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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in

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<v Speaker 1>this addition is Ron di Francesco. Ron was working in

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<v Speaker 1>the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September eleventh,

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<v Speaker 1>two thousand and one. He is believed to be the

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<v Speaker 1>final person to emerge from the building alive before it

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<v Speaker 1>collapsed shortly after it was struck. And Ron, thanks so

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<v Speaker 1>much for being with us.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>Where were you born and raised?

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<v Speaker 2>I was born in Hamilton, Ontario, in between Toronto and

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<v Speaker 2>Niagara Falls.

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<v Speaker 1>So born a Canadian. And eventually you moved to New

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<v Speaker 1>York City for work? Correct?

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<v Speaker 2>I did? I moved down in two thousand the year

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<v Speaker 2>two thousand and brought my wife and kids as well.

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<v Speaker 1>And which company were you working for?

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<v Speaker 2>I worked for a company called Year Brokers Max, and

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<v Speaker 2>I was a money market broker. I used to trade

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<v Speaker 2>a US dollar in European currency.

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<v Speaker 1>What kind of day were you anticipating before everything happened.

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<v Speaker 2>I love the energy of the city. I would get

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<v Speaker 2>on the train at five forty two in the morning

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<v Speaker 2>and take the train from my town down into Hoboken

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<v Speaker 2>and then take the Path train into the city, and

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<v Speaker 2>just the energy from getting off the train, getting onto

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<v Speaker 2>the path train and running into the World Trade Center.

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<v Speaker 2>It was energizing.

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<v Speaker 1>And so you got the five forty two. What time

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<v Speaker 1>were you at work?

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<v Speaker 2>Probably around six forty six fifty, so you were at

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<v Speaker 2>work a couple of hours already. Yeah, you had to

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<v Speaker 2>get in early just because it's twenty four hour markets.

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<v Speaker 2>So we're Tokyo was closing their markets, the Asian markets

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<v Speaker 2>were closing London, and the Europe was halfway through their

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<v Speaker 2>day and we were just starting our day.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you ever have any misgivings about working at the

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<v Speaker 1>World Trade Center given that there had been bombing several

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<v Speaker 1>years before that.

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<v Speaker 2>No, I was working in Toronto when the ninety three

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<v Speaker 2>bombing happened. I guess I was, I don't want to

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<v Speaker 2>say clueless about it, but it just terrorism wasn't on

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<v Speaker 2>my radar. It was, you know, I grew up in

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<v Speaker 2>a steel city and then making it in Toronto on

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<v Speaker 2>Bay Street, which is like Canada's Wall Street, and then

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<v Speaker 2>making it down into New York. It was didn't think.

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<v Speaker 1>Of that at all. So explain what happened and what

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<v Speaker 1>you remember. As the first plane hit the other tower.

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<v Speaker 2>So we were in the trading room and everybody was

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<v Speaker 2>analyzing numbers, talking to their clients, running through what had

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<v Speaker 2>happened the evening before and what was happening in Europe

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<v Speaker 2>with the markets. And then we were settled into the

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<v Speaker 2>day and back to the right, there was a loud

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<v Speaker 2>explosion and then we looked to the right and just

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<v Speaker 2>saw huge fireball sucking in on itself and thousands of

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<v Speaker 2>pieces of paper just billowing outside the Trade Center.

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<v Speaker 1>What are you thinking?

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<v Speaker 2>I had no clue. And then we ran over there.

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<v Speaker 2>We ran over to see what had gone on, and

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<v Speaker 2>there was a huge gaping hole in the side of

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<v Speaker 2>the building and people in the windows, and some people

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<v Speaker 2>were doing the unthinkable. The heat was so intense that

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<v Speaker 2>they decided to jump they saw that. Yeah, I didn't know.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, when we're trying to listen to the news,

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<v Speaker 2>they said a light aircraft had gone off course and

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<v Speaker 2>crashed unexpectedly into the World Trade Center. So and the

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<v Speaker 2>PA system was saying the same thing that you know,

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<v Speaker 2>building too is secure. Please go back to your desk.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you think about leaving at that point?

