Rick Rescorla
TL;DR: The security chief who predicted 9/11 and sang songs to save 2,687 lives.
The Foresight
Cyril 'Rick' Rescorla was a decorated Vietnam War veteran and the head of security for Morgan Stanley in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Long before 2001, Rick was convinced the towers were a target. He famously predicted the 1993 basement bombing, and later asserted that terrorists would eventually attack with planes. He demanded the company practice full evacuation drills every three months. Employees groaned and complained about missing work, but Rick insisted, timing them with a stopwatch.
September 11
When American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower, the Port Authority issued a command over the PA system: 'The South Tower is secure. Please return to your desks.' Rick grabbed his megaphone and yelled, 'Ignore that! We're leaving!' He initiated the evacuation plan he had drilled for years. As thousands of frightened employees filed down the stairwells, Rick sang Cornish folk songs from his youth, including 'Men of Harlech,' to keep them calm. He was a pillar of strength in the chaos.
The Last Man Out
Rick successfully evacuated nearly all of Morgan Stanley's 2,700 employees. When told he should evacuate himself, he replied, 'I have to make sure everyone is out.' He was last seen running back up the stairs of the Tenth Floor to search for stragglers. The tower collapsed shortly after. His remains were never found, but his rigorous training is the sole reason thousands of families still have their loved ones today.
The World Without Him
If Rick had listened to the official announcement that the 'South Tower is secure,' nearly 2,700 Morgan Stanley employees would have been sitting at their desks when the second plane hit. The stairwells would have been jammed with panicked, unprepared people rather than an orderly evacuation line. It is almost certain that without Rick's drills and his refusal to obey the 'stay put' order, the death toll of 9/11 would have been nearly double what it was.
