07/24/2025
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson was at work on the 78th floor of the North Tower. Blind since birth, he couldn’t see the fire, the smoke, or the destruction outside — but he could feel the violent shake of the building and hear the chaos erupting around him.
Beside him was Roselle, his trusted guide dog, who had just awakened from a nap. Calm, focused, and fearless, she didn’t hesitate — and in that instant, Michael knew they still had hope.
With Roselle leading the way, they began a harrowing descent: 1,463 steps through a dark, smoke-filled stairwell. They passed injured coworkers, the suffocating stench of jet fuel, and the rising panic of those around them.
At one point, a colleague cried out in fear, “We’re not going to make it!”
Michael calmly reassured him:
“If Roselle and I can make it, so can you.”
Step by step, Roselle remained steady — never flinching, never stopping. Along the way, they passed firefighters going up, climbing toward danger… many of whom would never come back down.
Michael and Roselle reached the lobby just moments before the tower collapsed.
Outside, Lower Manhattan had turned to darkness — a choking cloud of dust made it impossible for anyone to see. But Michael had lived his entire life in darkness. And with Roselle’s loyalty and intuition guiding him, they pressed on through the debris until she paused — finding a stairwell that led them to clean air and, at last, to safety.
Roselle led with courage. Michael followed with trust.
Together, they survived — when so many others could not.
— At the 9/11 Memorial, World Trade Center.
🕊️
