CityView Magazine

Bettye continued working for the Port Authority and, at her retirement ceremony, received an American flag and a World Trade Center flag that flew at the site. Fayetteville Resident Survived World Trade Center S Bettye Glenn recalls that day and the assistance that helped her survive | BY NATHAN WALLS "I often wonder about him, whether he made it or not," Glenn eptember 11, 2001 affected all patriotic Americans. With so many soldiers serving at Ft. Bragg, the city of Fayetteville was certainly on the edge of its seat as two planes torpedoed the World Trade Centers in New York, initiating the War on Terror. Ten years later, perhaps no one in Fayetteville was impacted by the attacks as much as Bettye Glenn, now a Fayetteville resident, who was in the World Trade Center when the first plane hit. "You're hearing a lot about it now and it doesn't seem like it's been 10 years," Bettye said. Bettye, who at the time was a telecommunications contractor for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which she is now retired from, was on the 43rd floor in a cafeteria when the first plane hit the North Tower. She said that the building shook and the sunny day turned to darkness. Debris looking like red construction paper floated down the side of the building. But Bettye and her co-workers didn't think anything about it, because planes often flew very close to the building since John F. Kennedy International Airport is nearby. "Some man said he called his wife and she said another plane had hit," Bettye said. "Well, what are the chances of that?" While exiting the building, Bettye saw a fireman coming up the steps sweating profusely with about 40 to 70 pounds of equipment on his back. Two people poured water on him to cool him off. said. "I can still see his face." Bettye and co-workers made it out of the building and then heard what sounded like crushing bricks, followed by a big ball of dust. She ran to the parking lot of a hospital five blocks away, where she stood as the first building collapsed. A man grabbed her hand and urged her to continue walking. Together they made it into Chinatown. On an empty street, the man asked Glenn if she needed water. She told him no and she turned away for a second. When she turned back around he was gone. Bettye says she believes he was a guardian angel. Many sur- vivors had similar stories. Bettye eventually made it back to her house and let her family know she was okay. She didn't know exactly what had happened until she saw the news. Bettye continued working for the Port Authority and, at her retirement ceremony, received an American flag and a World Trade Center flag that flew at the World Trade Center site. She moved to Fayetteville in 2005 to be closer to her son. She flies the World Trade Center flag each September at Fayetteville's Fire Station Number Three. In that show of commemoration, it's clear the American spirit lives on. And it's stronger than ever 10 years later in Fayetteville, America's most patriotic community — where Bettye now calls home. CityViewNC.com | 53 PHOTOS BY AWAKENING PHOTOGRAPHY

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