Still Not Forgotten: Remembering 9/11 on the 20th Anniversary
Deputy Chief of the NYC Terrorism Unit, John Cutter, and First Responder, Ronald Lowe, of John Cutter Investigations, Share Their Experiences on 9/11, 20 Years Ago
Memories and emotions flood our collective consciousness as we approach the 20th anniversary of 9/11. We revisit personal tragedies as we light candles for loved ones lost, and the healing will continue. As we recall the tragedy of that day, we remember that although the pain is great, our resolve is even greater. We may bend, but we will never break because heroes do exist. As a nation, we remember. As a nation, we mourn the lost and share the stories of heroes.
“It was a terrible day. And a day that those of us who responded will never forget. And it’s something that lives on to today, through the deaths of many first responders who continue to die from various diseases that they contracted because of what happened that day.”
John Cutter was the Chief of the NYPD Intelligence Division's Criminal Intelligence Section on September 11, 2001. The mission of that unit when Mr. Cutter created it earlier that year was to gather intelligence on criminal recidivists, gangs, and other criminal organizations to develop stronger cases that would allow prosecutors to seek stricter penalties. Twenty years later, he and his team share their stories and experiences from that tragic day.
John recalls the morning when he was notified of the first attack, “On September 11, I woke up to a phone call. Someone told me that a plane had struck one of the World Trade Center Towers… [I] raced into New York City. It was kind of an ominous ride in because the highway was empty. Normally on a day like that, it'd be wall-to-wall traffic. There was no one on the road except for those of us responding in to the emergency.”
Ronald Lowe was also a first responder on 9/11. Ronald remembers how the odd combination of clothing luggage, and plane parts, mingled with the building rubble and victims seemed surreal. While debris continued to fall, Ronald and his fellow officers Detective Cama and Sergeant DiMartino grabbed metal chairs, using them as shields as they raced across the open plaza and into the North Tower. The three men made their way up the first stairwell, helping people evacuate, climbing toward the impact site. The stairwell was crowded shoulder to shoulder with people rushing to escape.
Ronald recalls, “Our ascent was abruptly halted on the landing of the 54th floor by a thundering noise and a violent shuddering and shaking - as if we were in an earthquake. It was caused by what we would later learn to be the sister tower, the South Tower, collapsing.”
Ronald learned about an evacuation order from firefighters who had caught up to them. Despite their desire to keep going to the impact site, the firemen reasoned that the smoke was too thick on the upper floors and they had no protective gear. Reluctantly, they began their descent assisting stragglers while attempting to exit the building.
Ronald remembers, "It suddenly struck me - I now thought of my family, my kids...Ronnie, Stephen, and Cathleen, my wife, and the message I had left on the answering machine when this first began: ‘A plane hit the Trade Center, I'm going in, I'm OK, I'll talk to you later.' Would I? Suddenly, I wasn't so sure. At this point, I still didn't know that the South Tower had collapsed. I began to accept the very real possibility that I may not get out; I may never see them again."
Finally, having descended, they walked through the shattered windows of the ground floor lobby and made their way out of the building. Minutes later, the North Tower began to fall.
Ronald still remembers the "horribly loud noise" as he stood on West Street with a small group, looking upwards to find its source. Watching in awe as the top floors of the North Tower crumbled.
Everyone scrambled for shelter, Ronald and his partners finding refuge beneath a fire truck while ash and debris rained down and coated everything.
"The next few minutes were a nightmarish, terror-filled ordeal. There was a warm, heavy rush of air, carrying ash and debris, thick as an avalanche. It was impossible to breathe without choking on mouthfuls of ash. I feared asphyxiation.”
Emerging from the scene, it was impossible to see anything in the clouded air. They were covered with a layer of fine gray ash and heard the yells of other first responders as they attempted to find fresh air. The long-term effects of ash inhalation still haunt countless first responders today.
911 Tribute in Light
John speaks about the aftermath still affecting first responders to this day, “It was a terrible day. And a day that those of us who responded will never forget. And it's something that lives on to today, through the deaths of many first responders who continue to die from various diseases that they contracted because of what happened that day.”
Ronald Lowe and his partners were awarded a Medal of Valor for their actions on September 11, 2001. John Cutter was named the Deputy Chief of the NYC Terrorism Unit and became recognized as the top NYC Terrorism expert. Today, John Cutter is the founder and owner of John Cutter Investigations (JCI) and Ronald Lowe is Vice President, working closely with John. Both men have broad backgrounds as personal investigators and private detectives. In addition to their extensive training, their experiences during 9/11 have molded their approach as a Private Investigation Agency. John Cutter and Ronald Lowe understand the unrelenting desire for truth and surety in an unsure world. They deliver peace of mind with honesty and integrity to clients throughout New York City, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, and Texas.
You can learn more about John, Ronald, and JCI by visiting their website at JohnCutterInvestigations.com.