July 8, 2025 • 41 mins
An Egyptian engineer, a Hispanic Navy Seal, and an Italian construction manager walk into a building. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s the beginning of real-life heroism. The building was the World Trade Center’s North Tower and Father Mark Hanna is the only one of the 3 amigos to survive 9/11.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
When I start calling the police to come and help me,
I said, please help me. I'm really tired and I'm
coming from the idiot floor. Can somebody come and help me? Say, look,
we cannot come to you. You walk toward us, and
the actual wording may make sure be careful because there
are people throwing themselves on the top. This is a
tough scene I struggled out in my life. Actually, I
looked up and I see body flying and as soon
(00:22):
as they touched the ground, really their basis and always worried.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And they can't come help you because they're worried about
getting the head.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
To be coming from the top floor. Also, there are
set tend to be coming from them.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
So I look up and you see people I do it.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I did see brilliant and the fact I be honest
with you many times in my life I see the picture.
But thank God, God give me so much strange and power.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Throughout my life.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
In fact, I look at I'm going to talk about
that nine to eleven is a turning point. They give
me strange and strong to make me strong.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm still Courtney,
normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, I'm an entrepreneur,
and I've been a high school football coach in inner
City Memphis. And remarkably, that last part somehow led to
an oscar for the film about our team. That movie
(01:16):
is called Undefeated. Guys, I believe our country's problems will
never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in
nice suits using big words that nobody really ever uses
on CNN and Fox, but rather may an army, a
normal folks, us just you and me deciding, hey, you
know what, maybe maybe I can help. That's what Father
(01:38):
Mark Hannah, the voice you just heard, has done. Father
Mark and two of his friends helped save the lives
of between I don't know fifty and seventy five people
inside the World Trade Center North Tower on nine to eleven.
And they did this as civilians, risking their own lives
(01:58):
to save the lives of Father is the only one
of these heroes who survived that faithful day. I cannot
wait for you to hear his story and meet him.
Right after these brief messages from our general sponsors. So
(02:27):
we're in the back in the Crosstown Concourse and the
cool Memphis Listening Lab, which is a spot more people
need to know about because it's just groovy and there's
not any music you could ever have dreamed of, vinyl
or otherwise. And I don't think you can find in
this place. And Alex and I really love recording here.
(02:49):
We've got a live recording going on, so there's some
folks in front of us for our guests. And at
the end of this, as always when we do live recordings,
we'll open up for any questions. Today we're speaking with
Father Mark Hannah, and when you hear his accent, you
will say Mark Hannah doesn't sound like Mark Hannah. Guy.
(03:11):
His story is amazing. He is a priest at Saint
Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in New Jersey. He's Brunswick. Really,
his story is not about being a priest. Rather, it's
about why he became a priest. And with that, I
just want to say to you, welcome to Memphis.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
I thank you, welcome, quit you Bill happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
When'd you get in?
Speaker 1 (03:36):
We arrived yesterday around four o'clock and went to the hotel.
Then my son tooked me out. We actually went downtown
and we enjoyed some good meals in towntown and we
had a good time. Then last night to a meet
the priest of the church here in Memphis, the father
Demien and Omit actually some of the members of the
(03:57):
church here. We had dinner together, then we went to sleep,
and then we're here acting now.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Perfect great, Well, welcome to Memphis. Your story is is
I can't wait for you to share your story. But
from Egypt, yes, I am so tell me how how
did you grow up? Just briefly, how you went up
and how you got to the US.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Actually that's a good question because they did grow up
in Upper Egypt, not in Caro, which is about three
hours away from Caro, in town in a small town
at called beny Mazar in Minia. And I grew up
with a very average family, not really very very poor family,
very simple family.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
And I went to school.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
But that turned the point in my life actually to
come to Knight, State of for America. The oldest brother,
which is my brother William, actually he went to college
and he became one of the good student in engineering school.
Then he came to a Knight, State of America to
study PhD in the University Connecticut. So while he was
studying his PhD here, I was just entering into engineering
(05:00):
school in Egypt. So you sent me a visa. I
came nineteen eighty four on F one visa.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And yourself became an engineer.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I became an engineer.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I wore. Did you go to school?
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I went to school in Center and kindochat City University,
which you belonged to Yukony.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So you're a husky, big husky fan.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
I love her.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I love actually march madn this big time a.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Bad Yeah, so good. So there it is. And you
got a job at the World Trade Sert.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Actually when I arrived, when I went going to school,
I worked as a carpenter in one of the company
and then after that I went to school full time.
I finished my college and I worked in a Li
Literate Center construction division.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
So what is that construction division? The buildings were built,
It's just like the engineering maintenance part of the BAT.
When I read that, I didn't even know what that meant.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Molit centerl construction division because Wi Literary Center has like
sivin building. You have the twin tower and then you
have another five building, one of the buildings actually with
the custom house building and also another building building Siven
Silver Esteem so because the building is very unique that
we each built had its own regulation and all also codes.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Fair when you work.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Wilitary Intercrosdruction Division is a building department for the Military
Center buildings around the building itself. Well, we acting actually
if somebody tended to want to do any construction, then
new work they submit the drawing for us would review
it and we acted an inspecture when inspected the drawing.
So we are actually basically the building department of the
Wilitary Center construction.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So really like if I want to build something about business,
I've got to apply to the Shelby County code enforcement guys,
and there's guys at the city code that go over it.
You were almost like code enforcement construction maintenance specifically just
for the World Trade as Complex.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yes, in matter of fact, we had to study certain
code it's required for the building itself, how to certain
requirement for the construction of the building itself. Basically we
did act as basically the reinforcement the enforcement to group
that really an inspector to respect any work would be
done in the military.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
When when the World Trade Centers, when the two big
buildings plus the other, I think there were five others
siven total right when they were four, when the day
was going on on a typical Tuesday or Thursday, how
many people were in those seven buildings at one time.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I will imagine, I will I did not really estimate it,
but I will imagine at least over than eighty Southand
because the Twinness, so.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
The point is just the World Trade Center complex when
it was inhabited and working and people were there every day.
It's larger than many small cities.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Absolutely, because in fact that the concourse level of the
Wilitary Center had like one of the huge big mole
and underneath they have another six floors. We wanted to
entil b six levels and also have the they had
the subway, and also they had the past three in
which comes from Jersey to New York to New York City.
(08:11):
And I want you to imagine the Twin Tower one
hundred ten floors and every floor two hundred by two
hundred square feet, which means every floor equal to one acre.
If I have one hundred ten acres above each other,
that's a twin tower alone next to each other, next
to each other, the North Tower and the South Tower,
and each one of them has one acres, which is
(08:33):
when you look at the how told the building is
is basically two miles it's unbelievable, unbelievably, it's a huge building.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
So it needed guys like you. I mean, this complex
it's like having its own town. It had to have
its engineering and instruction division because there was something always
going on like you would in a eighty thousand person town.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Absolutely, we had even we had a lot to do
of ours work because sometimes when a company is doing
some work, we basically they cannot do it during the day.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
We do at night.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
And in our department, who had a plan to view
when somebody submitted drawing, there's a group of the view
of the plan, and my job in the Frank de Martini,
which is he was my boss at the time, take
the planes and make sure that to enforce everything done
according to the plan.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Got it. So it's a good segue. On the day
of nine eleven, you were with your colleagues, Pablo Ortiz
and Frank de Martini. Yes, what I've read is Pablo
is a is an ex Navy seal. He was, and
he was Hispanic, and Frank was an Italian who was
(09:41):
a construction manager. So honestly, when I've read that. I
giggled because that sounds like the beginning to a an
Egyptian engineer, a Hispanic Navy seal, and an Italian construction
manager walk into a bar one day, It's almost like
a joke would begin. I mean, what a collection of people.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Well literates into the construction division, the beautiful thing of
which I love to work for. Them had a lot
of diversity between the plant of view the Bible, working
with so much diversity in everybody working together. But the
most beautiful thing actually we all work in harmony, and
we had really so much love to each other and
respect each other and work in a very good way
(10:23):
that we help each other.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So you're close, you're diverse, you're like family. You've worked
together for eight, nine, ten years. You've got each other's back.
