On September 11, 2001, Deputy U.S. Marshal Dominic Guadagnoli was at his office near the World Trade Center when chaos erupted. Hearing "Someone flew a plane into the Trade Towers!" he rushed to the scene with a colleague. "Everyone who had a badge was out there doing something," he remarked. Amidst the confusion, Mr. Guadagnoli initially stood between the towers, witnessing the unimaginable: people jumping or falling. "I can't do anything here," he thought, shifting focus to aid those fleeing the buildings. Some were merely shocked, others bore injuries. He then noticed two men supporting a woman who could barely stand. Stepping in, he carried her, later identified as Donna Spera, who had narrowly escaped death on the 78th floor of the South Tower. "Don't let go of me, don't let go of me," she pleaded. Trying to offer comfort in the midst of "hell," he reassured her, "You will be OK and will see your family soon." After ensuring she was safely in an ambulance, he returned to help others. That night, haunted by the day's events, he sat in the dark, thinking only of her fate. "All I could think about was her," he reflected, later relieved to learn she survived. They met for lunch subsequently, and every 9/11, he sends flowers to Donna Spera, the woman he saved.
Amidst the confusion, Mr. Guadagnoli initially stood between the towers, witnessing the unimaginable: people jumping or falling. "I can't do anything here," he thought, shifting focus to aid those fleeing the buildings. Some were merely shocked, others bore injuries.
He then noticed two men supporting a woman who could barely stand. Stepping in, he carried her, later identified as Donna Spera, who had narrowly escaped death on the 78th floor of the South Tower. "Don't let go of me, don't let go of me," she pleaded. Trying to offer comfort in the midst of "hell," he reassured her, "You will be OK and will see your family soon."
After ensuring she was safely in an ambulance, he returned to help others. That night, haunted by the day's events, he sat in the dark, thinking only of her fate. "All I could think about was her," he reflected, later relieved to learn she survived.
They met for lunch subsequently, and every 9/11, he sends flowers to Donna Spera, the woman he saved.