09/11/2025
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Omar Rivera sat at work on the 71st floor of the World Trade Center’s Tower 1. Guiding Eyes Salty, his steadfast yellow Lab guide dog, settled beside Omar's desk. It was just another normal work day.
When the first plane struck, chaos swept through the building. Smoke, confusion, the smell of fuel. Some people ran for the stairs. Salty, normally a calm and steady presence in the office, began to pace back and forth. Omar made a split-second decision to ignore the instruction to stay at his desk. Instead, he reached for Salty’s harness.
Step by step, Salty guided Omar down the smoke-filled stairwell. The stairs were crowded, and it was a slow descent. Omar decided to let Salty go, with the hope that Salty might be able to escape more quickly. But ultimately, Salty refused to leave. He planted himself at Omar’s side and would not move without him.
It took nearly an hour to reach the ground level. But together, they made it out, just a few minutes before the building collapsed.
Salty was raised and trained by a community of volunteers, instructors, and staff who believe in the power of guide dog partnership. Because of their work, and because of Salty’s loyalty and courage, Omar made it home that day.
Salty passed away in 2008, but his legacy lives on in every guide dog who helps someone face the world with greater confidence and independence.
Today, we remember the thousands of lives lost on 9/11. And we honor the bravery, both human and canine, that carried people to safety.
Picture Description: A formal studio portrait of Omar Rivera and his guide dog Salty. Omar, wearing a suit and patterned tie, smiles softly beside Salty, a large yellow Labrador with a calm expression. The background is softly blurred in pastel tones.