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't. A lot of my colleagues that were there

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<v Speaker 2>in ninety three had left, but you know, there were

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<v Speaker 2>no words of terrorism or anything. It was just I

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<v Speaker 2>went back to my desk and I was taking phone

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<v Speaker 2>calls basically from some of my clients, friends and family

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<v Speaker 2>as well. And I was there and people were leaving

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<v Speaker 2>the trading room, and then eventually a friend of mine

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<v Speaker 2>up in Canada who was a trader called me and

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<v Speaker 2>yelled at me and told me to get out of

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<v Speaker 2>the building.

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<v Speaker 1>And the second plane was about what about seventeen minutes

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<v Speaker 1>after the first one.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So I grabbed a colleague of mine and we

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<v Speaker 2>were leaving the trading room when the second plane hit.

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<v Speaker 2>So American Airlines flight hit from seventy eight to eighty five,

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<v Speaker 2>and the right wing sliced right through our trading room.

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<v Speaker 1>So if you had stayed there a few more minutes.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I probably wouldn't.

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<v Speaker 1>Have would have been the end. What floor were you on?

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<v Speaker 2>I was on the eighty fourth floor.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you do next?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, we got knocked flying, and then all the ceiling

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<v Speaker 2>tiles came down and we got I picked myself up

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<v Speaker 2>in my colleague Mike, and we cleaned ourselves off. Then

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<v Speaker 2>there were other people in the hallway and we went

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<v Speaker 2>towards the stairwell. The elevator bank, so obviously were shut down.

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<v Speaker 2>So we went towards the stairwell and went in the stairwell.

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<v Speaker 1>We started to.

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<v Speaker 2>Go down, and I guess about two flights down, we

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<v Speaker 2>met this heavy set lady being carried by two men,

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<v Speaker 2>and they said, you can't go down there, there's too

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<v Speaker 2>much smoke and fire. At that point we heard I

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<v Speaker 2>was with a few of my colleagues. We heard this

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<v Speaker 2>cry for help, and I went with one of my

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<v Speaker 2>colleagues to try to help this man who was trapped

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<v Speaker 2>the floor below and try to help him. But I

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<v Speaker 2>was overcome with the smoke, and so I headed up

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<v Speaker 2>started climbing the stairs with my other colleagues.

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<v Speaker 1>Climbing up.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I just there was well. When they said there

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<v Speaker 2>was no way we could go down below, we started

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<v Speaker 2>to climb and we tried every floor, and I guess

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<v Speaker 2>we got to about the ninety first floor and realizing

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<v Speaker 2>that there was no exiting. All the floors are locked

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<v Speaker 2>from the inside for security reasons, right.

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<v Speaker 1>So.

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<v Speaker 2>At that point, I guess true panics started set in

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<v Speaker 2>and I realized I just wanted to get out and

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<v Speaker 2>see my wife and kids again. So we started to

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<v Speaker 2>head back down and I guess We got down to

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<v Speaker 2>our floor, maybe a floor below, but the smoke was

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<v Speaker 2>really thick and heavy, so people were lying down trying

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<v Speaker 2>to get beneath the hot, choking smoke, and we were

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<v Speaker 2>drifting off. We were starting to sleep, go to sleep,

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<v Speaker 2>and that point I heard a voice and someone calm,

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<v Speaker 2>calling me and telling me to come this way. For

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<v Speaker 2>those who are God believing me understand who that is.

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<v Speaker 2>Others may say it was just my adrenaline field synopsis

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<v Speaker 2>working overtime. But you know, if I heard a voice

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<v Speaker 2>like that again, I'd go towards it because it maybe

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<v Speaker 2>get up. And I went towards the flame and the

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<v Speaker 2>fire and the thick smoke, and I lasted Jeffort. I

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<v Speaker 2>pushed against the wall and it revealed the staircase down below,

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<v Speaker 2>so I slid down there, and then I ran through

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<v Speaker 2>three flights of stairs that were on fire.

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<v Speaker 1>With the adrenaline running as high as it was. Was

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<v Speaker 1>it agonizing immediately or was it only after you?

