Escape from the World Trade Center

by Leslie Haskin

A 9/11 Survivor’s True Story

This is the riveting account of Leslie Haskin’s escape from the World Trade Center after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The former insurance executive shares what she saw and endured as she struggled down 36 floors in a doomed and dying building and away from a life focused on perks, prestige, and power.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Christian, Biography Memoir, Autobiography, Memoir

74 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

Leslie's story begins in Chicago ---- The youngest girl of a family of fifteen, she describes herself an outspoken, independent thinker who was always in trouble.

Leslie excelled in college and in business. By 2000, she was one of only two African American executives for one of the largest insurance companies in the country. Living all the privilege of an executive's life, Leslie surrounded herself with all of the "right" people and "right" things.

Then at 8:43 am on the morning of September 11, 2001, everything changed.

Leslie was in her office on the 36th floor of Tower One when a Boeing 747 airplane slammed into her building, her friends...her life. From that precise second, time was both accelerated and suspended as that once privileged corner office sky, filled with furniture, paper and unimaginable things. Panic was instantaneous, and a mad dash toward the exit stairs began. She closed her eyes and prayed, "God help us."

In the months that followed the terrorist attacks, Leslie was committed to a mental hospital and diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eventually the medical bills mounted, the illness intensified and Leslie Haskin lost everything that she had worked for. She became homeless with her son, Eliot Hill.

Today, Leslie is successful author and the founder and director of Safe Hugs Ministries. She provides consultation to international humanitarian organizations such as Save the Children, and travels internationally encouraging thousands in their journey with the Lord God. Her message is a simple one, "God is bigger than our burdens."

She has become a favorite on national media such as CNN, The 700 Club, Moody Radio and others. And her books, HELD, God Has Not Forgotten about YOU and the best seller, Between Heaven & Ground Zero continue to inspire readers internationally.

Leslie Haskin makes her home in the catskill mountains of New York.

Reviews

[SheLove2Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lover of free reads, I jumped on this one immediately. 9/11 is an event that has haunted us for a decade but to those who actually lived it - it is still ongoing. Leslie begins her narrative by telling us she still suffers from PTSD. She has written this account as part of her therapy. After having read it, I simply do not have the words to adequately express how I feel.

Leslie describes the sheer terror - if terror is even a horrible enough word - of being on the 36th floor when the bastards who murdered innocent American men and women struck. The feeling of hopelessness as she stumbled, fell and basically was pushed from floor to floor by the masses trying to escape. The panic she felt as the air became unbreathable....she, a person who suffers from asthma. The feeling of absolute evil in the air. Finally making her way outside, hours later, and falling almost to the brink of madness when her mind finally catches up with what has happened to her and thousands of others. To say this was a difficult book to read is beyond the pale.

Working in public safety, my heart absolutely broke as she described the brave men and women who ran INTO the carnage in the hope of saving others. One scene she describes still haunts me: as she passes a fireman in the stairwell of Tower 1, she looks into his face (the only one she clearly remembers) and describes his visage. It is of a man who knows he is walking into his destiny, a fatal one, and forges ahead anyway. I believe I cried for some time after reading that.

Media reports do not compare to the annihilation Leslie witnessed firsthand. I don't believe anyone could read this and come away unmoved.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in a day, I couldn't put it down. It was horrifying and incredible at the same time. Readers need to remember that most of this was compiled and written down as counseling assignments. That is why it can seem disjointed at times. I would have liked to have known more about her journey through counseling, but it ends rather abruptly.

I saw one review critical that she did not witness the towers falling. How cruel and heartless to think that her experience which was something I can't fathom, should somehow be diminished because she didn't "experience" everything. This is her story, let her tell it as she remembers and feels it. Someone else can tell theirs.

Some people do not like the use of scriptures, I'm fine with it. If her religion helped her in anyway to make sense of her experience then let her use it as she feels she needs.

[Andrea Loucks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are really against religion this may not be for you, but only because the author chose some Bible verses. Otherwise I thought this book was heart wrenching, detailed, and actually put you into the buildings. She captured the essence of what it was like to be a survivor of the 9-11 devastation. It is hard to believe that this happened to begin with, but to read from a survivor's perspective what she saw, felt, smelled, touched, heard....etc, it makes me even more upset for those who didn't make it. I would recommend this book as a birds eye view of what really went on inside those beautiful towers.