You're running around keeping us eighty thousand person seven building,
massive complex going. And I'll just tease it and then
(10:45):
you can take it from there. You guys were sitting
in your office and on the eighty eighth floor of
Tower one and the building shook. Take us through it all.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Actually, this is moment. Actually we're gathering together talking about
some project. We were very close to. Frank de Martini's office, and.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
When that's Frank de Martinez, he was your boss.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
He was my bossy, Yes, okay.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And as soon as the building we felt actually the
building was shaking, you could feel it.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Absolutely, you can feel it.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
You know. I'm sorry. I'm going to get out of
your way and let you tell the story, because just
your recounting of all of it is enough and it
doesn't need me. But so many of us, our experience
of Not eleven was watching it on TV and then
all of the documentaries and his historical footage and stuff
(11:43):
that many of us have reviewed. But when you hear
the building shook and you hear the horrific things we've heard,
it's one thing to hear it and watch it on film.
It's another thing to hear a human being who is
(12:04):
there and there are few to survive and tell the story.
So when you say you felt this massive building weaving
and all of the things you're going to tell us,
please remember our experience is not somebody who had feet
on the ground. I don't want to just hear the
(12:26):
building shook. I want to know what that felt like.
I'd want to feel that from you.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Actually, the moment that we felt the building was shock.
Actually some of us were scared. We did not know
exactly what's happening. Matter of fact, we did not know
even the building was hit by an airplane. I personally
wasn't fear a little bit what happened, especially when we
looked at the window. We see Babe flying and do
we see some of the cabinets were falling down. But
(12:54):
the build after he shook, stood a little bit, and
we did not know what happened. So we gathered together,
all of us together, Frankly Martini and myself or the
will gather everybody in the center of the building itself
and the I the id floor. We're still an idiot floor.
As soon as we got in the center, because when
the building was hit actually with held, the airplane went
(13:14):
to the northeast corner. My office and Frankly Martine's office
was on the south east of the building. So we
walked from the southeast to the center of the building,
toward the wist of the building. As soon as we
get there, we started recognizing, you know what, there's a
smoke in our floor, and that makes me a little
bit scared and afraid. And ever I do his banic
(13:35):
what what what's exactly happening. In the beginning, we thought,
because we are really working for the building, we had
a problem on seventy fifth floor with one of the
bumps that pumping water.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
All the way to the top floor for the pups pumps.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Yes, so we basically when we when we find out,
we said, maybe this is one of the bumps, really problem,
but later on we did not know that, h it's
a endplane.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So we walked and we helped stall.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Maybe that's shaking and all was because the pulp blew. Well,
that's exactly with the water pressure or something.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
That's our feeling in the beginning, And then we walked
all the way to and walked out from the center
of the building. We tried to frankdi Martin telling us,
you know what, we need to get out of this
floor here because we start feeling a lot of smoke
coming towards us as soon as we came out of
the floor itself, and he had the building had three
ster walls, one ab and amb was basically blocked due
(14:28):
to the damage. But also we went out from esterwell
see as soon as we get toesterwill see we find
actually a woman her name is Judy Reese.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
She was our personal administreet office.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
She was a little bit, a little bit big woman
and also in the midtime is struggling with asthma and
she needed help. So FRANKI Martini Polodics myself and also
went and helped her to get out of the eighty.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Eighth floor to the sister wall.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
As soon as we get to the sister wall, we
actually were trying to figure out what we're going to
do from here. Frank de Martine actually fell to somebody
knocking from the top floor, eighty ninth floor, knocking, knocking.
That's that the stairwall will the door hammering, hammering on
And Frank said, actually, it seemed like some people up
above us really struggling. They want to get out if
(15:19):
they can't. So what we decide, Frank the side, let's
go up and matter of fact and begin I said, Frank,
we cannot go up, we need to help some people here.
He said, no, let's go up and see what exactly
happening upstairs. So Frank pull this myself phone too up
and Judy at this moment actually talk talk by one
of our follow worker his name is actually Jeff Getler,
(15:39):
and some other people with him and try to help
her down. And as soon as we were to upstairs
on eighty ninth floor, we see the door with jammed completely.
It seemed like when the buildings starts shaking, the door
jammed the door to the stairwell, the Mergen' Store stair well. Yes,
so we managed with.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
The plane and it hit tower one. I think it
hit floor ninety ninety three, ninety three between ninety two
ninety five floors, only five floors, and you still don't
know a plane set.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
We did not know anything until now, okay, and then
when we went to upstairs the eighty ninth floor, we
find we heard the people actually screaming to us, can
you help us open the door? So we tried to
open the door with a bit that jammed, and thank
Guardian Paul or Diz had a crow bar with him.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
He's an avu in his pocket.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
He did, actually he did, and so this actually managed
to open the door and they.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
All came out.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Basically, I will assume about eighteen that's what I said
from I counted them about eighteen of the minute.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
But I walked into the floor itself. I saw a
lot of the smoke was very very strong in the
eighty ninth floor. So I walked around and I couldn't
really go inside too much because of the smoke. And
then everybody left and we came back to eighty eight floor.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
And now a few messages from our general sponsors. But
first I hope you'll follow us on your favorite social
media channels, where we share more powerful content, including reels
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at Army of normal folks on every channel. Give us
(17:25):
a follow, we'll be right back. I don't want to
be a grotesque at all, because I think sensationalizing any
of this tramples on the memories of the heroes and
(17:48):
the fire department, and it tramples on the memories of
the victims. But to paint a clear picture, when you
were on eighty nine, you said fifteen people behind that door,
clearly a lot more than fifteen people on the eighty
ninth floor, where there were there others that you just
couldn't help.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
I could not help others because we opened the door.
Those who were actually by the door, they lift and
went down. Matter of fact, after that, they called me
and I went to They worked for Midlife Inshorance Company,
and they have their own building in Manhattan. I remember
after n living they called me and I went and
I met most of them at that building, but I
couldn't go inside the floor itself because because it was
(18:30):
so much smoke inside the Florida.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
So there were clearly people who had already perished.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
I'm assuming we'll be be able to inside the Floorida.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Okay, so you freedom, you and Ortez and and the
Italian gout Frank right, your boss, Yeah, and then you
go back to the eighty eighth because the eighty nineties
you just can't be that's too much Mork.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
As soon as you arrived to eighty eighth floor, everybody
seemed like from my Florida red. They lifted the floor itself,
but to find the one older man more lipsyn. He
was actually waiting for somebody to help him. So we
were actually debating the sea of us, who's going to
take care of more? Because Mos eighteen years or eighteen
nine years old, and he really was short and really
(19:13):
very very skin and very light. So they decided, after
a lot of discussion together, we'd agree that I would
be taking care of more. So the four of us Frankdy, Martine,
Poul Ordiz, myself and more. We went from sister Well
all the way to seventy eighth floor in Skylobby. And
that's probably because sky Lobby was basically the center of
(19:35):
basically the elevator when you the building had to Skylobby,
forty four flower sky Lobby and seventy eighth follow sky lobby.
The sky lobby free anybody going from seventy eighth floor
to one hundred tenth floor. You take an elevator from
first floor to the seventy eighth floor. Then he switched
to a tiper floor you want to go to, so
on the skylabe actually was a lot of chaos.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
That's where Buddy was gathering.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
That's what everybody was gathering from, and also with a
lot of fear.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
This is a moment actually.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Discovered that the building was hit by an iply Frank
actually amazing. Frank survived nineteen ninety street bombing, and he
kept telling us the building will.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Be good, don't worry about it. You just worried about
the smoking.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
So when the terrorists hit it in ninety three, ninety three, yes,
down in the Yes, he was there then and so
he decided the building handled that bombing. This building strong
even though an airplane hit it. This I believe in
this building, we're gonna be okay.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Frank actually was His background was destructure engineering, and he
studied the structure of the building very well. He was
sure that really the building will be fine. Just the
problem we're going to face smoking. That's why we skipped
right away eighty eighth floor.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
I've interviewed fireman and first responders who were going up
as you guys were trying to help people coming down. Yes,
did you pass fireman all the stre I did. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
On the twenty first floor, I met with them and
I saw some firefighters. I'm gonna come to the twenty
first floor. What happened with seventy eighth floor was a
little bit chaos. We actually when we discovered the building,
because we saw a lot of different fire in a
different elevator shafts, and we're a little bit scared, I'm
gonna and also fear we did not know what will happen.
