Stories of survival & loss at Ground Zero
Summary
For the 25th anniversary of 9/11, host David Bianculli revisits archival interviews with former FDNY Deputy Chief Jay Jonas, who recounted rescuing a woman from the North Tower before its collapse, and Ken Haskell, who searched for his brothers' remains. The episode also features writer Dennis Smith discussing the building's architecture and former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky reading Edwin Arlington Robinson’s "The House on the Hill." Finally, saxophonist Sonny Rollins reflects on evacuating his apartment and performing a concert in Boston days after the attacks.
Topics discussed
Introduction: 25th Anniversary of 9/11
Jay Jonas: Rescuing Josephine Harris and surviving the collapse
Ken Haskell: Searching for his brothers' remains
Dennis Smith: Skyscraper architecture and fire dynamics
Seku Sundiata: Reading a poem about Ground Zero
Robert Pinsky: Finding comfort in Edwin Arlington Robinson
Sonny Rollins: Evacuation and the 9/11 Concert
Closing credits and upcoming episode preview
Listen ad-free on Castria