Working at the time as an account manager for Baseline Financial Services, she told The Morton Report in 2011 how she was nearly hit by a silver Mercedes SUV.
"I stopped and they screeched to a halt," Clarke said. "Then it developed into one of those classic who-goes-first situations.
"It got ridiculous. Then I made eye contact with the Mercedes driver. OMG, it was Gwyneth Paltrow."
"At that time I was annoyed at everything that had made me late that day, including Gwyneth Paltrow," Clarke recalled.
She had opted to get the next train and exited the World Trade Center stop at 8:47AM - just one minute after Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. Clarke was then instructed to seek shelter back in the subway.
"All I could think about then was my parents and if I died, what it would do to them," she added. "My heart was racing, I was paralyzed. I couldn’t even speak. ‘Get me outside, I need to be outside.'"
Following the tragedy unfolding, she now credits Paltrow with saving her life, saying: "If I had made that train I would have been at my desk on the 77th floor of 2 World Trade Center."
Featured image credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty
Gwyneth Paltrow revealed how she unexpectedly saved World Trade Center employee from disaster on 9/11
As we remember those who lost their lives in the tragic 9/11 attacks on the United States 23 years ago, we're also taking a look at some of the most incredible stories from that fateful day.
On September 11, 2001, 2,977 innocent people lost their lives when 19 terrorists hijacked four airplanes and launched the deadliest attack on US soil in history.
Credit: Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora/GettyTragically, the attacks are still claiming lives as a result of illnesses and diseases caused by the sheer amount of dust, smoke, and debris that blanketed New York City, per BBC News.
As well as so many stories of tragedy and heartache that emerged from 9/11, there were also many stories of hope and faith.
One of which came from a fan of Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow, as they have both shared their incredible story.
On the morning of 9/11, the now-51-year-old Marvel star was in New York and had just attended a very early yoga class.
Gwyneth Paltrow shared her incredible 9/11 story. Credit: Stefanie Keenan/ GettySpeaking to Reuters back in 2011, Paltrow revealed that she was on the way home when she encountered a young woman "jaywalking across the street".
"We kind of both stopped at the same time and waited a really long time," Paltrow told Reuters while promoting her movie Contagion in Venice.
Paltrow then revealed how she and the woman did "this stop-start thing" for some time before they laughed and finally went on their separate ways - presumably never to cross paths ever again.
However, the Goop mogul then revealed that 10 years after their encounter that morning, she received a letter from the same woman - who later identified herself as Lara Lundstrom Clarke.
In her letter, Clarke revealed that due to their run-in, she missed her train to work at the nearby Christopher Street station - arriving just in time to watch it pull away.
Gwyneth Paltrow. Credit: Frazer Harrison / GettyShe then revealed that she worked on the 77th floor of the South Tower - which was struck at 9:03AM by the hijacked Flight 175 - collapsing less than an hour later at 9:59AM.
Paltrow revealed that Clarke described their interaction as her 'Sliding Doors moment' - referring to the plot of one of her movies where a character's choice about catching a train determines how things will turn out for her.
Clarke - who was 24 at the time of the chance meeting - has also spoken out about the moment.
Working at the time as an account manager for Baseline Financial Services, she told The Morton Report in 2011 how she was nearly hit by a silver Mercedes SUV.
"I stopped and they screeched to a halt," Clarke said. "Then it developed into one of those classic who-goes-first situations.
"It got ridiculous. Then I made eye contact with the Mercedes driver. OMG, it was Gwyneth Paltrow."
"At that time I was annoyed at everything that had made me late that day, including Gwyneth Paltrow," Clarke recalled.
She had opted to get the next train and exited the World Trade Center stop at 8:47AM - just one minute after Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. Clarke was then instructed to seek shelter back in the subway.
"All I could think about then was my parents and if I died, what it would do to them," she added. "My heart was racing, I was paralyzed. I couldn’t even speak. ‘Get me outside, I need to be outside.'"
Following the tragedy unfolding, she now credits Paltrow with saving her life, saying: "If I had made that train I would have been at my desk on the 77th floor of 2 World Trade Center."
Featured image credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty
Final words of 9/11 flight attendant to ground crew as she was onboard hijacked American Airlines Flight 11
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil - the 9/11 attacks.
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of 9/11. Credit: Michael Orso / GettyAs we continue to honor those who lost their lives on that tragic day - as well as those who have died as a result of health implications from the attacks - we are also remembering the heroes in and out of uniform who battled to save lives.
One of those heroes is Betty Ann Ong, who used her final moments to help others.
As reported by the New York Post, the 45-year-old flight attendant found herself in the midst of the unthinkable on American Airlines Flight 11 that fateful day.
Initially, Betty wasn't scheduled to be on duty 23 years ago. However, she had taken on an extra shift so that she could join her sister, Cathie, for a vacation in Hawaii. As such, she was assigned to Airlines Flight 11 -- departing from Boston’s Logan Airport for Los Angeles.
But just 14 minutes into the flight, the plane was hijacked and rerouted towards New York City.