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't even feel it. I didn't even realize that

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<v Speaker 2>I was burnt. I just I just, you know, ran

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<v Speaker 2>through it and then kept running and running and running,

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<v Speaker 2>like I have burns on my arms and my body.

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<v Speaker 1>But once you got below the impact site, what was

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<v Speaker 1>it like.

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<v Speaker 2>I was by myself, so it was cool and calm

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<v Speaker 2>in the water. The sprinklers are running, and I guess

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<v Speaker 2>I got about halfway down and I ran into three

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<v Speaker 2>firefighters that were coming up. I explained to them I

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<v Speaker 2>was having trouble breathing, and they just told me to

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<v Speaker 2>go down below and once I got there, I would

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<v Speaker 2>get some help down below.

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<v Speaker 1>What happened when you got to the ground level.

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<v Speaker 2>So I just wanted to get out of that place.

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<v Speaker 2>And I came out the exit facing the courtyard in

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<v Speaker 2>between the two towers, and there was a security guard

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<v Speaker 2>there and she wouldn't let me out. You look back

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<v Speaker 2>on it and there were bodies and debris and there

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<v Speaker 2>was stuff falling out of the sky. So they wouldn't

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<v Speaker 2>let us go run outside there. They made us go

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<v Speaker 2>down underneath through the path system to get out towards

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<v Speaker 2>the Church Street exit. As I went down one set

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<v Speaker 2>of stairs there, I came across a colleague of mine

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<v Speaker 2>who was walking along, and he was a sweet, jovial man.

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<v Speaker 2>And as we were walking towards a Church Street exit,

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<v Speaker 2>that's when we heard the loud explosion. I looked to

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<v Speaker 2>my right and I saw a huge fireball coming at us,

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<v Speaker 2>and I just yelled at John to run, and I

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<v Speaker 2>ran as fast as I could to try to get out.

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<v Speaker 1>And.

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<v Speaker 2>Got knocked on the head and woke up three days

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<v Speaker 2>later in the hospital.

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<v Speaker 1>That's Ron di Francesco, a survivor of the terrorist attacks

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<v Speaker 1>in New York City on September eleventh, two thousand and one, and,

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<v Speaker 1>according to some the last person to make it out

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<v Speaker 1>of the World Trade Center alive. Still to come. More

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<v Speaker 1>of Ron's detailed reflections on what happened that day, the

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<v Speaker 1>long term impact of the attacks on him and his family,

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<v Speaker 1>and why he decided to start speaking publicly about his

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<v Speaker 1>horrific experiences that day. I'm Greg Corumbus and this is

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<v Speaker 1>Veterans Chronicles sixty Seconds of Service.

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<v Speaker 3>This sixty Seconds of Service is presented by T Mobile.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Veterans Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in

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<v Speaker 1>this addition is Ron di Francesco, an investment expert working

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<v Speaker 1>in the South Tower of the World Trade Center when

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<v Speaker 1>al Qaeda terrorists attacked on September eleventh, two thousand and one.

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<v Speaker 1>Ron just told his harrowing story of fighting through flames

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<v Speaker 1>and smoke to get under the South Tower and into

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<v Speaker 1>the train tunnel. When the South Tower came down and

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<v Speaker 1>he was knocked unconscious. DeFrancesco now picks up his story

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<v Speaker 1>by speculating where he was in the tunnel complex when

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<v Speaker 1>the south tower came down. How far away from the

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<v Speaker 1>the towers did the path exit bring you out?

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<v Speaker 2>So I wasn't out of the I think I was

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<v Speaker 2>under five four old trade. It was a big complex underneath,

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<v Speaker 2>so there was more. I think it was three, I guess,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sorry three. And so we were running through the

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<v Speaker 2>path system to get out, and they were strategic about

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<v Speaker 2>it to try to get us as far away from

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<v Speaker 2>those two towers as possible, and the building had started

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<v Speaker 2>to implode at that point, and we ran.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you remember what that sounded like?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 1>You mentioned you woke up three days later.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, did you.

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<v Speaker 1>Remember at that point much of what had happened or no?

