History is usually written in broad strokes. We talk about towers falling and numbers that feel too big to grasp. But if you look closer, there are names like Gigi Singer that bring the whole weight of that morning into a single, human perspective.
Honestly, if you were in the South Tower on September 11, 2001, your survival often came down to where you were standing at exactly 9:03 a.m. For Gigi, a 48-year-old vice president at Aon Corp, that spot was the 78th-floor skylobby.
It was a crowded, confused place. People were waiting for elevators, trying to decide whether to go back up to their desks or get out of the building. Then, United Airlines Flight 175 tore through the glass.
The Skylobby Nightmare and the "Man in the Red Bandana"
The 78th floor became a literal "gore floor." It’s a grim term used by investigators and survivors to describe the immediate aftermath of the impact. Most of the people standing there with Gigi Singer didn't make it. The plane’s wing sliced right through that level.
Gigi was there with her friend and colleague, Judy Wein. One minute they’re debating whether they should grab their wallets from the 103rd floor—their coworker Howard Kestenbaum told them not to worry about it and promised them cab fare—and the next, the world is black and screaming.
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Survival in that room wasn't about luck alone; it was about a young man named Welles Crowther. You’ve probably heard of him—the "Man in the Red Bandana." Crowther, an equities trader and volunteer firefighter, appeared through the smoke. He didn't just point the way; he directed the survivors.
Gigi was badly burned. She had injuries that would change her life forever, but she followed Crowther’s voice. He led her, Judy, and a few others toward the only functioning stairwell—Stairwell A.
Why the Descent Was a Miracle
Most people assume all the stairs were destroyed. They weren't. Because the plane hit the South Tower at an angle, one corner of the building remained relatively intact. Stairwell A stayed passable.
Gigi Singer had to walk. With terrible burns and the building literally groaning around her, she made her way down.
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- She walked from the 78th floor down to the 40th.
- At the 40th floor, she met a firefighter.
- He directed her to a working elevator that took her the rest of the way to the lobby.
It sounds fast when you write it down. It wasn't. It was a slow, agonizing crawl through smoke and water from broken sprinklers. By the time she reached the street and was helped by emergency workers, she was a survivor of something most people couldn't imagine.
The Long-Term Cost of 9/11 Survival
Survival isn't a "happily ever after." For Gigi, the tragedy didn't end when she left the plaza.
There’s a common misconception that if you made it out of the towers, you were "safe." But the dust, the pulverized concrete, and the toxic chemicals in the air created a second wave of victims. Gigi Singer eventually became part of that statistic.
She lived for years after the attacks, continuing her work at Aon until she retired. But the toxins she inhaled while fleeing the World Trade Center took a toll. Eugenia "Gigi" Sayre Singer passed away in April 2020 at the age of 69. The cause? A lung disease directly linked to her exposure on 9/11.
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What People Get Wrong About the "Victim" Count
When we look at the official 9/11 death toll, we often stop at the 2,977 people who died that day. But the list of those lost to 9/11-related illnesses is now nearly as long as the original list of victims.
Gigi is a prime example of why we can't look at September 11 as a single-day event. It was a catalyst for decades of health struggles for survivors and first responders.
Actionable Insights: Honoring the Legacy
If you're looking for ways to actually do something with this information, don't just read and move on. The legacy of survivors like Gigi Singer is maintained through specific actions:
- Support the World Trade Center Health Program: This program provides medical monitoring and treatment for survivors and responders. It often faces funding battles in Congress. Staying informed and contacting representatives when funding is up for renewal is the most direct way to help.
- Learn the Story of the 78th Floor: Read "The Red Bandana" by Tom Rinaldi. It gives a deeper look into the specific group Gigi was with and the bravery of Welles Crowther.
- Check the 9/11 Memorial Names: When you visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, look for the names of those who helped. Gigi’s story reminds us that every name on those bronze parapets represents a complex web of friends, colleagues, and split-second decisions.
Gigi Singer's story is one of incredible resilience. She survived a direct hit by a commercial airliner and then spent nearly two decades living with the consequences. She wasn't just a face in a crowd of survivors; she was a woman who kept going when the stairs seemed endless.