[Carol Foreman · Rating 2 out of 5]

No matter what I think of this book, it is truly Leslie's story to tell. I read it because I am still needing that insider's look at what happened that day, but what I got was a Christian's explanation of God's anger (directed at the US?) and how her faith provided her solace. Unfortunately, this is not what I wanted. I still cringe when I read or hear anything that hints that we were responsible for the events of 9/11. This book would appeal to the reader who likes titles such as "She said yes".

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leslie Haskin, a survivor of 9/11, writes about what it was like to be inside one of the twin towers during the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, and what she dealt with in her life afterward. Her honest, detailed descriptions of events are often difficult to read, but will help others understand the true devastation of that day. Flashing back to earlier times seemed distracting sometimes.

[Citri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope writing this book was helpful for her PTSD, because her trauma, anxiety and pain absolutely leapt off the pages

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

My heart goes out to all the people who survived this horrible day in our nation’s history. The author relied on her faith to get herself to safety, along with many others. At times, this was hard to read as she described what she saw as she climbed down almost 40 flights of stairs to get out of the building.
Very quick read. Just sorry it took me several years to get around to reading it. That’s the price I pay when I have so many books on my Kindle.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story of Leslie Haskin’s escape from the World Trade Center after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The former insurance executive shares what she saw and endured as she struggled down 36 floors in a doomed and dying building and away from a life focused on perks, prestige, and power.

A great story of how God will carry us through tough times.


Leslie was committed to a mental hospital and diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eventually the medical bills mounted, the illness intensified and Leslie Haskin lost everything that she had worked for. She became homeless with her son.

Today, Leslie is successful author and the founder and director of Safe Hugs Ministries. She provides consultation to international humanitarian organizations such as Save the Children, and travels internationally encouraging thousands in their journey with the Lord God. Her message is a simple one, "God is bigger than our burdens."

[Janet Leszl · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who has experienced escape from a burning building I could relate to the author’s simultaneous sense of detachment yet hyper awareness, this can’t be happening to me, inexplicably time speeds up & slows down, and the sense of horror of what is being experienced. At times the writing in her book is riveting.

Short chapters are prefaced with scripture quotes and as the book progresses become longer and I found the frequent Christian testimony to be distracting. I understand many people find writing sprinkled with talk of faith to be uplifting but if you don’t share that view you may find yourself skimming quite a bit.

My heart goes out to the author and all those whose world crumbled around them while fleeing unimaginable horror in what should have been an ordinary workday.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short. Sobering. Sorrowful. Saving. (This is a condensed version of a longer title.)

Leslie writes as a successful African-American female who survived the horrors of 9-11. Tragically, this was not the first tragedy she endured in her life. The descriptions are graphic and visceral, but not gratuitous.

Interestingly, she writes from the perspective of one who is converted as a result of the nightmare of 9-11. Scripture punctuates and illumines her story throughout, even if not always contextually accurate.

Though written from a religious perspective, one need not be religious to appreciate the unforgettable prose and perspective Leslie Haskin provides us in this book.

A timely read with 9-11 just a week away.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brave retelling of catastrophic events from a firsthand point of view. I applaud the author for bringing her escape to the public with brutal honesty. She doesn't shy away from any of the painful details and doesn't claim heroics, only survival. I also appreciated her willingness to share her faith and the inclusion of relevant scriptures. I was riveted to the story from beginning to end.

This is being offered as a free ebook from Kindle mobile right now and I'm glad to have stumbled upon it.

[Jayme · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry, really wanted to like this one but it was just too scattered. Seemed to want to be a lot of things rolled into one. Thought from the title it would be more of the author's experience during the attack (which it was to a point). Jumps from 2005 to the attack back to another time and then again to various points throughout the author's life. Different than the title suggests. Free book on Kindle and just not what I thought it would be.

[Lisa Alessia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow read. There is a lot to take in... I felt my heart racing at times as she is describing the descent down those stairs. Each of us will probably remember where we were when those planes hit, but not as vividly as depicted in this book.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an introspective and very personal memoir of escaping from the WTC on 9/11. If this were fiction, it would be counted as a novella given its length (just over a hundred pages): it ostensibly focuses only on her own experience, though it does include a section with vivid description that could have only been sourced through speaking to others. (She describes the collapse of the South Tower as if she were in the area, whereas she was sitting on the commuter boat traumatized and learned about it through people screaming about it.) Haskin worked in an insurance office on the North Tower, and while dozens of floors below the impact zone, she describes a harrowing scene of ceilings collapsing, visible fire, etc. On first reading this didn’t make much sense to me because Erik O. Ronningen’s account has him much closer to impact, but with none of the “The building is about to fall!!” drama that Haskin records in her office. After thinking about it, though, I realized Haskin’s floor could have been hit by the fireball that swept through the elevator shafts — that seems especially likely given that her floor was very close to the first skylobby where people changed elevators, and that she encountered severe burn victims on her own way down. Her prose is vivid to the point of florid, but given that she was put into a state of severe mental distress after the event. I’m not inclined to be critical.