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<v Speaker 2>I A couple of things is that I didn't know

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<v Speaker 2>the buildings had come down. I just, you know, when

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<v Speaker 2>our building got hit by the plane, I thought it

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<v Speaker 2>was just a generator down below. I had blown up,

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<v Speaker 2>And everybody was telling you, right, it was like the

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<v Speaker 2>first plane that hit, it was just, you know, a

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<v Speaker 2>light aircraft had gone off course. So when the second

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<v Speaker 2>one hit, it's different because the world's watching now exactly

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<v Speaker 2>what's going on, but you're watching from the outside. I

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<v Speaker 2>was on the inside. I had no clue what had happened,

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<v Speaker 2>and my wife didn't tell me, probably for seven eight days.

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<v Speaker 1>What were the extent of your burns and other injuries?

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<v Speaker 2>So I got hit on the back of the head.

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<v Speaker 2>I have a major laceration on my head. Here I

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<v Speaker 2>had burns on sixty percent of my body and my

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<v Speaker 2>contact lenses were melted to my eyes.

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<v Speaker 1>So what type of treatment did you need to go

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<v Speaker 1>through to treat the burns I was.

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<v Speaker 2>They went bandaged me up. My arms were quite bad

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<v Speaker 2>and I while I was in the hospital, I don't

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<v Speaker 2>really remember much. They were just I was on morphine

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<v Speaker 2>just to keep the pain at bay, and they were

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<v Speaker 2>changing him every few hours.

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<v Speaker 1>I think, how long did you stay in the hospital?

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<v Speaker 2>I just stayed twelve days when I realized what had

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<v Speaker 2>happened when my wife told me, I was just I

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<v Speaker 2>was quite antsy being in the city. I was at

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<v Speaker 2>Saint Vincent's Hospital right down by the trade center, so

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<v Speaker 2>I was quite agitated and I didn't want to be

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<v Speaker 2>in the city anymore. So they brought me home and

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<v Speaker 2>I got home care.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you notice that the hospital was chaotic? I assume

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<v Speaker 1>it had to be given all the injuries that had happened.

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<v Speaker 2>So I didn't see any of that. I just I

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<v Speaker 2>was out of it for a few days, and I

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<v Speaker 2>was heavily medicated to deal with my burns, and they

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<v Speaker 2>thought I had had a broken bone in my neck,

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<v Speaker 2>but it wasn't. So I didn't know what was going on,

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<v Speaker 2>and I was quite sedated. So when I started to

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<v Speaker 2>come around and realize what it had gone on, I

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<v Speaker 2>didn't know the buildings had come down.

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<v Speaker 1>So you mentioned that your wife. How did she finally

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<v Speaker 1>find out you were knocked unconscious for a number of days.

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<v Speaker 1>How did she finally hear what had happened to you?

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<v Speaker 2>I think they found me relatively quickly because I was

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<v Speaker 2>close to the Church Street exit, so they brought me in,

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<v Speaker 2>and I guess they called her around two in the

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<v Speaker 2>afternoon and told her that I was there. She was

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<v Speaker 2>quite elated, so she hung up. But it's funny now,

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<v Speaker 2>but she didn't know what hospital I was at. She

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<v Speaker 2>was just, you know, she was just to hear that

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<v Speaker 2>I was alive, and she didn't know the extent of

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<v Speaker 2>my injuries. They just said, to your husband's here, and.

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<v Speaker 1>How many children did you have at this point?

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<v Speaker 2>We have four children, and what ages were they back then?

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<v Speaker 2>They were ten, eight, six, and three.

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<v Speaker 1>When you came home. Obviously it's much better than being

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<v Speaker 1>in the hospital that How had life changed for you

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<v Speaker 1>and them as you all deal with this?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I was kind of blank for a couple of years.

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<v Speaker 2>Didn't really you know, didn't want to hear noises, didn't

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<v Speaker 2>really pay attention to the kids.

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<v Speaker 1>I just.

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<v Speaker 2>I just kind of existed. And my wife took the

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<v Speaker 2>brunt of it all. She right, we were not new immigrants,

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<v Speaker 2>but we were new to the country relatively, and she

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<v Speaker 2>had to keep the house together and keep everybody organized

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<v Speaker 2>and keep the kids going. And I was It was

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<v Speaker 2>a slow recovery for me, just mentally and physically mentally

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<v Speaker 2>more so.

