A 9/11 survivor recounts their incredible tale of resilience and bravery while escaping from the 78th floor of the North Tower.

Since the 2001 terrorist attacks, a survivor who escaped from the North Tower of the World Trade Center reflects on the resilience displayed that day and urges a new generation of learners to pay attention.

In 1999, Michael Hingson, a best-selling author and keynote public speaker, was appointed as a computer hardware sales manager to establish an office and manage a team on the 78th floor of 1 World Trade Center.

Hingson informed Planet Chronicle Digital during a video interview that we were scheduled for sales training that day.

On a clear September morning, the world was in shock as four American planes, hijacked by terrorists, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, the Pentagon, and the Twin Towers in New York City.

"David Frank, a colleague from our corporate office, was with me in my office. We were both going to be conducting sales seminars together."

At 8:46 a.m., terrorists on American Airlines Flight 11 attacked the North Tower.

According to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the Boeing 767 with 92 people on board crashed into floors 93 through 99.

The first victims of the terrorist attack on the United States of America were Hingson and his colleagues and terrified survivors at the top half of the North Tower.

"None of us knew what happened," Hingson said.

Hingson called his wife, Karen, at 8:47 a.m.

As soon as the first tower was hit, the media was still unaware of the full extent of the attacks, and Karen couldn't provide any updates to her husband.

"Buildings sway in windstorms, and the one in question began tilting dangerously," Hingson stated.

"We moved approximately 20 feet before stopping. We said goodbye to each other, thinking we were about to fall 78 floors. However, the building stabilized and stood upright."

After the building was erected, Hingson, a blind man, returned to his office and encountered his guide dog, Roselle, who was slumbering under his desk.

""As the expansion joints returned to their original position, the building descended approximately six feet, as expected," Hingson stated."

Despite the chaos and confusion inside the building, Hingson remained calm as the city skies were clouded with smoke and debris.

In case of an emergency, Hingson quickly learned his location to safely evacuate both himself and his team members from the North Tower.

At the moment, Roselle was wagging her tail, which gave Hingson a clear mindset to help coordinate the evacuation.

Hingson stated that she showed no fear, indicating that the threat was not immediate and we could evacuate in an orderly manner without panicking.

When guide dogs demonstrate obedience and knowledge of commands and cues, they are certified to work with their handlers as a team.

""The job of guide dogs is to ensure our safe walking, as it's a team effort and we have to work together," Hingson stated."

A group of people, including Hingson, quickly decided to flee the 78th floor and began their harrowing journey to the first floor.

"On the 50th floor, David exclaimed, 'Mike, we're gonna die. We're not gonna make it out of here,'" Hingson replied, saying, "I just said 'Stop it, David. If Roselle and I could go down these stairs, so can you.'"

Hingson stated that he spoke very deliberately and with a sharp voice to get him back because he needed to.

Later, Hingson said his colleague revealed that snapping at David regrounded him.

To distract himself from uncertainty, Hingson advised David to walk one floor in front of him while descending, providing safety precautions and guidance on the scene ahead.

Hingson stated that David, through his shouting, became a central figure for anyone nearby who could hear him.

"On the stairs, someone was okay and going down, which kept many people from panicking. We all worked hard to prevent panic from occurring. It was a miraculous thing to witness that day."

At 9:03 a.m., Flight 175, which had been hijacked, struck the South Tower.

At 10:51 a.m., two hours and two minutes after the North Tower was hit, the South Tower fell.

Feet planted on the New York City streets, Hingson and David heard the deafening sound of 2 World Trade Center plummeting just feet away from them.

"David looked around and exclaimed, 'Oh my God, Mike, Tower 2 is no longer there.' I asked him what he saw, and he replied, 'All I see are towering pillars of smoke hundreds of feet high.'"

David signaled to Hingson that a dust cloud was approaching, so with Roselle by their side, they sprinted through the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, momentarily losing sight of each other.

At 10:28 a.m., the North Tower was gone.

In the 102 minutes between the plane crash and the building's collapse, Hingson, David, and others managed to flee and escape.

In just three hours, our jobs and business were gone, as Hingson stated.

At 9:37 a.m., a hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, resulting in the deaths of 184 people on board American Airlines Flight 77 and in the building.

At 10:03 a.m., on United Airlines Flight 93, four terrorists aimed to crash the plane into the nation's capital, but 40 brave passengers and crew members fought back to regain control of the aircraft and save lives.

Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Hingson emphasized the importance of remembering and learning from the event, as well as working together as a team."

According to Hingson, author of "Thunder Dog," "Running with Roselle," and "Live Like A Guide Dog," he anticipated Roselle to safeguard him during his escape, which she indeed did.

"None of us were trained to handle that kind of emergency, Hingson stated."

Preparing ahead of an emergency can save lives and maintain calmness.

""Fear is all around us, and we're often afraid of things we have no power, control, or influence over, yet we worry and become afraid anyway," he stated."