(21:25):
And then on seventy eighth floor, the guard asked us
to leave right away, so we tried to leave. We
went to one of our friends. His name is Tony Savis.
He was also working for Loy Center Construction Vision. He
was trapped inside one the elevator. So Polar this, Frank
de Martin and myself we tried to open the door
for him. We tried, we couldn't. Then finding the guard
(21:45):
became sivil. He must leave the seventy eighth floor.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
This is a.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Transition floor that everybody must cannot stay here. So frank
and Polarde asked me to leave and they're gonna stay
to help my Tony Savis to come up to them.
So I took more lipsyn and myself and this is
a moment, actually the last moment or the last time
I saw Frank and Polar. This on seventy eighth floor,
we had the radio together because we'll working to the building.
(22:10):
We had the radio and we had our only channel,
so he asked me to keep the channel five, which
is our channel, so we can communicate together. I left
the seventy eighth floor with Frankie Martinez, Pollard, State and
me and Mo Lipsen. We start walking down from seventy
eighth floor all the way to twenty first floor. Twenty
first floor were Emit, a group of great firefighters. The
(22:33):
all of them with very nice young men. Matter of fact,
I understand that this group, all of them the majority
with the Irish guys, because you know New York City,
every group has beautifully young men. Honestly, I met with
them and I stayed the top more from me and
the Actually on the twenty first floor, they actually had
set a station for people needs medical assistant and some
(22:55):
people they need to help be special for the elders.
Actually I saw actually Judy is go, yeah, we're just
still walking down. So on the twenty first floor, basically
I showed the firefighters with how to get out where
are the three stair wall of the building. And one
of the very interesting actually happened. We needed some water
and something for people to drink, so I told the firefighters,
(23:18):
by the way, there's the free elevator. Lobby has a
lot of vinding machines. So we went to the vending machines.
So broke the finding machines and we had to grab
some iced ta and coffee and saw them passed on
to the people. And when they got discovered that they
will readly one it more so we went on and
kept actually passing empty all the finding machines in the
floor itself. And then after that, I stayed for a
(23:41):
little bit and the one of the firefighters came to me.
I said, by the way, you must leave the floor.
I said, no, I will love to help because I'm
waiting for Frank and boler Tis to come down. I said, no,
you have to leave the floor.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I have a What are they doing at those points?
Speaker 1 (23:56):
They were actually some of them they were walked into
certain floors and coming back. If they find some elders people,
they bring them down to twenty first floor to help them,
because the lot of people who trapped on the floor itself,
they want its help. They were basically not putting the
fire down as much as giving help to the people
that they need help.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
So Frank, they're going floor to floor, clearing floors and
helping people to the to the stairwells. Yes, they're literally
trying to clear every single floor from seventy eight to
twenty two. That's exactly where we're staying, saving laws and.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
The twenty first floor basically with the floor that they said,
basically an area where people needs oxygen, needs some help,
needs some medical assistance.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
A tria. Okay, so they tell you to leave.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Then after that, they asked me to leave. I walked,
I went to my lips and I said, well, I'm leaving.
You are in good hand here with the firefighters. I'm
going to leave you. I will call you when and
I when I leave, and I had this number. He said, no,
don't leave me. I want to go with you, and
I believe, and that's one thing really amazing every where
their life has at its own time. I said more,
(25:03):
you want to come with me? He said yes. So
as soon as I took more and I went, I
think by the twentiest floor. At this moment I left
twenty first, twenty nineteen, I felt a huge bang. It
happened and we lost to all the emergency power completely.
It turned out to be liter on that building to
already fall down. Was about almost ten o'clock, a little
bit before ten o'clock. Then I took Mo Lipsyn and
(25:27):
were just walking down a few floors, and something inside me. Honestly,
I was praying to be honest with you, and matter
of fact, when we Mo lipsin and I were coming down,
we saw a love When building one was hit and
building to his hit, a traffic stopped a little bit
them as well, people were praying, people who were basically
bagging everybody know that what exactly happened. The building was
(25:47):
hit by the endplane. A lot of people were in fear.
So I told them more at that moment, said more,
you know what, I feel like I own to run
a little bit. I cannot go slowly. Mo is a
very patient guy, very like I said, Look what so
I ended up. Actually he was very light. I did
carry him from almost nineteenth floor, eighteenth floor all the
way to the concourse levels.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
And when I.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Cast en fireman going up at those points, some.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Of them fighters will will be going up.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Actually with Swasia, I've been told that that only stairwell
that was open because the other two were damaged.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
It was packed with people going back back to Yeah,
when we started one after the other.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Absolutely, and may fact, the after building to his hit,
the traffic stopped completely. I find out some people I
know them work in the building. They said, actually when
building was building to his head, debree is actually split
around the concourse lever and also around the mezzinee. For
he couldn't come out. We could have the fire itself.
And they were afrailia. But that's why the traffic stopped completely.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I say, so you're carrying Mo?
Speaker 1 (26:50):
I did carry more. I took more all the way
to the concourse level. Concourse level was a huge chaos.
I could not imagine myself and matter of fact, actually
tears in my eyes because I work one of the
last projects I work with with Thomas spink there and
also another because I was responsible. My job was basically
doing inspection for the concourse. Love I see the concourse, lover,
(27:13):
the one has an amazing bit from all very expensive
stores are really basically damaged completely after building to its
hit and the water coming from the sprinkler from it's
basically it's basically I felt like, I'm nor Zune.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
We'll be right back in the In the concourse, you
say it was chaos and smoke. Obviously you and Mo
(27:51):
were like, all right, how are we getting out of here?
What you're about to do us next? From what I
envisioned because I remember Alex, what's the name of the
fireman Brown? U? That were? Yes? Tim Brown? Right? Tim
barely survived, he lost seventy firefighting friends. Then it's hard
(28:15):
for me to talk about after interviewing him, but he
said in the concourse they'd set up like a command
and control center the fire people had and a trioge center,
and it's where a lot of his comrades ultimately perished.
But I have to imagine all the dust, all the debris,
(28:35):
all the falling fire people run around everywhere, port authority,
police triage. There's probably bodies and they did so.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Actually, when I did the right at concurse level, I
would say about ten twelve, now the time is running
for me.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
And then I.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Did not see too many people because after building full
loan they got they get out to everybody get out
because the concourse level was basically a mess. And I
did actually walks rooted, but because it was water up
to almost here on the concourse of water because of
the steam like from a sprinter system all the way
that are coming down as soa and I start walking
(29:20):
and thank god, the animal was telling me, let's go
to the more. Actually, one of the literal engineering was
involving when they designed the building itself. She was asking me,
let's go out from toward Chester Street exit. I said, no,
close side. I will let's go out to the side
that way. So I manage myself in matter factor with
this because of the smoke and the dust, I could
(29:41):
not really see the well, but being I know I'm
on the concourse level, I know the west side of
this year, and I saw one of the glass was broken.
All the glass was broken. So I managed to carry
more and come out of the building to the west
side the highway. And this is a moment, actually, it
was a very much and momentary because I start see
I realized that this is not just only a building.
(30:03):
Was yeah, I tell you something left when we're going
down me pull or this saying, oh my god, look
at the damage that was having most like, we're gonna
have a lot of overtime here, We're gonna have to
work over times. And then now I realized, you know what,
this is something very bigger than what I thought. Actually,
it's not just only then I I was carrying more
and I started actually screaming to the police department. It's
(30:26):
almost one hour and a half, right, and I'm struggling
to go with Ian. And basically I was.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
An hour and a half after the building got.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Exactly because the building was hit eight forty six. I
was out of the building, I would say ten fifteen
in maximum the building collapse completely ten twenty seven. If
I was out of the building ten fifteen twenty very close,
because I wouldn't even give it like seven eight minutes.
So I was screaming to anybody. I was basically the
(30:52):
last person calling frankdy Martina on Channel five, Who are you, Frank?
They're still inside the building?
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Are they talking to you?