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<v Speaker 1>But were you able to return to work or how

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<v Speaker 1>long till you were able to?

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<v Speaker 2>So I went back to work part time in March,

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<v Speaker 2>full time in April. But when I went back full time,

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00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:23.720
<v Speaker 2>it was tough on the kids because they would sit

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<v Speaker 2>by the window wondering every night if I was coming home,

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<v Speaker 2>and with the anthrax scares that were going on, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I said to my wife, you take your passport and

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<v Speaker 2>the kids' passports. I'll take my passport into the city

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<v Speaker 2>and if anything should happen, you just go back to

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<v Speaker 2>Canada with the kids. And we realized that this was

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<v Speaker 2>no way for us to live.

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<v Speaker 1>So you move back to Canada and the end.

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<v Speaker 2>Of the school years of two thousand and two, Like,

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<v Speaker 2>we loved living in Jersey and loved it being in

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<v Speaker 2>the States, and we were looking to purchase a home.

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<v Speaker 2>But that uprooted everything you mentioned. You were kind of

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<v Speaker 2>blank for a couple of years. What helped to bring you.

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<v Speaker 1>Out of that.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know. I just probably people talking to me

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<v Speaker 2>and just saying some getting angry that I was blank,

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<v Speaker 2>and rightfully so I just didn't really care much about anything.

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<v Speaker 2>And then you know, others telling me that I needed

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00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:35.000
<v Speaker 2>to tell my story, that it was, you know, a

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00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:39.279
<v Speaker 2>hopeful story. I don't know. I lost sixty one colleagues,

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<v Speaker 2>so I have survivors guilt. I should have. Could I

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<v Speaker 2>have gone back and got those people? If I did,

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<v Speaker 2>I know I wouldn't be here today. But I'll carry

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00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:56.160
<v Speaker 2>that with me. When the voice called me, I went

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00:19:56.240 --> 00:20:03.720
<v Speaker 2>to it, but I left everybody and I don't know why,

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<v Speaker 2>but you know, the building was coming down thirty seconds

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<v Speaker 2>behind or thirty seconds more, I wouldn't be here today.

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<v Speaker 1>So you were blessed in two different ways, first of

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<v Speaker 1>all leaving the conference room and then being able to

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<v Speaker 1>escape the building itself.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so twice that day I was, you know, lucky, unfortunate.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm blessed. I don't know what people want to say,

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<v Speaker 2>but I am lucky. I just wish there was a

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<v Speaker 2>different outcome.

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<v Speaker 1>Obviously, the building came down very quickly after you were

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<v Speaker 1>able to get out, as evidenced by the fact that

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00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:43.440
<v Speaker 1>you were still underground trying to get through the path exit.

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<v Speaker 1>At what point did someone conclude that you were probably

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<v Speaker 1>the last person to get out.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know who gave me that title. I just

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00:20:56.079 --> 00:20:59.319
<v Speaker 2>there were four people above the impactsone that got out,

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00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.880
<v Speaker 2>Two were my colleagues and they got out physically unscathed,

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00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:07.240
<v Speaker 2>and the other was the guy we were helping, Stanley,

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00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:11.680
<v Speaker 2>and I almost didn't get out, So I guess they

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00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:15.359
<v Speaker 2>presumed that I was the last man to get out

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00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:16.799
<v Speaker 2>before the tower collapsed.

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<v Speaker 1>That's Ron D. Francesco, who is one of the last

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<v Speaker 1>people to get out of the World Trade Center alive

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<v Speaker 1>after the al Qaeda terrorist attacks on September eleventh, two

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<v Speaker 1>thousand and one. When we come back, DeFrancesco decides to

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00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:35.160
<v Speaker 1>start publicly telling his very difficult story. We'll hear all

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00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:38.359
<v Speaker 1>about that, how he and his family are doing now,

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<v Speaker 1>and how the events of nine to eleven still impact

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<v Speaker 1>him today. I'm Greg Corumbus, and this is Veterans Chronicles.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Veterans' Chronicles. I'm Greg Corumbus. Our guest in

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<v Speaker 1>this edition is Ron D. Francesco, an investment expert who

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<v Speaker 1>had moved with his family from Canada to work with

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<v Speaker 1>a firm based in the World Trade Center in two thousand.

