Dust lady of 9/11: The haunting aftermath of survival
11 September 2024 15:58
Marcy Borders survived the September 11, 2001, attack. The 41-year-old was working in an office located on the 81st floor of one of the WTC buildings. The photo of the woman covered in dust went around the world. Marcy lost her job after the attack on the twin towers. She couldn't cope with the trauma of the tragedy she had gone through.
Marcy Borders is a woman whose photo after the World Trade Center attacks became one of the most recognizable images commemorating the events of September 11, 2001. Her story falls into the dramatic context of one of the most tragic days in U.S. history.
After surviving this traumatic event, Borders could not recover. She also did not receive any proper help from the state. In one of the interviews, she admitted that she would have preferred to die because then at least her child would have received compensation.
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She survived the September 11 attack. She was fired from her job
At the time of the attack, Marcy Borders was standing by the photocopier. As soon as the plane hit one of the towers, she immediately fled. When she reached the building's lobby, she was captured in a photo by photographer Stan Honda.
- I was in the lobby. Police officers were directing people to the exits to get them out of danger. Suddenly a woman completely covered in dust came out, - the photographer recalled.
The captured frame became a symbol of the tragic events, and Marcy got the nickname "The Dust Lady." Her life changed dramatically after the tragedy. The 41-year-old was terrified to leave her house. Borders' employer demanded that she return to work within a week. Marcy was unable to meet this requirement and was fired because of it. This led her to bankruptcy and problems with alcohol abuse.
Her survival was a miracle. She regretted it until the end of her days
Many said that Marcy Borders' survival was a miracle. However, the woman was not grateful for the second chance. In one of the interviews, she said she would have preferred to die. At least my child would have received compensation, she said. No one, except her loved ones, provided her with support after this tragedy. With the help of her family, she managed to go through rehabilitation and recovered from alcoholism.
She died on August 24, 2015, due to stomach cancer. She was not the only survivor of the WTC attack diagnosed with cancer. Cancer was also detected in some police officers and firefighters who helped the victims.