Speaker 3 (31:00):
They were just barely talking because that the.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Stir they're still clearing. They start cleaning a rescue page.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Yeah, Frank and Polar These actually were popular. These actually
they did help a lot of people, to save a
lot of people. And then when I start calling the
police to come and help me, I said, please help me.
I'm really tired and I'm coming from the eight eighth floor.
Can somebody come and help me? Said, look, we cannot
come to you. Walk towards us, and the actual wording
me picture be careful because there are people throwing themselves
(31:28):
from the top. This is a tough scene. I struggled
out to my life. Actually, I looked up and I
see body flying few and as soon as they touched
the ground. Really they are basis and I was worried, and.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
They can't come help you because they're worried about getting
hit about.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
And the bee coming from the top floor. Also there
are certaend to be come from there.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
So I look up and you see people I do.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
I did brilliant and mat fact, I'd be honest with
you many times in my life. I see the picture.
But thank God, God give me so much strange and
POWERSU out to my life. Matter of fact, I look
at I'm going to talk about that nine to eleven
who was a turning point to give me strength and strong,
to make me strong. So I couldn't. I said, look,
but I'm carrying a man. He's one hundred years old.
Can somebody help me? He kicked me because I was
(32:14):
carrying him, and he's right and right in by his feet.
He said, By the way, Mac, I'm eighty nine years old.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
In the middle of all the matter of yess a humor.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
E Moollipsen was actually I call it Molyipsen. Was God's
gift to me to save me personally it is.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
But you were saving him.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
He came visit me in my house after that and
his family to thank me, and he said I told
him more. By the way, I want to thank you
because actually it was it for you I wouldn't be
here because I would be with Frank and boorder this
helping other people. But because if you God allow you
to be there, so I can be with you, and
I would stay with Frank helping everyone. But now I'm
(32:53):
actually I need that. We're actually the bidding who saved oh.
And I keptain no more you or the reason that
I'm here, and he kept here the reason them here.
And he had really a lot of fleets and carrying
him down. He was very patient, slowly, don't worry about it.
Everything would be good. He was giving me so much
energy and power and help and I call it emotional support.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
So the place can't come to you. There's debris and
human beings falling. But you know you got to get out,
So what do you do?
Speaker 3 (33:24):
I walked all the way.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
I crossed the side highway, you know, the other side
of the two ways until you get to the other side,
which the area is exactly when I went out was
by Visit Street if you're Visit Street above Visit Tret.
By Vigit Treet, there's actually a bridge connecting Military center
and financial Center. So I was actually at that area
here by Visit Street. So as soon as I arrived
(33:48):
with the police, the firefight, the the the ambulance took
me from me and I see some police and some
security and as soon as they talked with me, I was,
let's start talking to the building for a few minutes.
And all I remember just I was crying, and then
I was kept crying, and then then suddenly the building
(34:10):
was coming down.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
How close were you?
Speaker 1 (34:13):
I was across from by by Financial Center. All I
remember all of us, everybody, even the ambulance started everybody running.
All I remember from my I was running from my
life and running for all my power. I kept running
or running running until I came to the Hatch River
after the Financial Center. Then I was basically said and relaxed,
(34:36):
and I this moment actually too beautiful, young lady, kill
to me and tell me where you come from. Because
I was actually full of dust and smoke. I said,
I was an idiot.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Floor.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
They thought I jumped or something. I said, No, I was.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
I came down and carrying a man, and I was
actually tears because this is a moment that I realized.
I realized, actually frankly, Martine and put Orde would not
make it. And it's very difficult realized that you lost
one of your good frinded that you.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Loved very much, and they were saving laws.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Which saving lives, saving some many like action. I realized
that it was a very tough moment for me to
sit and look at the building, look at the smoke,
and realize what what happened. And then I find out
actually even other buildings fall down with just a very emotion,
and especially the Literary Center for me, when I work there,
I treated like my own home. There's something about the
(35:28):
Military Center you would fluff when you work for the
Military Center.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Later you were told by a reporter that there was
an unidentified picture of a covered man carrying a man
out of the bottom of the building only minutes before
it fell. Yeah, and it's the same that that was
the last living person or person's out. Is that you?
Speaker 3 (35:50):
That's me, me and my lips?
Speaker 2 (35:52):
And also how does that make you feel? Excuse me,
how does that make you feel knowing you were the
last to human beings out of that building?
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Honest?
Speaker 1 (36:04):
In the beginning, I started was crying and weeping for
my friends. But you start to realize the appreciating life
and you start I started thank God, really because I
feel like God gave me a life to give, and
that's why nine to eleven was a turning point in
my life. I did struggle a lot, actually, to be
honest with you, when I after Ianna. The biggest now
(36:26):
the journey going back home with a tough journey also,
but really it makes me feel like, you know what,
God give me a chance to live. And later on
I realized, you know what, this is a time for
me to give more than to take, to serve people
and telp people.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
How many funerals did you tell?
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I think about forty four funerals, the four emotional one
which is my close friend. But I tend to so
many fuerals for people that I know. Nine to eleven.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
What about Frankobaba?
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I did Frank because Frank Frank I was the only
Frank Martinez funeral. I did broke down a lot because
when I saw his wife, Nicole mat In fact, I
did not mention that we're coming down from the eighty
eighth floor. Nicole, his wife wooed us and she actually
kept killing Frank. Come let's leave, and Frank tell her
go down. I'm going to beat you when I go.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Frank's wife was there.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Too, was in an eighty eighth floor and.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
She went down with you guys and left Frank.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Frank actually made her, made her to go down by herself.
But Frank funeral. I was very emotional. I even give
a small dog because Frank was a great man. It
happened when I when I work with him. He's a good,
family oriented person. He loves everybody, and he treated us
in an amazing way. I never felt he's my boss. I
felt he's like my good friend, that I can share
(37:48):
anything with him. In fact, a week before nine to eleven,
my son came with me because taking your son to work,
and he met Frank. Actually Mark met Frank and talked
to Frank and Frank Mark and his son. Frank had
two beautiful kids, actually Dominic and Sabrina, and he had
Remember he took Dominic and Mark, my son to the
(38:11):
outdown stairs because the concourse level had the Baillful restaurants,
the eight Pitza, and they so he met Frank.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
Actually, so I read.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
Not only were you attending funerals, but for a month
or so you kept going back looking for Frank and
Polo's bowie.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Yes, I was actually after a few weeks, I was
called to go and helping ground zero. Inter of fact,
I have my car to that when I went, because
it was controlled by the police at that time. So
I went to ground zero and the moment that really
tough moment for me was actually I met one of
my good friends, Imagedigated. He was an architect for military center.
(38:52):
So as soon as I saw Jerry, I said, what
is Building one? I kept asking because all debris it's.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Fun phenomenal that you were part of the construction place
there for a decade and you couldn't even terrible Building one.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Because absolutely so finally they guided me, this is the
debris for Building one. Honestly from my heart, I was looking,
I wish we can find the body of Frank or Paul.
What is the buddy of Frank in both? And I
remember when I broke down, they had one of the
chaplain to come and talk to me and consulting me
and help me how to really accept what's happening and
(39:29):
just and they were trying to tell me actually all
because I was crying and weaving, what is Frank?
Speaker 3 (39:34):
What is? And I felt it that Frank under the
depea actually.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Did you recover either?
Speaker 1 (39:39):
There abouties no, Frank de Martino, Burdhis never recovered the body,
nor actually Tony Savis and also Judy is the four
of them when I ate ended the funeral did not
recover their bodies.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Again, I don't want to sensationalize it, but when I
read it at joke, you told a reporter one day
the part of what was tearing you up is that
you felt like the dust of the remnants of the
building you were walking on could be the dust of
your friend's spot.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
And my fact, honestly, and as a priest, normally, as
a person i'm with the church will normally look at
the place's holly. I felt at the time I want
to take my shoes off a not to walk on
the on the rubbers, because I was I was in
fear and tears, and I missed them so much at
this moment too, And I had the hope when I
went to grow and see you, actually, I had to
(40:35):
hope that we're going to find the book.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
And that concludes part one of my conversation with Father
Mark Hannah, and guys, don't miss part two. It's available
to listen to now, and there is so much more
here for you together, guys, We can change this country.
