Witnesses & Testimonies Of The Southern Tower On 911

by Preston Ward Condra

No one survived in or above the impact zone of the North Tower. But the South Tower? That would be a different experience. These are stories from those that survived or later succumbed, during the fateful day of September 11, 2001. I loved these stories of 9/11 and I felt like sharing them here. Viewer discretion is advised.

3. Judy Wein

I work on the 103rd floor of the Southern Tower.

Almost immediately after the Nothern Tower was hit, I fled for my life.

I got to the 78th floor where the sky lobby was at.

From where I was at from 103rd floor, there's an elevator set that takes you down to the 78th floor.

From there, there is another set of elevators called the "Sky lobby" that takes you, further down all the way to the plaza on the first floor.

It was brimmed and packed with people on the 78th floor.

At least 100 people. Person to person, wall to wall people. You could barely move. No elbow room whatsoever.

I was looking down; I didn't even see anything and all I heard was a massive explosion.

The plane came in and sliced through Floors 78 to 84.

I landed on my right side, fracturing a bone in my lower arm, cracking three ribs and puncturing my right lung.

The floor turned pitch black from the impact. No lights. Just screaming and yelling and utter chaos.

Gigi Singer, Mr. Kestenbaum, Vijayashanker Paramsothy and Richard Gabrielle were initially, near me. Not next to me but, near me.

I called out for my boss.

And then I heard Vijay call out "Judy, we are here."

Vijay helped me back up to my feet.

I evidently came across my boss, Howard Kestenbaum.

Howard died from the impact of the plane coming in from our floor.

Only a handful of us, including me, survived that encounter.

Gigi Singer was badly burned but could stand.

Richard Gabrielle was a different story. The marble ceiling collapsed all around him, and his legs were pinned down from it.

He was in great pain and I opted to help him and he replied "I think my legs are broken. No, no, no. Leave me alone."

Me, Gigi, Vijay and fourth man with us somehow, got to the opposite end of the hallway.

We came across "a man with a red handkerchief" - later identified as Welles Crowther.

He led us, down a staircase for Stairwell A.

For a reason, I still don't know why to this day, Vijay opted to stay behind and help out those on the 78th floor.

Vijay wouldn't survive.

Me, Gigi and the fourth man with us - Ed Nicholls began our descent down.

60. 55. 53.

At exactly the 40th floor, the three of us were getting exhausted.

We came across a elevator that somehow worked and led us down to the ground floor.

There was a security guard and officer, telling us "To take our time."

Yeah, right.

Within ten minutes, the three of us were finally out of there.

I was pain and I hopped in the back of an ambulance.

Not even two minutes later? I heard a sound.

I turned around and I see the Southern Tower coming down.

I later found out, only about 20 of the 100 or so people in the sky lobby from the 78th floor, ended up living for another day.

I owe my life for the man in the red handkerchief. Thank you Welles Crowther.