Facing Ground Zero: A Dateline Special
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hi, I'm Kate Snow, NBC News Anchor and host of the NBC News podcast The Drink. This month I'm sitting down with actor, writer, producer Brendan Hunt. Most of you know him as Coach Beard from Ted Lasso, but there is so much more to his story. We sit down, we talk about all of it, from his bumpy upbringing to his years in improv comedy, and how a Hollywood rejection opened the door to co-creating Ted Lasso. It's an open Open funny conversation about perseverance, creativity, and the winding road that brought him right here. We hope you'll join us for the drink, listen, and follow wherever you get your podcasts. Stay informed
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I heard a loud noise, and I heard a woman scream. 911, as you've never seen it.
What was it? It sounded like a a missile and then it it was like an explosion. Glass flew everywhere.
Seven survivors and the moments they can never forget.
I had my handout and I copied it. It was filled with sand.
The entire top of the building. The thick smoke. It just engulfed me.
I saw a woman somehow her clothes had been burnt onto her body.
Oh my god! John, you all right to go back? You gotta guess you almost down. You guys going back?
It was like looking into the gates of hell. Our cameras found them on 9-11.
This is a terrorist attack. Jesus. In America?
Tonight, they take us back to that day. Our soul. Confused. You could see first responders walking out of the cloud. They had to know that their comrades had been caught in that.
Why me? Why did I survive?
I was haunted.
It'll never leave my mind. Facing ground zero.
Good evening from Ground Zero. On this, the 25th anniversary of 9-11. I'm Lester Holt. The scale event was incomprehensible. The deadliest terrorist attack in history with nearly 3,000 people killed. And yet, for those who live through it, the day unfolded right here as a series of harrowing moments and split second, often self-sacrificing decisions. Tonight, in footage, we uncovered. covered in our NBC News archive, some never before seen and some difficult to watch, you'll meet ordinary people pulled into chaos by chance who work with others by choice in a fight for survival.
It is Tuesday, the eleventh day of September. Let's find out about that election day forecast.
Actually, it's looking pretty good. No excuse to do it. In two thousand and one I was a cameraman at WNBC. Mostly clear sky. That day. I found myself On an assignment. Don't have an up in Lower Manhattan. It was a lot of fun. Polling place on a small assignment, but normal assignment because it was voting day. So my way back to the car. To pack up. I heard a loud noise. And I heard a woman scream.
What did the first on‑scene witnesses hear and see as the towers were hit?
I turned To where she was looking and I saw I saw a hole. in the north tower. A slit. I thought it was a helicopter that had smashed into the building. We didn't have cell phones back then. We had radios. So I called the station. And I said, you know, there's a hole in the building. And he says, Shoot it. Well nine eleven. It was it was a great morning, to be honest with you. Boywa was standing in front of my desk as always.
We used to banter a lot. I remember vividly, she said good morning, Mojiwa. And I said, wait a minute. Suddenly this morning you said good morning, you are being nice. I say, why? And then she said, Don't start with me, you know, it's too early in the morning, I'm not gonna do that with you. And then
And when I heard that I was like kinda stunned. Then I felt myself sway. I'm on the eighty-second floor. You don't sway on the eighty second floor. One of my coworkers came in screaming, saying, the fire, the fire, the elevator's on fire. I know if I'm gonna cover this thing. That the zone is likely going to be frozen by the police.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–3:49
2
What did the first on‑scene witnesses hear and see as the towers were hit?
3:49–12:04
3
How did WNBC cameraman Ralph Patterson react when he saw the first impact?
12:04–26:58
4
What decisions did Port Authority Police Commander Tim Norris make during the evacuation?
26:58–35:19
5
How did FDNY paramedic Trinh K. Dinh and EMTs treat victims amid the smoke and debris?
35:19–42:07
6
Why did North Tower employees Daphne Carlisle and Muyiwa Onigbogi decide to stay and help?
42:07–44:33
7
What lasting emotional impact did the 9/11 tragedy have on the survivors?
44:33–45:28
8
How did the responders and witnesses cope with the collapse of the second tower?
45:28–45:56
Speakers
5 identifiedMore from Dateline NBC
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