It starts with you. I'll see in Part two
When I start calling the police to come and help me,
I said, please help me. I'm really tired and I'm
coming from the idiot floor. Can somebody come and help me? Say, look,
we cannot come to you. You walk toward us, and
the actual wording may make sure be careful because there
are people throwing themselves on the top. This is a
tough scene I struggled out in my life. Actually, I
looked up and I see body flying and as soon
(00:22):
as they touched the ground, really their basis and always worried.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And they can't come help you because they're worried about
getting the head.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
To be coming from the top floor. Also, there are
set tend to be coming from them.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
So I look up and you see people I do it.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I did see brilliant and the fact I be honest
with you many times in my life I see the picture.
But thank God, God give me so much strange and power.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Throughout my life.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
In fact, I look at I'm going to talk about
that nine to eleven is a turning point. They give
me strange and strong to make me strong.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Welcome to an army of normal folks. I'm still Courtney,
normal guy. I'm a husband, I'm a father, I'm an entrepreneur,
and I've been a high school football coach in inner
City Memphis. And remarkably, that last part somehow led to
an oscar for the film about our team. That movie
(01:16):
is called Undefeated. Guys, I believe our country's problems will
never be solved by a bunch of fancy people in
nice suits using big words that nobody really ever uses
on CNN and Fox, but rather may an army, a
normal folks, us just you and me deciding, hey, you
know what, maybe maybe I can help. That's what Father
(01:38):
Mark Hannah, the voice you just heard, has done. Father
Mark and two of his friends helped save the lives
of between I don't know fifty and seventy five people
inside the World Trade Center North Tower on nine to eleven.
And they did this as civilians, risking their own lives
(01:58):
to save the lives of Father is the only one
of these heroes who survived that faithful day. I cannot
wait for you to hear his story and meet him.
Right after these brief messages from our general sponsors. So
(02:27):
we're in the back in the Crosstown Concourse and the
cool Memphis Listening Lab, which is a spot more people
need to know about because it's just groovy and there's
not any music you could ever have dreamed of, vinyl
or otherwise. And I don't think you can find in
this place. And Alex and I really love recording here.
(02:49):
We've got a live recording going on, so there's some
folks in front of us for our guests. And at
the end of this, as always when we do live recordings,
we'll open up for any questions. Today we're speaking with
Father Mark Hannah, and when you hear his accent, you
will say Mark Hannah doesn't sound like Mark Hannah. Guy.
(03:11):
His story is amazing. He is a priest at Saint
Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in New Jersey. He's Brunswick. Really,
his story is not about being a priest. Rather, it's
about why he became a priest. And with that, I
just want to say to you, welcome to Memphis.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
I thank you, welcome, quit you Bill happy to be here.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
When'd you get in?
Speaker 1 (03:36):
We arrived yesterday around four o'clock and went to the hotel.
Then my son tooked me out. We actually went downtown
and we enjoyed some good meals in towntown and we
had a good time. Then last night to a meet
the priest of the church here in Memphis, the father
Demien and Omit actually some of the members of the
(03:57):
church here. We had dinner together, then we went to sleep,
and then we're here acting now.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Perfect great, Well, welcome to Memphis. Your story is is
I can't wait for you to share your story. But
from Egypt, yes, I am so tell me how how
did you grow up? Just briefly, how you went up
and how you got to the US.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Actually that's a good question because they did grow up
in Upper Egypt, not in Caro, which is about three
hours away from Caro, in town in a small town
at called beny Mazar in Minia. And I grew up
with a very average family, not really very very poor family,
very simple family.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
And I went to school.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
But that turned the point in my life actually to
come to Knight, State of for America. The oldest brother,
which is my brother William, actually he went to college
and he became one of the good student in engineering school.
Then he came to a Knight, State of America to
study PhD in the University Connecticut. So while he was
studying his PhD here, I was just entering into engineering
(05:00):
school in Egypt. So you sent me a visa. I
came nineteen eighty four on F one visa.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And yourself became an engineer.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I became an engineer.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I wore. Did you go to school?
Speaker 1 (05:12):
I went to school in Center and kindochat City University,
which you belonged to Yukony.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So you're a husky, big husky fan.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
I love her.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I love actually march madn this big time a.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Bad Yeah, so good. So there it is. And you
got a job at the World Trade Sert.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Actually when I arrived, when I went going to school,
I worked as a carpenter in one of the company
and then after that I went to school full time.
I finished my college and I worked in a Li
Literate Center construction division.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
So what is that construction division? The buildings were built,
It's just like the engineering maintenance part of the BAT.
When I read that, I didn't even know what that meant.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Molit centerl construction division because Wi Literary Center has like
sivin building. You have the twin tower and then you
have another five building, one of the buildings actually with
the custom house building and also another building building Siven
Silver Esteem so because the building is very unique that
we each built had its own regulation and all also codes.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Fair when you work.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Wilitary Intercrosdruction Division is a building department for the Military
Center buildings around the building itself. Well, we acting actually
if somebody tended to want to do any construction, then
new work they submit the drawing for us would review
it and we acted an inspecture when inspected the drawing.
So we are actually basically the building department of the
Wilitary Center construction.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So really like if I want to build something about business,
I've got to apply to the Shelby County code enforcement guys,
and there's guys at the city code that go over it.
You were almost like code enforcement construction maintenance specifically just
for the World Trade as Complex.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yes, in matter of fact, we had to study certain
code it's required for the building itself, how to certain
requirement for the construction of the building itself. Basically we
did act as basically the reinforcement the enforcement to group
that really an inspector to respect any work would be
done in the military.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
When when the World Trade Centers, when the two big
buildings plus the other, I think there were five others
siven total right when they were four, when the day
was going on on a typical Tuesday or Thursday, how
many people were in those seven buildings at one time.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I will imagine, I will I did not really estimate it,
but I will imagine at least over than eighty Southand
because the Twinness, so.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
The point is just the World Trade Center complex when
it was inhabited and working and people were there every day.
It's larger than many small cities.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Absolutely, because in fact that the concourse level of the
Wilitary Center had like one of the huge big mole
and underneath they have another six floors. We wanted to
entil b six levels and also have the they had
the subway, and also they had the past three in
which comes from Jersey to New York to New York City.
(08:11):
And I want you to imagine the Twin Tower one
hundred ten floors and every floor two hundred by two
hundred square feet, which means every floor equal to one acre.
If I have one hundred ten acres above each other,
that's a twin tower alone next to each other, next
to each other, the North Tower and the South Tower,
and each one of them has one acres, which is
(08:33):
when you look at the how told the building is
is basically two miles it's unbelievable, unbelievably, it's a huge building.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
So it needed guys like you. I mean, this complex
it's like having its own town. It had to have
its engineering and instruction division because there was something always
going on like you would in a eighty thousand person town.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Absolutely, we had even we had a lot to do
of ours work because sometimes when a company is doing
some work, we basically they cannot do it during the day.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
We do at night.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
And in our department, who had a plan to view
when somebody submitted drawing, there's a group of the view
of the plan, and my job in the Frank de Martini,
which is he was my boss at the time, take
the planes and make sure that to enforce everything done
according to the plan.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Got it. So it's a good segue. On the day
of nine eleven, you were with your colleagues, Pablo Ortiz
and Frank de Martini. Yes, what I've read is Pablo
is a is an ex Navy seal. He was, and
he was Hispanic, and Frank was an Italian who was
(09:41):
a construction manager. So honestly, when I've read that. I
giggled because that sounds like the beginning to a an
Egyptian engineer, a Hispanic Navy seal, and an Italian construction
manager walk into a bar one day, It's almost like
a joke would begin. I mean, what a collection of people.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Well literates into the construction division, the beautiful thing of
which I love to work for. Them had a lot
of diversity between the plant of view the Bible, working
with so much diversity in everybody working together. But the
most beautiful thing actually we all work in harmony, and
we had really so much love to each other and
respect each other and work in a very good way
(10:23):
that we help each other.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
So you're close, you're diverse, you're like family. You've worked
together for eight, nine, ten years. You've got each other's back.
