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Team Never Quit

Best of TNQ Podcast: Joe Torrillo - 9/11 Survivor, Retired FDNY Lieutenant

Team Never Quit

Marcus Luttrell

Personal Journals, Society & Culture, Education, Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Self-improvement

4.96K Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2020

⏱️ 91 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Joe Torillo recounts his first-hand experience as a firefighter on September 11, 2001. Joe was directly below the North Tower looking up as the second commercial airliner slammed into it. What transpired in the next few seconds, minutes, hours, and days are nothing shy of unbelievable. He was propelled in the air by the concussion of the falling debris of the North Tower and was literally buried alive under the falling debris, with his skull open, arm snapped and suffocating in darkness. He was rescued and placed in a boat to cross over the Hudson River for medical treatment. That effort was disrupted by falling building debris that covered the boat, where he was buried alive again. Joe’s story is a gripping account of a series of miracles that kept him alive, while hundreds of others suffered a different fate. You won't want to miss this interview as we remember September 11th, 2001.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Whether it's a balmy day on the beach

0:03.0

or a vibrant night in the city,

0:06.0

elevate your indulgence with the new Magnum Sun lover.

0:11.0

With thick white chocolate

0:13.0

and the velvety coconut ice cream for the day

0:16.0

and the new Magnum Star Chaser

0:19.0

with cracking chocolate

0:21.0

and popcorn flavor for the night.

0:25.0

Pleasure is always on.

0:27.0

Magnum, true to pleasure.

0:30.0

The Westwood One podcast network.

0:35.0

I never realized I was going to live up to that vow

0:38.0

that I took when I became a firefighter

0:40.0

that I one day give up my life.

0:42.0

But if this is what it has to be,

0:44.0

I'm fine as a decision I made

0:46.0

to become a firefighter,

0:47.0

so I accepted,

0:48.0

just take care of my family.

0:50.0

And then I had a, you know, a flashback

0:52.0

to the day that I was sworn in

0:54.0

and I kept on saying to myself,

...

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