Howard Lutnick Reflects on the Tragedy of 9/11: A Personal and Professional Loss
In a poignant episode of “Pod Force One,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick shared his harrowing experiences from September 11, 2001, a day that irrevocably altered his life and the lives of countless others. Lutnick, who was the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald at the time, lost his brother, his best friend, and a staggering 658 employees in the terrorist attacks that targeted the World Trade Center.
A Fateful Morning
On that fateful Tuesday morning, Lutnick was preoccupied with a personal milestone: taking his eldest son to his first day of kindergarten. “I’ve got a picture in front of his school at 8:48 a.m.,” he recounted, just moments before American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower, where Cantor Fitzgerald occupied the 101st to 105th floors.
As he settled into the school routine, his phone began to ring incessantly. “I was annoyed, thinking, ‘Can’t they leave me alone for an hour?'” Lutnick recalled. It was only when an administrator informed him of the plane crash that the gravity of the situation began to sink in.
The Search for Answers
After dropping off his son, Lutnick rushed to Lower Manhattan, desperate to locate his employees. “I started grabbing people as they were coming out [of the North Tower], asking what floor they were on,” he said. His frantic search led him to the 92nd floor, where he learned that some of his colleagues had made it out. However, the situation quickly escalated when he heard a deafening sound-the collapse of the South Tower.
“It sounded like the Titanic breaking apart,” he described. The noise was overwhelming, and Lutnick instinctively began to run. He turned onto Vesey Street, where he encountered a cemetery he had never noticed before. As debris swirled around him, he dove under a car, believing he was about to die. “I thought, ‘I’m dead. Son of a gun. I’m dead,'” he said, reflecting on the moment when everything went dark.
A Narrow Escape
Emerging from under the car, Lutnick encountered a police officer in shock. “I put my hand on the back of his collar and said, ‘Let’s get the eff out of here,'” he recalled. After taking the officer’s flashlight, he made his way uptown, finally able to call his wife and inform her that he was alive.
The aftermath of the attacks was devastating for Cantor Fitzgerald. Of the 950 employees based in New York, 658 perished, marking the highest fatality rate of any tenant in the World Trade Center. Lutnick described the emotional toll, stating, “I cried every day until October 21, 2004. You can’t process 658 people getting murdered. It just stays a part of you for a long time.”
Mourning and Rebuilding
In the weeks following the attacks, Lutnick attended an estimated 20 funerals a day. “I became an expert,” he said, describing how he would sit in the second row of churches, offering condolences to grieving families before moving on to the next service.
Despite the overwhelming grief, Lutnick was determined to rebuild Cantor Fitzgerald. He rallied the remaining employees and new hires, who collectively agreed to allocate 25% of the company’s payroll for the next five years to support the families of the victims. “We gave $180 million to those families,” he noted, emphasizing his commitment to honoring the memory of his brother Gary and his best friend Doug Gardner, who was also lost in the attacks.
A Legacy of Resilience
Lutnick’s story is not just one of personal loss; it is also a testament to resilience and the human spirit. The tragedy of 9/11 reshaped not only his life but also the landscape of American business and society. In the years since, Lutnick has become a prominent figure in discussions about corporate responsibility and the importance of community support in times of crisis.
The events of that day serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring impact of loss. Lutnick’s experiences highlight the need for compassion and solidarity in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Conclusion
As the nation continues to grapple with the legacy of 9/11, Lutnick’s reflections offer a deeply personal perspective on the tragedy. His journey from loss to resilience underscores the importance of remembering those who were lost while also striving to create a better future. In sharing his story, Lutnick not only honors the memory of his brother and colleagues but also inspires others to find strength in the face of adversity.