[Nena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The jacket description is spot on. I couldn't put this one down. I have cousins working for NYNJPortAuthority who were trapped and narrowly escaped from those buildings. My former boss had a client, another NYNJPort Authority employee, who died in one of those buildings that day. Every year I hear his name being read at the televised memorial services and still can't believe he is gone.

Don't buy into any of those conspiracy jackasses who say this was a hoax, never happened or that nobody died on 9/11.

This woman's harrowing experiences on 9/11 made me cry and shake with fear. This is one of the best written accounts of that day. An excellent read.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a poignant and often graphic retelling of Leslie's experiences on 9/11. Some of the descriptions of what Leslie witnessed on that awful day left me feeling sick, but I think it's important to recognise that what we saw and heard through our TV screens were mere slivers compared to the experiences of those who were there to see, feel, smell, hear, and touch. It is one of the most detailed and tangible survivor accounts I have read.

I couldn't give it 5 stars as many of the religious passages and thoughts in this book made me feel deeply uncomfortable, but that is a reflection on me and not on Leslie, whose faith has helped her make sense of what she went through.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terror In The Towers

I remember 9/11 well even though I don't live in New York City and was nowhere near the World Trade Center. It's hard NOT to remember something that destroyed lives, destroyed the magnificent towers and changed our world!
This book tells the story of Leslie Haskin who worked at the World Trade Center . It will definitely hold your attention and it includes graphic detail. I just wish it were longer that's my only complaint as I would have liked to hear how the author is doing now!

[Tom Blubaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very tough read but it gave me a view into 911 that disturbed me greatly. If it disturbed me significantly just reading it, it gave me a very small glimpse of what Leslie Haskin experienced living it. I can't imagine leaving a quiet peaceful neighborhood, living that kind of hell for hours, and going home to a peaceful quiet neighborhood knowing it wasn't just a nightmare. Reading what she is doing today to help others is phenomenal.

[Emma Filbrun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I doubt if there are any Americans who don't know about the bombing of the World Trade Center. That was a day which was burned into my memory—but this book really made the horrors of that day come alive. Leslie's confusion and terror came through clearly in her account. I could almost see and feel and smell what she did.

[Esther McCallum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remembering that day with Leslie was difficult but informative. This account gave me a new perspective into what happened inside the towers that day

Remembering that day with Leslie was difficult but informative. This account gave me a new perspective into what happened inside the towers that day

[Cat Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't stop crying whilst reading this....

I can't even begin to understand how terrifying this was and being unable to fully understand what was going on up until the moment that the towers collapse..

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the survivors and those who lost their lives on 9/11 🙏🙏❤️❤️

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivid account

This is a vivid account from someone who experienced that terrible day from inside Tower One. She talks about the moment everything changes and how far off track those moments can take us. This resonated with me deeply.

[Sandra K. Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful!

This book is so powerful it breaks my heart. I want to read more about the Twin Towers. Leslie is a wonderful author, and her book was easy to read, as well as very well edited. Thank you Leslie for writing this book!

[Juan Bravo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good written. Plenty of emotions.

Very emotional, easy to read and cleverly covers in detail the chronology of her experience. An exciting and engaging story.

[Ricardo Arrechea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Purchased for a short flight. There's a lot of religious scripture, poems, etc, and after the first few, it became annoying. Otherwise a decent first person account.

[Janette Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Haskin begins this story by stating that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can come about after one has experienced or witnessed life-threatening events like war, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, or violent personal assaults.
The author provides a vivid and emotional account of her experiences after the plane hit Tower One at the World Trade Center. She explains that she was frozen with fear and could not understand what was happening. She was one of the last ones to leave her office area because she could not grasp the gravity of the situation.
She then entered the stairway and descended thirty-six floors. She describes how crowded it was as they went down the stairs. She was disoriented and was just pushed along as the crowd slowly made there way to the bottom floor.
She tells how more people were entering the stairway from each floor. On one floor, the door was opened and she could see a man who was decapitated. People were yelling, cussing and crying in desperation as they made their way to freedom. She tells of the putrid smoke that was burning her eyes and making breathing difficult. When she finally exited the building, she saw many people jumping from the upper floors.
The author sought guidance and strength from her Christian faith. The text contains Scripture that complements the text. She is truly convinced that the Lord was with her and led her to safety on that horrific day.

