Blind 9/11 Survivor Shares Story with High School Graduates

A bouquet of white roses has been left at a name on the 9/11 Memorial. A single yellow rose is seen placed at a name in the background.
Tribute left on the North Pool of the 9/11 Memorial. Photo by Jin Lee.

Michael Hingson remembers hearing an explosion and the alarm in the voices of his colleagues but he kept his composure, although he could not see.

Blind since birth, Hingson was the voice of calm on Sept. 11 as he helped direct his colleagues, leading them down the stairwell to evacuate the 78th floor of the North Tower. Since he could not see signs, he became familiar with the building's layout and evacuation plans.

Now a motivational speaker, Hingson shared his story on Thursday with Manassas Park High School graduates during an awards ceremony in the gym, according to The Washington Post.

"All of you can make this a better world by creating teams, by accepting people who are different than you...by recognizing that we all have skills, no matter what we do," Hingson said. "If my story means anything, it has to be that we need to reconnect and create that sense of interdependence again."

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By 9/11 Memorial Staff

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