Betty Ong was a flight attendant on the first plane that crashed into the World Trade Center. Credit: San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via GettyAt approximately 8:30AM, Betty spoke with ground employees via an Airfone. In a calm voice, she told them: "The cockpit’s not answering. Somebody’s stabbed in business class - and I think there’s Mace.
"I think we’re getting hijacked."
However, despite the terrifying situation she found herself in, Ong was able to provide crucial information that helped identify the hijackers and their actions.
Alongside fellow flight attendant Madeline Sweeney, Betty relayed invaluable details to the ground crew, including the seat numbers of the hijackers. She stayed on the call for an agonizing 23 minutes, gathering and relaying life-or-death information. At 8:46AM, the plane crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower.
The final words Betty reportedly said over the Airfone were: "Pray for us. Pray for us."
Thanks to the courageous call, the world now knows that the hijackers "jammed their way" into the plane's cockpit before killing co-pilots John Ogonowski and Thomas McGuinness Jr.
Additionally, Ong's details informed the world that the terrorists horrifically attacked business-class passenger Daniel Lewin, and critically wounded flight attendants Bobbi Arestegui and Karen Martin.
Moreover, Betty’s keen observations confirmed the use of Mace by the terrorists, leading to the passengers assembling in coach to escape its fumes.
Nydia Gonzalez, an American Airlines employee who spoke with Betty from the ground, later told her sister Cathie: "I'm the person who spoke to your sister [from the ground]. You need to be very proud of your sister. She provided a lot of information very calmly."
Keeping her legacy alive, Betty's family now runs a foundation supporting the Betty Ann Ong Chinese Recreation Center in San Francisco. "We continue to keep her legacy alive by the work we’re doing," Cathie said.
The tragic events of 9/11 claimed 2,977 lives that day, marking the deadliest terrorist attack in history and the highest number of line-of-duty deaths for first responders in a single day. According to the 9/11 Commission, 343 firefighters, 23 NYC police officers, and 37 Port Authority officers were among those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Credit: Spencer Platt / GettyAs previously mentioned, more lives have been lost over the last 23 years, as thousands battle health issues that were a direct cause of the attacks.
Featured image credit: Michael Orso / Getty
Heartbreaking video shows the moment astronaut watched 9/11 unfold from space
By stefan armitage
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A heartbreaking video shows the moment an astronaut watched the tragic 9/11 attacks unfold from space.
As we remember those who died in the September 11 attacks 23 years ago, many of us will also be remembering where we were when the devastating events were unfolding.
The World Trade Center was one of the targets on 9/11. Credit: Robert Giroux/Getty
But while many of us were watching from home or with family, naval aviator and astronaut Frank Culbertson was the only American in space at the time.
Culbertson was the only person from the US onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as it was in low orbit on the day of 9/11.
After taking off a month earlier from the Kennedy Space Center, his time on the ISS was supposed to be memorable due to the fact that it was his first (and only) time in command of the station. However, his time onboard will forever be remembered in history due to the fact he was the only American off-planet at the time of the attacks.
In the documentary Astronauts: Houston We Have a Problem, Culbertson recalls: "The weather was perfectly clear that day. I could easily see New York City - a big black column of smoke coming out of the city, and as I zoomed in with the video camera, I could see this big grey blob enveloping southern Manhattan.
The astronaut continued: "What we were seeing was the second tower coming down."
Culbertson can also be heard reporting on what he could see to Mission Control at the time. "We can see New York City, and the smoke from the fires," he describes.
"Our prayers and thoughts go out to all the people there and everywhere else. Here I'm looking up and down the East Coast to see if I can see anything else," the astronaut adds.
In a video shared to NASA's YouTube channel, Culbertson recalls: "I didn't know exactly what was happening but I knew it was really bad because there was a big cloud of debris covering Manhattan."
After being informed of what was happening back on Earth, he says: "That's when it really became painful, because it was like seeing a wound in the side of your country... of your family and friends."
But while many of us were watching from home or with family, naval aviator and astronaut Frank Culbertson was the only American in space at the time.
Culbertson was the only person from the US onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as it was in low orbit on the day of 9/11.
After taking off a month earlier from the Kennedy Space Center, his time on the ISS was supposed to be memorable due to the fact that it was his first (and only) time in command of the station. However, his time onboard will forever be remembered in history due to the fact he was the only American off-planet at the time of the attacks.
In the documentary Astronauts: Houston We Have a Problem, Culbertson recalls: "The weather was perfectly clear that day. I could easily see New York City - a big black column of smoke coming out of the city, and as I zoomed in with the video camera, I could see this big grey blob enveloping southern Manhattan.
The astronaut continued: "What we were seeing was the second tower coming down."
Culbertson can also be heard reporting on what he could see to Mission Control at the time. "We can see New York City, and the smoke from the fires," he describes.
"Our prayers and thoughts go out to all the people there and everywhere else. Here I'm looking up and down the East Coast to see if I can see anything else," the astronaut adds.
In a video shared to NASA's YouTube channel, Culbertson recalls: "I didn't know exactly what was happening but I knew it was really bad because there was a big cloud of debris covering Manhattan."
After being informed of what was happening back on Earth, he says: "That's when it really became painful, because it was like seeing a wound in the side of your country... of your family and friends."
An image of New York City captured by Frank Culbertson while aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
In an interview with NASA back in 2015, Culbertson revealed that he heard the news of the attacks from flight surgeon Dr. Steve Hart back on Earth, who had had called to relay some test results.
"Steve said, 'We're not having a very good day down here on Earth,'" Culbertson said. "He began to describe to me what was happening in New York. ... As we were talking, he said we just lost another airplane somewhere in Pennsylvania, we don't know where or what's happening. They told us all they could, which wasn't very much."
As the ISS moved over New England, Culbertson grabbed a video camera and started recording.
"I could clearly see the city," he said. "It was a perfect weather day all over the United States.
"The only activity I could see was this big black column of smoke coming out of New York City.
"When I zoomed in with the video camera, I saw this big gray blob basically enveloping the southern part of Manhattan. What I was seeing was the second tower coming down."
Tragically, the "blob" he was describing was the second tower of the World Trade Center collapsing.
"It was horrible to see my country under attack," he recalled.
Featured image credit: NASA
Remembering every individual who died 23 years ago in the 9/11 attacks
Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the tragic September 11 attacks against the United States, we remember the individuals who lost their lives that day in 2001.
The 9/11 attacks remain the single deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. And more than two decades on, the impact of that day continues to shape national and global policies, as well as shaping the lives of so many individuals affected by the attacks.
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the attacks. Credit: Diana Robinson Photography / Getty
On that devastating day, 2,977 individuals lost their lives in a horrifying spectacle of terror and violence.
As well as the innocent civilians who lost their lives, the toll on first responders was particularly devastating - as 9/11 marks the highest number of line-of-duty deaths ever recorded in a single day in US history.
The New York City Fire Department alone suffered the loss of 343 heroes from its ranks. According to the 9/11 Commission, an additional 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority officers made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into peril to save others.
The ramifications extended beyond the immediate loss of life, as a staggering 25,000 people were also injured during the attacks.
To this day, thousands are still being impacted by health repercussions, with the FDNY revealing last year that an additional 43 names were added to the World Trade Center Memorial Wall, honoring the firefighters, paramedics, and support staff who have succumbed to illnesses directly linked to their heroic actions during the 9/11 rescue and recovery efforts.
Today, we remember those lost in the September 11 attacks. Credit: Spencer Platt / Getty
Now, we once again pay our deepest respects to those who were taken from us on September 11, 2001. Here are the names of those who died 23 years ago today:
In an interview with NASA back in 2015, Culbertson revealed that he heard the news of the attacks from flight surgeon Dr. Steve Hart back on Earth, who had had called to relay some test results.
"Steve said, 'We're not having a very good day down here on Earth,'" Culbertson said. "He began to describe to me what was happening in New York. ... As we were talking, he said we just lost another airplane somewhere in Pennsylvania, we don't know where or what's happening. They told us all they could, which wasn't very much."
As the ISS moved over New England, Culbertson grabbed a video camera and started recording.
"I could clearly see the city," he said. "It was a perfect weather day all over the United States.
"The only activity I could see was this big black column of smoke coming out of New York City.
"When I zoomed in with the video camera, I saw this big gray blob basically enveloping the southern part of Manhattan. What I was seeing was the second tower coming down."
Tragically, the "blob" he was describing was the second tower of the World Trade Center collapsing.
"It was horrible to see my country under attack," he recalled.
Featured image credit: NASA
Remembering every individual who died 23 years ago in the 9/11 attacks
Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the tragic September 11 attacks against the United States, we remember the individuals who lost their lives that day in 2001.
The 9/11 attacks remain the single deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. And more than two decades on, the impact of that day continues to shape national and global policies, as well as shaping the lives of so many individuals affected by the attacks.
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the attacks. Credit: Diana Robinson Photography / GettyOn that devastating day, 2,977 individuals lost their lives in a horrifying spectacle of terror and violence.
As well as the innocent civilians who lost their lives, the toll on first responders was particularly devastating - as 9/11 marks the highest number of line-of-duty deaths ever recorded in a single day in US history.
The New York City Fire Department alone suffered the loss of 343 heroes from its ranks. According to the 9/11 Commission, an additional 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority officers made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into peril to save others.
The ramifications extended beyond the immediate loss of life, as a staggering 25,000 people were also injured during the attacks.
To this day, thousands are still being impacted by health repercussions, with the FDNY revealing last year that an additional 43 names were added to the World Trade Center Memorial Wall, honoring the firefighters, paramedics, and support staff who have succumbed to illnesses directly linked to their heroic actions during the 9/11 rescue and recovery efforts.
Today, we remember those lost in the September 11 attacks. Credit: Spencer Platt / GettyNow, we once again pay our deepest respects to those who were taken from us on September 11, 2001. Here are the names of those who died 23 years ago today:
