Author Michael Hingson’s survival story has been inspiring people for more than two decades.
Hingson, who is blind, escaped the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, with his trusty guide dog Roselle by his side. He worked in Tower I on the 78th floor and was able to make it all the way down the stairs to the bottom floor and get away from the buildings before they collapsed.
Hingson has a new book, “Live Like a Guide Dog: True Stories from a Blind Man and His Dogs about Being Brave, Overcoming Adversity, and Moving Forward in Faith,” in which he discusses powerful lessons about overcoming adversity.
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As it turns out, life lessons about fear—and preparedness—helped equip him to take the right steps during the worst terror attack on U.S. soil. Now, he’s sharing those lessons with others.
“I learned that fear is something that I can use as a very powerful tool,” he said.
In addition to managing his fear, Hingson had spent time preparing before the terror attack to learn what to do in the case of an emergency.
Knowing he couldn’t read signs due to his blindness, he learned his way around the building so he’d be able to lead and help others with simple tasks if something dire ever unfolded.
“So, I learned how to travel around the World Trade Center,” he said. “I learned where the restaurants were … I needed to know what to do in the case of an emergency. I needed to know all the emergency exits.”
Some might wonder why he prepared so diligently before 9/11, considering he had a guide dog. But Hingson said some people misunderstand the purpose of these dogs. Rather than leading a person, it’s the individual who must give cues to the dog.
Thus, knowing his way around was profoundly beneficial, as Roselle followed his lead.
To read the full story, visit our content partners at Faithwire.
Reprinted with permission from faithwire.com. Copyright © 2024 The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. All rights reserved.
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