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<v Speaker 1>The next year, his office was struck by the terrorist

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<v Speaker 1>attack against the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

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<v Speaker 1>He shared the dramatic story of getting out of his

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<v Speaker 1>office and through the flames and into the tunnel system

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<v Speaker 1>underneath the complex. We've also heard about the long and

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00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:25.400
<v Speaker 1>difficult recovery physically and emotionally, and now DeFrancesco explains how

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<v Speaker 1>he got started speaking publicly about the very difficult events

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<v Speaker 1>of that day.

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<v Speaker 2>It's tough, right. It brings back a lot of memories.

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<v Speaker 2>I lost some good friends that day. After I tell

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<v Speaker 2>my story, I get people are saying thank you for

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<v Speaker 2>sharing that. I appreciate that, and you know, people say

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<v Speaker 2>it's a story of resilience and gratitude, and I am

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<v Speaker 2>thankful and I did get through that challenging time. But

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<v Speaker 2>we always think our lives going to be this big

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<v Speaker 2>positive trajectory and there's hiccups along the way. My hiccup

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<v Speaker 2>it was a lot worse. And so I just try

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<v Speaker 2>to tell people, especially in this time when people are struggling,

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<v Speaker 2>if I can make a difference for some, then it's

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<v Speaker 2>a bonus.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you hear from other survivors or even family

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<v Speaker 1>members of those who didn't make it that day when

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<v Speaker 1>they hear your story.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, for the longest time, I didn't want people to

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<v Speaker 2>see me, and you know, some of my colleagues were asking,

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00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:31.000
<v Speaker 2>you know, did to see my husband, to see my spouse?

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<v Speaker 2>Where they frightened, where they scared. That was a big burden.

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<v Speaker 2>I still talk to some of my colleagues sposes on

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<v Speaker 2>that on September eleventh. Every September eleventh. I reach out

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<v Speaker 2>to them. But it's kind of tough when you get

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00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:48.960
<v Speaker 2>out and they didn't right And I didn't do anything

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<v Speaker 2>differently than they did. I was just luckier fortunate blast.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know you mentioned that you talked to some

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<v Speaker 1>of them the anniversary of nine to eleven? Are their

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00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:03.200
<v Speaker 1>other things that you purposely do each year on that date?

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00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:07.079
<v Speaker 2>I never work that day again. I take that day

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<v Speaker 2>for myself, reflect and give gratitude.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you want people to know about what you

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00:24:16.119 --> 00:24:19.200
<v Speaker 1>saw that day from the inside that we couldn't possibly see.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it was just the panic in people's eyes that

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00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:33.079
<v Speaker 2>day when that happened, and you know, people across the

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00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:38.640
<v Speaker 2>courtyard there in one World Trade frantically gesturing for help.

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<v Speaker 2>It was hard to see.

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<v Speaker 1>Have you been back to New York?

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<v Speaker 2>I do. I go, probably yearly, but on the anniversary

397
00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:51.160
<v Speaker 2>I go every fifth year and spend the weekend there

398
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<v Speaker 2>with my life.

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<v Speaker 1>Have you been able to go to the memorial in

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<v Speaker 1>the museum or the memorial obviously, but the museum as well.

401
00:24:57.960 --> 00:24:58.200
<v Speaker 1>I have.

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00:24:58.519 --> 00:25:06.039
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, the memorial, it's a beautiful place to reflect. Yeah,

403
00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:11.240
<v Speaker 2>we went before it was open we had a pass,

404
00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:17.359
<v Speaker 2>and then the museum. That's hard. The museum's hard, but

405
00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:21.240
<v Speaker 2>it's a good reminder to keep it going right, for

406
00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:23.119
<v Speaker 2>people to understand what had.

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<v Speaker 1>Happened, What was the impact on the company losing so

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00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:28.480
<v Speaker 1>many valued personnel.