You're running around keeping us eighty thousand person seven building,
massive complex going. And I'll just tease it and then
(10:45):
you can take it from there. You guys were sitting
in your office and on the eighty eighth floor of
Tower one and the building shook. Take us through it all.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Actually, this is moment. Actually we're gathering together talking about
some project. We were very close to. Frank de Martini's office, and.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
When that's Frank de Martinez, he was your boss.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
He was my bossy, Yes, okay.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
And as soon as the building we felt actually the
building was shaking, you could feel it.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Absolutely, you can feel it.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
You know. I'm sorry. I'm going to get out of
your way and let you tell the story, because just
your recounting of all of it is enough and it
doesn't need me. But so many of us, our experience
of Not eleven was watching it on TV and then
all of the documentaries and his historical footage and stuff
(11:43):
that many of us have reviewed. But when you hear
the building shook and you hear the horrific things we've heard,
it's one thing to hear it and watch it on film.
It's another thing to hear a human being who is
(12:04):
there and there are few to survive and tell the story.
So when you say you felt this massive building weaving
and all of the things you're going to tell us,
please remember our experience is not somebody who had feet
on the ground. I don't want to just hear the
(12:26):
building shook. I want to know what that felt like.
I'd want to feel that from you.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Actually, the moment that we felt the building was shock.
Actually some of us were scared. We did not know
exactly what's happening. Matter of fact, we did not know
even the building was hit by an airplane. I personally
wasn't fear a little bit what happened, especially when we
looked at the window. We see Babe flying and do
we see some of the cabinets were falling down. But
(12:54):
the build after he shook, stood a little bit, and
we did not know what happened. So we gathered together,
all of us together, Frankly Martini and myself or the
will gather everybody in the center of the building itself
and the I the id floor. We're still an idiot floor.
As soon as we got in the center, because when
the building was hit actually with held, the airplane went
(13:14):
to the northeast corner. My office and Frankly Martine's office
was on the south east of the building. So we
walked from the southeast to the center of the building,
toward the wist of the building. As soon as we
get there, we started recognizing, you know what, there's a
smoke in our floor, and that makes me a little
bit scared and afraid. And ever I do his banic
(13:35):
what what what's exactly happening. In the beginning, we thought,
because we are really working for the building, we had
a problem on seventy fifth floor with one of the
bumps that pumping water.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
All the way to the top floor for the pups pumps.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Yes, so we basically when we when we find out,
we said, maybe this is one of the bumps, really problem,
but later on we did not know that, h it's
a endplane.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
So we walked and we helped stall.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Maybe that's shaking and all was because the pulp blew. Well,
that's exactly with the water pressure or something.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
That's our feeling in the beginning, And then we walked
all the way to and walked out from the center
of the building. We tried to frankdi Martin telling us,
you know what, we need to get out of this
floor here because we start feeling a lot of smoke
coming towards us as soon as we came out of
the floor itself, and he had the building had three
ster walls, one ab and amb was basically blocked due
(14:28):
to the damage. But also we went out from esterwell
see as soon as we get toesterwill see we find
actually a woman her name is Judy Reese.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
She was our personal administreet office.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
She was a little bit, a little bit big woman
and also in the midtime is struggling with asthma and
she needed help. So FRANKI Martini Polodics myself and also
went and helped her to get out of the eighty.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Eighth floor to the sister wall.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
As soon as we get to the sister wall, we
actually were trying to figure out what we're going to
do from here. Frank de Martine actually fell to somebody
knocking from the top floor, eighty ninth floor, knocking, knocking.
That's that the stairwall will the door hammering, hammering on
And Frank said, actually, it seemed like some people up
above us really struggling. They want to get out if
(15:19):
they can't. So what we decide, Frank the side, let's
go up and matter of fact and begin I said, Frank,
we cannot go up, we need to help some people here.
He said, no, let's go up and see what exactly
happening upstairs. So Frank pull this myself phone too up
and Judy at this moment actually talk talk by one
of our follow worker his name is actually Jeff Getler,
(15:39):
and some other people with him and try to help
her down. And as soon as we were to upstairs
on eighty ninth floor, we see the door with jammed completely.
It seemed like when the buildings starts shaking, the door
jammed the door to the stairwell, the Mergen' Store stair well. Yes,
so we managed with.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
The plane and it hit tower one. I think it
hit floor ninety ninety three, ninety three between ninety two
ninety five floors, only five floors, and you still don't
know a plane set.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
We did not know anything until now, okay, and then
when we went to upstairs the eighty ninth floor, we
find we heard the people actually screaming to us, can
you help us open the door? So we tried to
open the door with a bit that jammed, and thank
Guardian Paul or Diz had a crow bar with him.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
He's an avu in his pocket.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
He did, actually he did, and so this actually managed
to open the door and they.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
All came out.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Basically, I will assume about eighteen that's what I said
from I counted them about eighteen of the minute.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
But I walked into the floor itself. I saw a
lot of the smoke was very very strong in the
eighty ninth floor. So I walked around and I couldn't
really go inside too much because of the smoke. And
then everybody left and we came back to eighty eight floor.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
And now a few messages from our general sponsors. But
first I hope you'll follow us on your favorite social
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(17:25):
a follow, we'll be right back. I don't want to
be a grotesque at all, because I think sensationalizing any
of this tramples on the memories of the heroes and
(17:48):
the fire department, and it tramples on the memories of
the victims. But to paint a clear picture, when you
were on eighty nine, you said fifteen people behind that door,
clearly a lot more than fifteen people on the eighty
ninth floor, where there were there others that you just
couldn't help.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
I could not help others because we opened the door.
Those who were actually by the door, they lift and
went down. Matter of fact, after that, they called me
and I went to They worked for Midlife Inshorance Company,
and they have their own building in Manhattan. I remember
after n living they called me and I went and
I met most of them at that building, but I
couldn't go inside the floor itself because because it was
(18:30):
so much smoke inside the Florida.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
So there were clearly people who had already perished.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
I'm assuming we'll be be able to inside the Floorida.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Okay, so you freedom, you and Ortez and and the
Italian gout Frank right, your boss, Yeah, and then you
go back to the eighty eighth because the eighty nineties
you just can't be that's too much Mork.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
As soon as you arrived to eighty eighth floor, everybody
seemed like from my Florida red. They lifted the floor itself,
but to find the one older man more lipsyn. He
was actually waiting for somebody to help him. So we
were actually debating the sea of us, who's going to
take care of more? Because Mos eighteen years or eighteen
nine years old, and he really was short and really
(19:13):
very very skin and very light. So they decided, after
a lot of discussion together, we'd agree that I would
be taking care of more. So the four of us Frankdy, Martine,
Poul Ordiz, myself and more. We went from sister Well
all the way to seventy eighth floor in Skylobby. And
that's probably because sky Lobby was basically the center of
(19:35):
basically the elevator when you the building had to Skylobby,
forty four flower sky Lobby and seventy eighth follow sky lobby.
The sky lobby free anybody going from seventy eighth floor
to one hundred tenth floor. You take an elevator from
first floor to the seventy eighth floor. Then he switched
to a tiper floor you want to go to, so
on the skylabe actually was a lot of chaos.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
That's where Buddy was gathering.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
That's what everybody was gathering from, and also with a
lot of fear.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
This is a moment actually.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Discovered that the building was hit by an iply Frank
actually amazing. Frank survived nineteen ninety street bombing, and he
kept telling us the building will.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Be good, don't worry about it. You just worried about
the smoking.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
So when the terrorists hit it in ninety three, ninety three, yes,
down in the Yes, he was there then and so
he decided the building handled that bombing. This building strong
even though an airplane hit it. This I believe in
this building, we're gonna be okay.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Frank actually was His background was destructure engineering, and he
studied the structure of the building very well. He was
sure that really the building will be fine. Just the
problem we're going to face smoking. That's why we skipped
right away eighty eighth floor.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
I've interviewed fireman and first responders who were going up
as you guys were trying to help people coming down. Yes,
did you pass fireman all the stre I did. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
On the twenty first floor, I met with them and
I saw some firefighters. I'm gonna come to the twenty
first floor. What happened with seventy eighth floor was a
little bit chaos. We actually when we discovered the building,
because we saw a lot of different fire in a
different elevator shafts, and we're a little bit scared, I'm
gonna and also fear we did not know what will happen.
