September 11th Series: Miracle Survivors
NEW YORK, NY (CBS) - In one of the most powerful stories of heroism from 9-11, a group of firefighters somehow survived inside the collapsed World Trade Center for 4 hours. Not only that, but they also managed to save a woman’s life.
20 years ago, a New York firefighter named Matt Komorowski and other members of ladder company 6 went into the World Trade Center's north tower searching for survivors, trying to climb more than 90 flights of stairs as debris fell around them.
"My captain turned to us and said 'firemen will die today;' and that was a very poignant moment for all of us," remembers Komorowski.
When the south tower collapsed. Ladder company 6 got the order to evacuate. That’s when they spotted Josephine Harris, whom needed help getting down the stairs.
"We were taking her down, at about the 8th floor, our building came down," continues Komorowski. As the north tower collapsed on top of them, he screamed at his fellow firefighters to clear the stairwell.
What happened next almost defies explanation: The entire building around them was destroyed, but stairwell b- the spot where they were assisting Harris- remained standing.
"Where she stopped turned out to be the spot we needed to be. There were so many other firemen that day that were doing exactly what we were doing. Why we survived, we have no idea," recalls Komorowski.
They spent four hours trapped in the rubble, but all six men on the crew and Harris made it out alive.
Harris who worked as a bookkeeper for the port authority, stayed close with Komorowski and the other firefighters whom saved her.
"We had a special bond with her, she was our guardian angel. If she had continued down to the lobby and then our building came down, we wouldn't be around," expresses Komorowski.
In 2011, ladder company 6 served as pallbearers when Harris passed away, carrying her one last time.
Komorowski credits his wife, kids, and therapist for helping him deal with his PTSD after 9/11. During his career, he became a mentor for young firefighters.