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<v Speaker 2>It was tough. It was we lost sixty one out

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00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:39.720
<v Speaker 2>of our three hundred and fifty employees, and we didn't

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<v Speaker 2>have an office to go back to, and so how

412
00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:46.680
<v Speaker 2>does it regroup? And I was out of it for

413
00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:50.240
<v Speaker 2>a while for months. But they set up shop and

414
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<v Speaker 2>they got some help from You saw the good in

415
00:25:52.599 --> 00:25:56.759
<v Speaker 2>people and organizations and helped people set up prudential help,

416
00:25:56.839 --> 00:26:00.720
<v Speaker 2>gave them a trading room to start them just getting

417
00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:04.319
<v Speaker 2>people back into the office. I couldn't imagine what the

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00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:07.920
<v Speaker 2>fear was like for people to go back into those

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00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.279
<v Speaker 2>towers and start working again.

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<v Speaker 1>You mentioned the ages of your children at the time.

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<v Speaker 1>How do they look back at it now?

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00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:24.920
<v Speaker 2>I think they all struggle with it's still It took

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00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:27.359
<v Speaker 2>a toll on every one of them, right. My oldest

424
00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:30.240
<v Speaker 2>thought he had to be the man of the house.

425
00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:37.799
<v Speaker 2>My daughter was quite upset, my third was angry, and

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00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:41.839
<v Speaker 2>my youngest was frightened. And it's no way for kids

427
00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:44.920
<v Speaker 2>to grow up. And it's been challenging.

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00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:49.359
<v Speaker 1>We're now more than twenty years after that, and so

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<v Speaker 1>we have an entire generation and emerging young adults mid

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<v Speaker 1>twenties at least, I would say by now, who don't

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<v Speaker 1>have personal memories that day. What do you want people

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00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:06.839
<v Speaker 1>to remember about that day? It's a defining moment in

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<v Speaker 1>our world's history. It saddens me that they were misguided

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00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:16.359
<v Speaker 1>people who thought that they would destroy something for whatever

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00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:19.559
<v Speaker 1>their beliefs were. We saw the good in people the

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00:27:19.640 --> 00:27:22.799
<v Speaker 1>day after that day was horrific, and we saw the

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00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:28.359
<v Speaker 1>world unite on September twelfth, But now more such a

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00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:33.559
<v Speaker 1>divided world, and that saddens me. I just I think

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<v Speaker 1>all the wars and stuff that have gone on now

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00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:40.079
<v Speaker 1>are a result of nine to eleven, and that makes

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<v Speaker 1>me sad. I want to circle back real briefly to

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00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:46.400
<v Speaker 1>something he said about speaking publicly about this now. He

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<v Speaker 1>said that if it's helpful to people, can inspire people,

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00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:54.160
<v Speaker 1>it's worth doing. What has it done for you though,

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00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:57.799
<v Speaker 1>just seeing that the impact it has on other people's lives,

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00:27:57.880 --> 00:28:00.880
<v Speaker 1>or is there something about it that's it's helped you too.

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00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:06.400
<v Speaker 2>I think it's helped me process the journey and what

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00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:11.160
<v Speaker 2>happened to me. And you know, we all face challenges

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00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:15.279
<v Speaker 2>in our lives. And I realize now too. I look

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00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:19.000
<v Speaker 2>at everybody and it's just like everybody has a story.

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00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:22.680
<v Speaker 2>Everybody has a journey and if I can help people

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00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:27.559
<v Speaker 2>in telling them my story that wasn't all wine and roses,

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00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:33.160
<v Speaker 2>and I'm okay and I'm still moving forward. I'm lucky.

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00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:38.519
<v Speaker 2>I just you know, we've had people who've lost their

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00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:42.920
<v Speaker 2>children to cancer, right, We've got people who committed suicide

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00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:49.200
<v Speaker 2>friends of ours and family and drug addictions and all

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00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:51.839
<v Speaker 2>that stuff. But if I can help and tell my

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00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:54.720
<v Speaker 2>story and say that you know, I got through it,

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00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:58.359
<v Speaker 2>you can get through your days too, then I think

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<v Speaker 2>that it's a bonus.

