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Speaking from experience

With the help of a dog, a blind man escaped the Twin Towers

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Michael Hingson stands with his guide dog, Africa, inside Decker Auditorium on the main campus of Iowa Central Community College Monday night. Hingson shared his story on how he escaped the Twin Towers in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Michael Hingson stood in the doorway of an office on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center as it tipped to one side after Islamic terrorists flew a hijacked plane into the structure.

“We felt the shudder and the vibration of the windows,” Hingson recalled. “It tipped and tipped and tipped. Those tall buildings are like a spring.”

Hingson, who has been blind since birth, shared the story of how he and his guide dog, Roselle, escaped the Twin Towers on 9/11, Monday night inside Decker Auditorium on the main campus of Iowa Central Community College. About 100 people attended. His current guide dog, Africa, a golden Lab, accompanied him.

The event was part of a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Northcentral Iowa Almost Home Animal Shelter.

Like a spring, the building stopped tipping and started back the other way, Hingson said.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Michael Hingson sits with his guide dog, Africa, prior to delivering a speech on how he escaped the Twin Towers in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Hingson has been blind since birth.

“As soon as it became vertical again, I found Roselle and told her to heel,” he said.

Hingson, who was the regional sales manager for Quantam Storage Solutions, said he was always prepared for an emergency.

“I had spent a lot of time traveling in the World Trade Center,” he said. “I always told people you can drag me anywhere in the building and I would know where I was.”

The building dropped about 6 feet, he said.

“As soon as the building dropped, David (colleague) said there’s burning paper everywhere,” he said. “The building is on fire. We have to get out of here.”

“He told me I couldn’t see it,” Hingson said.

But according to Hingson, he understood the situation.

He added, “The result was I knew whatever was going on we were prepared. I was always prepared for an emergency.”

Hingson and company made their way to the stairs.

Hingson and Roselle worked as a team.

“The purpose of the dog is to make sure to keep us safe,” he said. “To keep us walking safely. It’s my job to choose where to go.”

“I give the dog directions,” he added.

At one point, Hingson smelled an odor.

“Eventually I realized it was the smell of jet fuel,” he said. “But I had no idea where the plane hit.”

As Hingson continued down the stairs, burn victims were coming through, but he did his best to remain calm.

“We didn’t allow ourselves to panic on the stairs,” he said.

His colleague stayed in front of him as they continued.

“David became the voice everyone could hear,” he said.

David would call out each level.

“50th floor — I am here,” Hingson said. “44th floor. 40th floor.”

It was on the 30th floor where David saw New York firefighters coming through.

“A firefighter asked me if I was OK,” he said.

Hingson told the firefighter he would be fine.

“I told the guy I didn’t need the help, but he said ‘that’s alright, we’re going to send someone ‘witch’ ya’.”

Once out of the building, Hingson and Roselle still needed to get away from the structure.

As a team, the two made it to safely to the subway.

“It’s about trust,” he said.

Hingson is the author of a book called “Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero.”

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