(21:25):
And then on seventy eighth floor, the guard asked us
to leave right away, so we tried to leave. We
went to one of our friends. His name is Tony Savis.
He was also working for Loy Center Construction Vision. He
was trapped inside one the elevator. So Polar this, Frank
de Martin and myself we tried to open the door
for him. We tried, we couldn't. Then finding the guard
(21:45):
became sivil. He must leave the seventy eighth floor.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
This is a.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Transition floor that everybody must cannot stay here. So frank
and Polarde asked me to leave and they're gonna stay
to help my Tony Savis to come up to them.
So I took more lipsyn and myself and this is
a moment, actually the last moment or the last time
I saw Frank and Polar. This on seventy eighth floor,
we had the radio together because we'll working to the building.
(22:10):
We had the radio and we had our only channel,
so he asked me to keep the channel five, which
is our channel, so we can communicate together. I left
the seventy eighth floor with Frankie Martinez, Pollard, State and
me and Mo Lipsen. We start walking down from seventy
eighth floor all the way to twenty first floor. Twenty
first floor were Emit, a group of great firefighters. The
(22:33):
all of them with very nice young men. Matter of fact,
I understand that this group, all of them the majority
with the Irish guys, because you know New York City,
every group has beautifully young men. Honestly, I met with
them and I stayed the top more from me and
the Actually on the twenty first floor, they actually had
set a station for people needs medical assistant and some
(22:55):
people they need to help be special for the elders.
Actually I saw actually Judy is go, yeah, we're just
still walking down. So on the twenty first floor, basically
I showed the firefighters with how to get out where
are the three stair wall of the building. And one
of the very interesting actually happened. We needed some water
and something for people to drink, so I told the firefighters,
(23:18):
by the way, there's the free elevator. Lobby has a
lot of vinding machines. So we went to the vending machines.
So broke the finding machines and we had to grab
some iced ta and coffee and saw them passed on
to the people. And when they got discovered that they
will readly one it more so we went on and
kept actually passing empty all the finding machines in the
floor itself. And then after that, I stayed for a
(23:41):
little bit and the one of the firefighters came to me.
I said, by the way, you must leave the floor.
I said, no, I will love to help because I'm
waiting for Frank and boler Tis to come down. I said, no,
you have to leave the floor.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
I have a What are they doing at those points?
Speaker 1 (23:56):
They were actually some of them they were walked into
certain floors and coming back. If they find some elders people,
they bring them down to twenty first floor to help them,
because the lot of people who trapped on the floor itself,
they want its help. They were basically not putting the
fire down as much as giving help to the people
that they need help.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
So Frank, they're going floor to floor, clearing floors and
helping people to the to the stairwells. Yes, they're literally
trying to clear every single floor from seventy eight to
twenty two. That's exactly where we're staying, saving laws and.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
The twenty first floor basically with the floor that they said,
basically an area where people needs oxygen, needs some help,
needs some medical assistance.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
A tria. Okay, so they tell you to leave.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Then after that, they asked me to leave. I walked,
I went to my lips and I said, well, I'm leaving.
You are in good hand here with the firefighters. I'm
going to leave you. I will call you when and
I when I leave, and I had this number. He said, no,
don't leave me. I want to go with you, and
I believe, and that's one thing really amazing every where
their life has at its own time. I said more,
(25:03):
you want to come with me? He said yes. So
as soon as I took more and I went, I
think by the twentiest floor. At this moment I left
twenty first, twenty nineteen, I felt a huge bang. It
happened and we lost to all the emergency power completely.
It turned out to be liter on that building to
already fall down. Was about almost ten o'clock, a little
bit before ten o'clock. Then I took Mo Lipsyn and
(25:27):
were just walking down a few floors, and something inside me. Honestly,
I was praying to be honest with you, and matter
of fact, when we Mo lipsin and I were coming down,
we saw a love When building one was hit and
building to his hit, a traffic stopped a little bit
them as well, people were praying, people who were basically
bagging everybody know that what exactly happened. The building was
(25:47):
hit by the endplane. A lot of people were in fear.
So I told them more at that moment, said more,
you know what, I feel like I own to run
a little bit. I cannot go slowly. Mo is a
very patient guy, very like I said, Look what so
I ended up. Actually he was very light. I did
carry him from almost nineteenth floor, eighteenth floor all the
way to the concourse levels.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
And when I.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Cast en fireman going up at those points, some.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
Of them fighters will will be going up.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Actually with Swasia, I've been told that that only stairwell
that was open because the other two were damaged.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
It was packed with people going back back to Yeah,
when we started one after the other.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Absolutely, and may fact, the after building to his hit,
the traffic stopped completely. I find out some people I
know them work in the building. They said, actually when
building was building to his head, debree is actually split
around the concourse lever and also around the mezzinee. For
he couldn't come out. We could have the fire itself.
And they were afrailia. But that's why the traffic stopped completely.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I say, so you're carrying Mo?
Speaker 1 (26:50):
I did carry more. I took more all the way
to the concourse level. Concourse level was a huge chaos.
I could not imagine myself and matter of fact, actually
tears in my eyes because I work one of the
last projects I work with with Thomas spink there and
also another because I was responsible. My job was basically
doing inspection for the concourse. Love I see the concourse, lover,
(27:13):
the one has an amazing bit from all very expensive
stores are really basically damaged completely after building to its
hit and the water coming from the sprinkler from it's
basically it's basically I felt like, I'm nor Zune.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
We'll be right back in the In the concourse, you
say it was chaos and smoke. Obviously you and Mo
(27:51):
were like, all right, how are we getting out of here?
What you're about to do us next? From what I
envisioned because I remember Alex, what's the name of the
fireman Brown? U? That were? Yes? Tim Brown? Right? Tim
barely survived, he lost seventy firefighting friends. Then it's hard
(28:15):
for me to talk about after interviewing him, but he
said in the concourse they'd set up like a command
and control center the fire people had and a trioge center,
and it's where a lot of his comrades ultimately perished.
But I have to imagine all the dust, all the debris,
(28:35):
all the falling fire people run around everywhere, port authority,
police triage. There's probably bodies and they did so.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Actually, when I did the right at concurse level, I
would say about ten twelve, now the time is running
for me.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
And then I.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Did not see too many people because after building full
loan they got they get out to everybody get out
because the concourse level was basically a mess. And I
did actually walks rooted, but because it was water up
to almost here on the concourse of water because of
the steam like from a sprinter system all the way
that are coming down as soa and I start walking
(29:20):
and thank god, the animal was telling me, let's go
to the more. Actually, one of the literal engineering was
involving when they designed the building itself. She was asking me,
let's go out from toward Chester Street exit. I said, no,
close side. I will let's go out to the side
that way. So I manage myself in matter factor with
this because of the smoke and the dust, I could
(29:41):
not really see the well, but being I know I'm
on the concourse level, I know the west side of
this year, and I saw one of the glass was broken.
All the glass was broken. So I managed to carry
more and come out of the building to the west
side the highway. And this is a moment, actually, it
was a very much and momentary because I start see
I realized that this is not just only a building.
(30:03):
Was yeah, I tell you something left when we're going
down me pull or this saying, oh my god, look
at the damage that was having most like, we're gonna
have a lot of overtime here, We're gonna have to
work over times. And then now I realized, you know what,
this is something very bigger than what I thought. Actually,
it's not just only then I I was carrying more
and I started actually screaming to the police department. It's
(30:26):
almost one hour and a half, right, and I'm struggling
to go with Ian. And basically I was.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
An hour and a half after the building got.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Exactly because the building was hit eight forty six. I
was out of the building, I would say ten fifteen
in maximum the building collapse completely ten twenty seven. If
I was out of the building ten fifteen twenty very close,
because I wouldn't even give it like seven eight minutes.
So I was screaming to anybody. I was basically the
(30:52):
last person calling frankdy Martina on Channel five, Who are you, Frank?
They're still inside the building?
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Are they talking to you?
