The Love Story Between a 9/11 Rescuer and His Widow

From The New Yorker’s archive: an unforgettable portrait of the relationship between a security expert who worked in the World Trade Center’s south tower and his wife. View in browser | Update your preferences A Reporter at Large The Real Heroes Are Dead A love story. By James B. Stewart Amid the sweep of remarkable reporting and art that followed the attacks of September 11th, a New Yorker story by James B. Stewart continues to resonate each year. On the twenty-first anniversary of the towers’ collapse, we’re sharing Stewart’s “The Real Heroes Are Dead,” an unforgettable portrait of the relationship between Rick Rescorla, an immigrant and security expert who worked in the World Trade Center’s south tower, and his wife, Susan, whom he met when both were in their fifties. After the planes hit, Rescorla called Susan. “She burst into tears and couldn’t talk,” Stewart reports. “ ‘Stop crying,’ he told her. ‘I have to get these people out safely. If something should happen to me, I want you to know I’ve never been happier. You made my life.’ ” Also from the Archive Dept. of Commemoration Take Picture From 2014: Three months before the attacks, Konstantin Petrov, an immigrant from Estonia, got a job as an electrician at Windows on the World, the restaurant atop the north tower of the World Trade Center. By Nick Paumgarten The Talk of the Town Tuesday, and After From 2001: New Yorker writers respond to 9/11. By John Updike, Jonathan Franzen, Denis Johnson, Roger Angell, Aharon Appelfeld, Rebecca Mead, Susan Sontag, Amitav Ghosh, and Donald Antrim More from The New Yorker Letter from El Salvador The Rise of Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s Authoritarian President The budding strongman has ridden Bitcoin schemes and a repressive crackdown on gangs to become Latin America’s most popular leader. By Jonathan Blitzer Letter from the Southwest The Supreme Court’s Abortion Decision Has Given Beto O’Rourke a Fighting Chance As a candidate for Texas governor, the Democrat was considered a long shot. But the state’s new—and extreme—restrictions have galvanized his campaign. By Rachel Monroe Thanks for Reading. Let us know your thoughts about today’s edition. Plus, browse more newsletters and invite a friend to sign up for The Daily. You’re receiving this e-mail because you signed up for the New Yorker Classics newsletter. Manage your preferences | View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe The New Yorker may earn a portion of sales from the products and services that are purchased through links in our newsletters as part of our affiliate partnerships with retailers. Copyright © Condé Nast 2022. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.