# British 9/11 survivor still grieving loss of sixty-one colleagues

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/25-years-after-9-11-survivor-grief-veteran-regret-and-renewed-security-warnings-mark-anniversary/
- Published: 2026-09-11T16:58:41+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-11T23:23:26+00:00
- Topics: Americas, Art, Culture, Government, Horror, Politics, Travel, UK, World

## Key points

- Janitor William Rodriguez recalls escaping North Tower's collapse on 9/11
- He helped rescue a badly burned colleague from the basement
- British survivor Janice Brooks still grieves 61 lost Euro Brokers colleagues

## Summary

William Rodriguez, a janitor working two storeys underground in the North Tower, has recounted his experience of the 9/11 attacks and how he came to be described as the last person to escape before the tower collapsed. His story sits alongside that of British survivor Janice Brooks, who has spoken of losing 61 colleagues from Euro Brokers and the guilt she still carries a quarter of a century on, as accounts of the day continue to be told around its anniversary.

Rodriguez describes the chaos in the basement immediately after the first plane struck, including helping a severely burned colleague, Felipe David, to safety and leading terrified temporary staff through the building's tunnels to a loading dock. He says his survival came down to chance, having tried to call in sick that morning before his supervisor insisted he come to work. The wider 9/11 attacks killed 2,977 people after al-Qaeda hijackers flew planes into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

## Coverage

- [Daily Mail: Afghanistan war veterans say their friends ‘died for nothing’ as they speak out 25 years after 9/11](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16109415/Afghanistan-war-veterans-say-friends-died-speak-25-years-9-11.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)
- [The Independent: Terror ‘still knocks at door of democracy’, Burnham says on 9/11 25th anniversary](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/burnham-blair-9-11-25th-anniversary-b3048266.html)
- [Daily Mail: 25 years after 9/11, New York fire chief who risked his life that day warns of the terrorism dangers of Britain’s ‘idiotic’ migrant open-door policy](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16117851/25-years-9-11-New-York-fire-chief-risked-life-day-warns-terrorism-dangers-Britains-idiotic-migrant-open-door-policy.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)
- [Daily Mail: British 9/11 survivor says she will never forgive herself for ‘only’ attending 23 funerals as her ‘heart remains broken’ 25 years later](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16118781/British-9-11-survivor-says-never-forgive-attending-23-funerals-heart-remains-broken-25-years-later.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)
- [Daily Mail: Hero of the North Tower: Astonishing story of brave 9/11 survivor who was last to escape World Trade Center after saving countless people - and the miracles that kept him alive](https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16124167/Hero-North-Tower-Astonishing-story-brave-9-11-survivor-escape-World-Trade-Center-saving-countless-people-miracles-kept-alive.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490)

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.