Have you heard of Rick Rescorla? A 9/11 hero

Today is September 11th. For anyone in North America, this date is a haunting one. It would be easy to spend the day feeling so very sad. But I want to take this opportunity to focus on human solidarity, on the strength of people, on love.

Specifically, I want to pay tribute to a man whom I only heard about a few years ago - perhaps on the 7th or 8th anniversary of the tragedy. I have no idea how come I didn't hear about him around that terrible day itself, 10 years ago. Everyone should hear about the bravery of Rick Rescorla.

I will tell you in my own words what he means to me. Below I will give some links for those of you who want all the facts, but now, I am speaking from the heart.

Rick Rescorla was head of security for Morgan Stanley, one of the companies whose head office occupied many floors of one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. There were around 2,700 people who worked for Morgan Stanley and Rick Rescorla felt responsible for the safety of all of them.

On September 11th, 2001, when the first plane hit the first tower to be attacked, Rick Rescorla gave the order to evacuate the entire staff of Morgan Stanley. Those in charge of the World Trade Center had asked everyone in both towers to stay put, saying things would be fine, but Rick Rescorla knew better. After all, he had predicted such an attack since the towers were first attacked back in 1993. He wasn't going to take any chances with the people whose lives and safety were entrusted to him. So contrary to those orders, he immediately went about organizing an orderly evacuation of all 2,700 people. 2,700! It must have taken a long time. Two by two, people walked down the dozens of flights of stairs and left the building to safety. They all lived.

A dozen people out of the staff of 2,700 of Morgan Stanley didn't live: one of them was Rick Rescorla. You can guess why? After evacuating his people, he - and a few others with him - went back into the building. By now, the tower where Morgan Stanley had its offices had been hit by a plane too. He began helping other people get out, helping the wounded down the stairs.

The last anyone saw of Rick Rescorla, he was walking back up into a tower to save people's lives. That image makes me tear up every time. He had to know he was likely going back up to his death, yet he did it, to attempt to save others. The tower went down soon after that. No trace of him was ever found.

Every time I think of Rick Rescorla, I wonder if I would have had that kind of courage. He saved the lives of 2,700 people! Morgan Stanley - to my knowledge - is the only company whose offices were in those two towers and who did not experience huge numbers of deaths among their staff. Thanks to the incredible bravery and foresight of one man. He trusted his instincts and his knowledge and experience with terror - and he acted swiftly, going against the grain, making the people he worked with his first priority, regardless of what anyone else said. They are alive thanks to him.

I am remembering and giving thanks for the hero that he was. Thank you, Mr. Rick Rescorla - and may you rest in peace. You are a lesson to us all.

For information on Rick Rescorla:

- Rick Rescorla Memorial: http://rickrescorla.com/

- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla