10/21/2025
The Unforgettable Bravery of Rick Rescorla — A Man Who Sacrificed Everything on 9/11.
Rick Rescorla: The Hero Who Saved 2,700 Lives on 9/11
Rick Rescorla spent a lifetime serving others — first as a soldier, then as a protector. He fought for the British military for six years and later earned a Purple Heart for his bravery with the U.S. Army in Vietnam. Yet, the most courageous act of his life came decades later, inside the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
As smoke and panic consumed the building, thousands of people crowded into stairwells, desperate to escape. In the middle of the chaos, a calm, commanding voice rose above the fear. Holding a bullhorn, Rick Rescorla — Vice President of Security at Morgan Stanley — sang “God Bless America,” urging people to keep moving.
Rick wasn’t just reacting in the moment — he had prepared for this day. For years, he insisted on running evacuation drills, despite complaints that they were disruptive. On 9/11, those drills saved lives. While official instructions told people to stay put, Rick refused to listen. He began evacuating nearly every Morgan Stanley employee, guiding 2,700 people to safety.
When others told him to leave because his mission was complete, Rick refused. “You hear those screams?” he said, pointing upward. “There’s more people up there. I have to help get them out.”
Rick kept climbing. He encouraged people with songs — even a Welsh battle hymn he had once sung to his soldiers in Vietnam. Between evacuations, he called his wife, Susan. His last words to her were filled with love:
“Stop crying. I have to get these people out safely. If something should happen to me, I want you to know I’ve never been happier. You made my life.”
Moments later, the South Tower collapsed. Rick Rescorla was last seen on the 10th floor, still helping others. His body was never recovered.
Rick could have walked out. He chose to stay. That decision cost him his life — but saved thousands.
Today, Rick Rescorla is remembered as one of the greatest heroes of 9/11. His foresight, leadership, and selfless courage turned a day of unimaginable tragedy into a story of hope and humanity...