Speaker 3 (31:00):
They were just barely talking because that the.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Stir they're still clearing. They start cleaning a rescue page.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Yeah, Frank and Polar These actually were popular. These actually
they did help a lot of people, to save a
lot of people. And then when I start calling the
police to come and help me, I said, please help me.
I'm really tired and I'm coming from the eight eighth floor.
Can somebody come and help me? Said, look, we cannot
come to you. Walk towards us, and the actual wording
me picture be careful because there are people throwing themselves
(31:28):
from the top. This is a tough scene. I struggled
out to my life. Actually, I looked up and I
see body flying few and as soon as they touched
the ground. Really they are basis and I was worried, and.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
They can't come help you because they're worried about getting
hit about.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
And the bee coming from the top floor. Also there
are certaend to be come from there.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
So I look up and you see people I do.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
I did brilliant and mat fact, I'd be honest with
you many times in my life. I see the picture.
But thank God, God give me so much strange and
POWERSU out to my life. Matter of fact, I look
at I'm going to talk about that nine to eleven
who was a turning point to give me strength and strong,
to make me strong. So I couldn't. I said, look,
but I'm carrying a man. He's one hundred years old.
Can somebody help me? He kicked me because I was
(32:14):
carrying him, and he's right and right in by his feet.
He said, By the way, Mac, I'm eighty nine years old.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
In the middle of all the matter of yess a humor.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
E Moollipsen was actually I call it Molyipsen. Was God's
gift to me to save me personally it is.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
But you were saving him.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
He came visit me in my house after that and
his family to thank me, and he said I told
him more. By the way, I want to thank you
because actually it was it for you I wouldn't be
here because I would be with Frank and boorder this
helping other people. But because if you God allow you
to be there, so I can be with you, and
I would stay with Frank helping everyone. But now I'm
(32:53):
actually I need that. We're actually the bidding who saved oh.
And I keptain no more you or the reason that
I'm here, and he kept here the reason them here.
And he had really a lot of fleets and carrying
him down. He was very patient, slowly, don't worry about it.
Everything would be good. He was giving me so much
energy and power and help and I call it emotional support.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
So the place can't come to you. There's debris and
human beings falling. But you know you got to get out,
So what do you do?
Speaker 3 (33:24):
I walked all the way.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
I crossed the side highway, you know, the other side
of the two ways until you get to the other side,
which the area is exactly when I went out was
by Visit Street if you're Visit Street above Visit Tret.
By Vigit Treet, there's actually a bridge connecting Military center
and financial Center. So I was actually at that area
here by Visit Street. So as soon as I arrived
(33:48):
with the police, the firefight, the the the ambulance took
me from me and I see some police and some
security and as soon as they talked with me, I was,
let's start talking to the building for a few minutes.
And all I remember just I was crying, and then
I was kept crying, and then then suddenly the building
(34:10):
was coming down.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
How close were you?
Speaker 1 (34:13):
I was across from by by Financial Center. All I
remember all of us, everybody, even the ambulance started everybody running.
All I remember from my I was running from my
life and running for all my power. I kept running
or running running until I came to the Hatch River
after the Financial Center. Then I was basically said and relaxed,
(34:36):
and I this moment actually too beautiful, young lady, kill
to me and tell me where you come from. Because
I was actually full of dust and smoke. I said,
I was an idiot.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Floor.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
They thought I jumped or something. I said, No, I was.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
I came down and carrying a man, and I was
actually tears because this is a moment that I realized.
I realized, actually frankly, Martine and put Orde would not
make it. And it's very difficult realized that you lost
one of your good frinded that you.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Loved very much, and they were saving laws.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Which saving lives, saving some many like action. I realized
that it was a very tough moment for me to
sit and look at the building, look at the smoke,
and realize what what happened. And then I find out
actually even other buildings fall down with just a very emotion,
and especially the Literary Center for me, when I work there,
I treated like my own home. There's something about the
(35:28):
Military Center you would fluff when you work for the
Military Center.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Later you were told by a reporter that there was
an unidentified picture of a covered man carrying a man
out of the bottom of the building only minutes before
it fell. Yeah, and it's the same that that was
the last living person or person's out. Is that you?
Speaker 3 (35:50):
That's me, me and my lips?
Speaker 2 (35:52):
And also how does that make you feel? Excuse me,
how does that make you feel knowing you were the
last to human beings out of that building?
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Honest?
Speaker 1 (36:04):
In the beginning, I started was crying and weeping for
my friends. But you start to realize the appreciating life
and you start I started thank God, really because I
feel like God gave me a life to give, and
that's why nine to eleven was a turning point in
my life. I did struggle a lot, actually, to be
honest with you, when I after Ianna. The biggest now
(36:26):
the journey going back home with a tough journey also,
but really it makes me feel like, you know what,
God give me a chance to live. And later on
I realized, you know what, this is a time for
me to give more than to take, to serve people
and telp people.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
How many funerals did you tell?
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I think about forty four funerals, the four emotional one
which is my close friend. But I tend to so
many fuerals for people that I know. Nine to eleven.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
What about Frankobaba?
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I did Frank because Frank Frank I was the only
Frank Martinez funeral. I did broke down a lot because
when I saw his wife, Nicole mat In fact, I
did not mention that we're coming down from the eighty
eighth floor. Nicole, his wife wooed us and she actually
kept killing Frank. Come let's leave, and Frank tell her
go down. I'm going to beat you when I go.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Frank's wife was there.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Too, was in an eighty eighth floor and.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
She went down with you guys and left Frank.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
Frank actually made her, made her to go down by herself.
But Frank funeral. I was very emotional. I even give
a small dog because Frank was a great man. It
happened when I when I work with him. He's a good,
family oriented person. He loves everybody, and he treated us
in an amazing way. I never felt he's my boss. I
felt he's like my good friend, that I can share
(37:48):
anything with him. In fact, a week before nine to eleven,
my son came with me because taking your son to work,
and he met Frank. Actually Mark met Frank and talked
to Frank and Frank Mark and his son. Frank had
two beautiful kids, actually Dominic and Sabrina, and he had
Remember he took Dominic and Mark, my son to the
(38:11):
outdown stairs because the concourse level had the Baillful restaurants,
the eight Pitza, and they so he met Frank.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
Actually, so I read.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
Not only were you attending funerals, but for a month
or so you kept going back looking for Frank and
Polo's bowie.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
Yes, I was actually after a few weeks, I was
called to go and helping ground zero. Inter of fact,
I have my car to that when I went, because
it was controlled by the police at that time. So
I went to ground zero and the moment that really
tough moment for me was actually I met one of
my good friends, Imagedigated. He was an architect for military center.
(38:52):
So as soon as I saw Jerry, I said, what
is Building one? I kept asking because all debris it's.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Fun phenomenal that you were part of the construction place
there for a decade and you couldn't even terrible Building one.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Because absolutely so finally they guided me, this is the
debris for Building one. Honestly from my heart, I was looking,
I wish we can find the body of Frank or Paul.
What is the buddy of Frank in both? And I
remember when I broke down, they had one of the
chaplain to come and talk to me and consulting me
and help me how to really accept what's happening and
(39:29):
just and they were trying to tell me actually all
because I was crying and weaving, what is Frank?
Speaker 3 (39:34):
What is? And I felt it that Frank under the
depea actually.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Did you recover either?
Speaker 1 (39:39):
There abouties no, Frank de Martino, Burdhis never recovered the body,
nor actually Tony Savis and also Judy is the four
of them when I ate ended the funeral did not
recover their bodies.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Again, I don't want to sensationalize it, but when I
read it at joke, you told a reporter one day
the part of what was tearing you up is that
you felt like the dust of the remnants of the
building you were walking on could be the dust of
your friend's spot.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
And my fact, honestly, and as a priest, normally, as
a person i'm with the church will normally look at
the place's holly. I felt at the time I want
to take my shoes off a not to walk on
the on the rubbers, because I was I was in
fear and tears, and I missed them so much at
this moment too, And I had the hope when I
went to grow and see you, actually, I had to
(40:35):
hope that we're going to find the book.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
And that concludes part one of my conversation with Father
Mark Hannah, and guys, don't miss part two. It's available
to listen to now, and there is so much more
here for you together, guys, We can change this country.
It starts with you. I'll see in Part two
Host
Bill Courtney
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