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<v Speaker 1>Ron. Is there anything else you want to share about

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00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:03.480
<v Speaker 1>that day?

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00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:08.160
<v Speaker 2>Or yeah? Well, the biggest thing is I think you know,

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00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:12.160
<v Speaker 2>people say, wow, look at Ron, you know what he's

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<v Speaker 2>gone through. I think my wife had it harder than

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00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:21.440
<v Speaker 2>I did. Like I was out of it for days

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00:29:21.480 --> 00:29:23.319
<v Speaker 2>and weeks and months, I was blank.

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00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:24.319
<v Speaker 1>You know.

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00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:29.200
<v Speaker 2>My wife was there watching and going to funerals of

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<v Speaker 2>my colleagues, and she was, you know, having to grieve.

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00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:34.640
<v Speaker 2>And she was the lucky one. But she had a

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00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:38.319
<v Speaker 2>big journey ahead of her, and so I don't know.

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00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:41.720
<v Speaker 2>I just I get all the accolades, but I think

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00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:43.680
<v Speaker 2>it was harder on her than it was on me.

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00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:46.759
<v Speaker 1>How is she doing? We've talked about you and your children?

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00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:48.079
<v Speaker 1>How is she today?

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00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:51.839
<v Speaker 2>She's good, She struggles a bit, she does. She writes

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00:29:51.880 --> 00:29:54.559
<v Speaker 2>a lot of stories about it, which is good, and

479
00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:58.559
<v Speaker 2>it's you know, I and she'll publish that just on

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00:29:58.920 --> 00:30:03.200
<v Speaker 2>where were you that day? And different people different stories

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00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:07.480
<v Speaker 2>that different people have, and it's you know, short stories

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00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:11.640
<v Speaker 2>of people's journey on that day through nine to eleven.

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<v Speaker 1>So the last question, and I'm sure given that there

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<v Speaker 1>were sixty one people, there are many people you think

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00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:24.319
<v Speaker 1>of every day and especially on the anniversaries. But what

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00:30:24.440 --> 00:30:25.359
<v Speaker 1>comes to mind first?

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<v Speaker 2>I lost some good friends that day and that hurts, right.

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<v Speaker 2>I just and to see their families and to know

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<v Speaker 2>their families have struggled twenty plus years later, still struggling, that.

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<v Speaker 1>Hurts well, Ron, I know it's still not easy to

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<v Speaker 1>talk about it, but I'm thankful that you do. And

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<v Speaker 1>I thank you very much for taking the time to

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<v Speaker 1>share it with us today and again hopefully helping many

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00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:56.519
<v Speaker 1>other people understand exactly what happened and to give them

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00:30:57.359 --> 00:31:00.640
<v Speaker 1>encouragement to move on through whatever challenges be dealing with.

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<v Speaker 1>So thank you for your time and for telling us

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<v Speaker 1>a very difficult story. Thanks for having me, Randi Francesco

498
00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:12.440
<v Speaker 1>Is believe to be the last person to emerge from

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00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:14.480
<v Speaker 1>the South Tower of the World Trade Center before it

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00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:18.519
<v Speaker 1>collapsed on nine to eleven, two thousand and one. I'm

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00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:32.079
<v Speaker 1>Greg Corumbus and this is Veterans Chronicles. Hi, this is

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<v Speaker 1>Greg Corumbus and thanks for listening to Veterans Chronicles, a

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00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:40.000
<v Speaker 1>presentation of the American Veterans Center. For more information, please

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00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:44.559
<v Speaker 1>visit American Veteranscenter dot org. You can also follow the

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00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:48.200
<v Speaker 1>American Veterans Center on Facebook and on Twitter. We're at

506
00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:53.160
<v Speaker 1>AVC update. Subscribe to the American Veterans Center YouTube channel

507
00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:57.200
<v Speaker 1>for full oral histories and special features, and of course,

508
00:31:57.400 --> 00:32:01.039
<v Speaker 1>please subscribe to the Veterans Chronicles podcast wherever you get

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00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:04.720
<v Speaker 1>your podcasts. Thanks again for listening, and please join us

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00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:08.079
<v Speaker 1>next time for Veterans Chronicles.