That was a regular day for me, when I woke up in the morning I didnt feel well, but I still went to work, Capestro recalled. When she eventually made it outside the building and to ground level, she ran into a friend, and the two made a dash to leave Ground Zero, just as the South Tower collapsed. Dark smoke pours from the North Tower while St. Paul's chapel stands in the foreground. Capestro and her colleagues fled the building using the stairs. Joanne Capestro (on left with a coworker) is photographed by Phil Penman on 9/11 covered head to toe in thick dust and debris seconds after the South Tower fell as she fled from the World Trade Center, Capestro, now 59, returned to the same spot two decades on to be photographed by Penman - who is now a close friend - to mark the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Capestro in 2021 the same area on Park Row where she was captured in the harrowing photo (left). She was captured in the image above on the left by photographer Phil Penman who took dozens of gripping and poignant images of the scene around the Twin Towers, Three years ago, Penman and Capestro were reunited and kept in touch and six weeks ago he served as the photographer at her dream wedding to her husband, Robert Vasquez (pictured together right). }); See Photos . As reported by DailyMail, Joanne shared, "Phil and I stayed in touch all of these years. She told DailyMail.com it has taken time for her to deal with the trauma of her escape from the 87th floor, running out of the tower to see 'all the jumpers, the blood all over, the dead people' before the South Tower then crashed down around her. 9/11 Phil Penman & Joanne Capestro wedding, with extra guests ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); She is now happily married with nine grandchildren, still lives in her native New York and still works on Wall Street after 40 years, Capestro with husband Robert Vasquez on their wedding day in 2018 (left). TikTok Introduces 60-Minute Daily Time Limit, Havana Syndrome: The Mysterious Illness Afflicting Diplomats and Intelligence Officers. "Then all of a sudden, you hear this rumble and the building's coming down as I'm shooting.". pg.acq.push(function() { While on the call, hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower six floors above Capestros office for the May Davis Group where she was an assistant secretary. Speaking to DailyMail.com about her life changing experience that occurred 17 years ago today, Capestro said: Phil and I stayed in touch all of these years. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of After finding the only available stairwell exit, Capestro rushed down the 87 flights of stairs, part of the way in high heels, before running out of the North Tower all within 22 minutes. Were also on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Flipboard. And on the best day of my life.". Joanne revealed that she did not remember Penman from the scene and did not know that he took the photo until three years ago when they were connected by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. "When we met, he came into my office and just looked at me and I looked at him and just started crying," Capestro shared referring to the first moment that they met. And it's a bond. Published: 20:28 GMT, 11 September 2018 | Updated: 12:12 GMT, 12 September 2018. ", Still, it was strangely hard to let go of her piece of Sept. 11 history, she says. The two are now close friends and he photographed her wedding, 'I took an enormous turn and I'm very grateful for that as I get to tell my story to educate children who werent born yet what a horrific act it was.'. Capestro's story is featured in the new documentary, "Memory Box: Echoes of 9/11," a co-production of NBC News Studios and Yard 44. Joanne Mancenido Vasquez. }); 11M views, 130K likes, 60K loves, 4.5K comments, 58K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from HISTORY: On Sept. 11, 2001, Joanne Capestro arrived to her job at the May Davis Group on the 87th floor of the. 'I remember as a young girl we would go and look at the new buildings being built in the city. When she reached daylight, she fainted . Covered in toxic dust and debris from the scene, Capestro was captured in a photo taken by acclaimed photographer Phil Penman, who grabbed his camera and rushed to the scene when he found out a plane hit the North Tower. She and Penman instantly became close friends and she donated her own belongings from that day to the museum (the heels she was wearing are on display). As reported by DailyMail, Joanne shared, "Phil and I stayed in touch all of these years. Save Our History | Joanne Capestro | Commemorating the 20th Anniversary Another person photographed in such a landscape was Joanne Capestro, who told the Journal that "Everything was white when I opened my eyes, I really thought I had died." Capestro was on the 87 th floor of the North Tower when the plane hit just six floors above. I had survivors' guilt and felt like "why didnt God take me? "The third exit we never really used so we were lucky to even find that exit. "I remember it was like it was yesterday, to be honest with you. Joanne Vasquez (Joanne Hennessey) See Photos. She began her descent with several colleagues and reached the street level just as the South Tower collapsed. IE 11 is not supported. We had no clue what was going on.'. The anniversary is something she said she looks forward to each year as 'it gives me time to go down and visit the memorial and mourn all the friends that we lost.'. She is marking the 20th anniversary by joining fellow survivors and family members of victims at the memorial ceremony. Capestro arrived to work in Lower Manhattan that day feeling under the weather, but prepared to work as an executive assistant on the 87th floor of the North Tower. Capestro said she 'can't believe it's been 20 years already' as she said she hopes people will remember how the city and the nation was in the days after 9/11 when people came together to help each other in their darkest hours, 'Life is short and people don't realize how short it is. ga('ads.send', { In the gripping image, Capestro looks completely shell-shocked while staring into the direction of the camera lens while walking barefoot and holding her heels and purse in one hand. He always has an open ear for me and I do for him as he was also part of the attack. A place for pictures and photographs. ', Going into the 20th anniversary, Capestro said she feels 'really good' about her life and jokes that she is 'forever young.'. 