Leslie Haskin has provided a very detailed description of her experiences on 9/11. She is very good at expressing her emotions and providing details that some authors might overlook. I think one of the most poignant moments of her experience was when she witnessed a man and woman holding hands and jumping from a window to their deaths.
Some people will object to the author's frequent references to the Bible. I think the verses that she chose to highlight her experiences were very appropriate. She is a woman of faith and she gladly gives all the glory to Jesus Christ.

[Kate]

Awhile ago I bought a bunch of cheap or free ebooks, and promptly stopped using my Kindle for a few weeks because I kept forgetting to charge it. Additionally I don't have wireless at work or at home, so I have to make a conscious effort to find a signal in order to download new books, which never happened in the month of January. So, between library books, I finally charged this thing, forgot about it for another few weeks, and then, desperate for something to read on the subway, I looked down and found that all of these weird new books had magically materialized on the reader without my having actively synced and downloaded them.

Anyway, this is a painful, short recitation of the events of 9/11 from a woman who escaped from the 36th floor of Tower One. The author states that she has PTSD, and this is clearly part of a healing exercise and meant to be cathartic. I really enjoy reading memoirs as short, free/cheap, usually self-published Kindle/Nook ebooks, since in one sense they benefit from their direct-from-the-writer immediacy. That said, the editor in you will probably want to reach through the screen and physically move around the words, strike out purple prose, and ask the writer to elaborate on certain things, particularly her own background (who's this daughter she mentions in one paragraph? Can she provide a more fluid segue between recollections of her mother with the 9/11 narrative?). I enjoyed the use of Bible passages throughout the text (despite not being religious), although I understood the placement of some more than others. And I would have liked, again, more of an articulation of the author's faith, since this book seems to want to be about how faith influenced Leslie's actions on 9/11 and afterward. I get that this is a condensation of a longer book, but I think it would function more effectively as a narrative if certain elements were resolved within this short framework.

[Sam Woodfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a shortened version of 'Between heaven and Ground Zero', another book written by Haskin but by being short it doesn't seem to loose anything.
This short account tells of one woman's account of being inside the World Trade Centre during the Terror attacks back in 2001. It gives an interesting insight into what went on inside the towers and the conditions faced by those trying to escape - an insight I haven't read anywhere else before so found really interesting. It was amazing to read that the flames from the planes had made it so low down in the buildings and that the rumblings and creakings from the buildings structure were there throughout.
Haskin is a religious lady, and she litters her account with quotes from the bible. I'm not religious at all, but these quotes fitted perfectly with the account being given and really added to the poignancy of what was being said.
Although short, this was a really good account of what happened in the towers - very informative, poignant and emotional - emotions that really apply to the whole world that day.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was offered free on kindle, so I downloaded it in honor of the upcoming 10th anniversary of September 11th.

A very emotional and graphic look at the horror of the day, told by one survivior. Leslie doesn't pull any punches, and describes in detail what she saw. I appreciated the fact that her story starts the morning of Sept. 11th though, and she details the beauty of the twin towers as she saw them on her way to work that day. Her description of the buildings, which I never had a chance to see in person, were beautiful, and I appreciate her giving this look at them before they were destroyed.

This book appears to be an edited for kindle version of this author's book Between Heaven and Ground Zero: One Womans Struggle for Survival and Faith in the Ashes of 9/11.

[Jud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished 'escape from the world trade centre'. I got it free (probably in sept 2011) I wouldn't say it was good as such as that feels like the wrong way to describe it, it was harrowing, eye-opening but also a little uplifting. It made me realise just how overwhelming it must have been for the victims, survivors and witnesses at the time and there is no way anyone who wasn't there could possibly begin to understand what it was like but it is a glimpse into it from one persons perspective. It is a personal account of 1 persons experience and that experience included a reconciliation with God, it's not 'preachy' but there are bible verses included and the authors faith obviously played a large part through out that day and the many that, luckily for her, came after it.

May God bless all those left behind and welcome home those who were taken from us.