On September 11, 2001, Genelle Guzman-McMillan, a 30-year-old Trinidadian immigrant, was working as an office assistant for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on the 64th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. When the first plane struck the tower at 8:46 a.m., she and her coworkers were initially instructed to stay put. However, after the second plane hit the South Tower, they decided to evacuate. As they descended the stairs, Guzman-McMillan paused on the 13th floor to remove her high heels. At that moment, the building collapsed around her.
Trapped beneath the rubble, with her right leg crushed and her head wedged between concrete pillars, Guzman-McMillan lay immobilized for 27 hours. She could only move her left hand and was surrounded by darkness and debris. Despite the pain and fear, she clung to life, praying for a miracle. Eventually, she felt someone grasp her hand and heard a voice say, “My name is Paul. You’re going to be okay.” She believes this encounter was divine intervention, as no rescuer named Paul was ever identified.
Guzman-McMillan was the last person pulled alive from the World Trade Center rubble. She spent over a month in the hospital, undergoing multiple surgeries to save her leg. During her recovery, she reflected on her life and faith, leading to a renewed spiritual commitment. She married her boyfriend, Roger McMillan, on November 7, 2001, and they have since built a life together with their children on Long Island.
In 2011, Guzman-McMillan published her memoir, Angel in the Rubble: The Miraculous Rescue of 9/11’s Last Survivor, detailing her harrowing experience and the spiritual awakening that followed. She has shared her story with various audiences, including a presentation at Fort McCoy in 2021, inspiring others with her message of hope and resilience.
Today, Guzman-McMillan continues to work for the Port Authority and remains a beacon of strength and faith, reminding us of the human capacity to endure and find purpose even in the darkest of times.
Cited sources
https://people.com/human-interest/9-11-woman-survived-27-hours-in-rubble-september-2001-north-tower-genelle-guzman-mcmillan/
https://www.army.mil/article/250205/world_trade_center_survivor_shares_story_with_fort_mccoy_communityhttps:/
www.amazon.com/Angel-Rubble-Miraculous-Rescue-Survivor/dp/1451635206
https://allthatsinteresting.com/genelle-guzman-mcmillan
https://guideposts.org/angels-and-miracles/angels/angel-at-ground-zero/
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