'And we were just hanging out waiting for the market to open when the plane struck at8.46am and my life changed forever.'. 'We were rocked again when the second tower was hit and that made me run,' Capestro told DailyMail.com. Recently, news came in that Joanne Capestro married, exactly 17 years after the horrific events witnessed in 2001. },false) Capestro, who visits the memorial in lower Manhattan every year to recognize those who died including her co-worker Harry Ramos, explained in vivid detail how she survived. In a heart-touching note that might give some friendship goals, Joanne even mentioned the importance of her friendship with Phil: He was present with me on the best day of my life and also on the worst day of my life. 17 years after she became the subject of one of the most iconic photos from the 9/11 terror tragedy, a woman has hired the photographer behind the imageto be her wedding photographer. A look back at the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Finding the displays tasteful, the relatives decided to contribute the items: his wallet, cards he carried, and pocket change. The institution trod a difficult path to opening, facing delays and controversy. On 9/11 she ran down 84 floors in the North Tower to safety, defeating all odds as others died around her. 'I would love to meet with him but I can't remember his name,' she said. try { Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Visit r/PhotoGIMPs for examples of my work, and stay a while. Daily Mail Interestingly, the very same man who'd taken her photo back then captured her once again on the lens. The consoler in chief: Rare and candid collection of images September 11 attacks: How 9/11 will be remembered around the Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Joanne Sarli Vasquez (Sarli) See Photos. A Federal Aviation Administration worker's hard hat now speaks to his agency's contributions to the recovery effort. } catch(err) {}, 9/11 Museum Collection Grows: Survivors and victims' families donate their cherished mementos, Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance. But the phone rang and he answered, then the plane hit five or six floors above us. Joanne Vasquez - Facebook She felt ill but still decided to go to into work from her home in Brooklyn. 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The clip then flips to Victoria in one of her wedding dress and completely made up in her photoshoot look - with smokey eyes, blushing cheeks, and plump pink lips - and with her hair in thick, voluminous waves. A museum staff member recognized Capestro in the photo and helped connect her with the photographer. The couple tied the knot in a beach wedding, and shared photos of the nuptials on Instagram. was photographed that day covered head to toe in thick dust and debris as she fled from the World Trade Center with a coworker. 'It's something I'm never going to forget but it has given me the strength and courage and resilience to put my best foot forward every day and thats what's important,' she said. But when they see that photo, they go, 'Well, now I know what she went through.' Capestro said she is marking the 20th anniversary by joining fellow survivors and family members of victims at the 9/11 memorial ceremony. May 27, 2019 - Joanne Capestro escaped from the Twin Towers and was captured in an iconic photo. I love it there, it's a beautiful experience going there where I feel a sense of serenity,' she said. }) ga('ads.send', { ", September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks Wikipedia, Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance Wikipedia, September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks Joanne was planning on going downstairs with her colleague but a phone call interrupted their plans. "That was a regular day for me when I woke up in the morning I didnt feel well, but I still went to work. The impact was so strong and the building was shaking, until all of a sudden, it stopped. "But once I went in there, and I saw, I said, 'My clothes belong there.' We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Woman in Iconic 9/11 Photo Hires the Same Photographer for Her Wedding and our Penman eventually donated the photo he captured of Capestro along with others to be displayed inside the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Smoke pours out of the North and South Tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan after they were struck by two hijacked airplanes, First responders and New Yorkers help and administer first aid to survivors of the terrorist attacks on America's darkest day, Mangled steel, dust and rubble litter the streets of the city after the Twin Towers were targeted in a terrorist attack. 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THEN AND VOW - PressReader pg.acq.push(function() { Pictured above is an image showing people crowding the streets of lower Manhattan while watching the scene unfold, Minutes after escaping onto the street, the North Tower completely collapsed, Capestro recalled. "Our building shook. Joanne Capestro-Vasquez. Legal Statement. On Sept. 11, 2001, Joanne "JoJo" Capestro arrived to her job as an executive assistant at the May Davis Group on the 87th floor of the North Tower with a cup of take-out tea, feeling run down from a case of bronchitis. Capestro pictured on her wedding day. We'll #NeverForget the victims, their families and the everyday heroes. When we met, he came into my office and just looked at me and I looked at him and just started crying, Capestro said of the moment she met Penman for the first time. "https://ssl." She barely made it outside of the building before it began to collapse. Joanne Capestro runs barefoot with a colleague from the World Trade Center's North Tower, moments before it collapsed on 9/11. She added that it was an amazing experience to have him present when she married the love of her life, Robert Vasquez. By Rachel Sharp For Dailymail.com and Jolie Novak For Dailymail.Com, Published: 12:23 GMT, 11 September 2021 | Updated: 03:02 GMT, 12 September 2021, A 9/11 survivor who was captured in a harrowing image after escaping the North Tower has spoken out to reveal the terror of that day and said she puts 'my best foot forward every day now because we can't let terrorists win.'. 'I got down the steps to the concourse level and couldn't believe what was going on,' she said. As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts. "); Shortly afterward, Penman, then 24, received a phone call. They must have left already!". Because God saved me that day.