On the morning of September 11, 2001, Christina Stanton was in her West Street apartment near the World Trade Center in New York City when the first plane struck the North Tower. Moments later, she and her husband, Brian, witnessed the second plane impact the South Tower, an event that sent shockwaves through the city and thrust them into a harrowing evacuation.
Stanton, who had previously led tours of the city including visits to the World Trade Center, recounts how the initial impact shook their building, forcing them to flee with their dog, Gabriel. As smoke, dust, and debris engulfed Lower Manhattan following the towers’ collapse, the couple sought refuge at the southern tip of the island. There, they became part of the largest maritime evacuation in U.S. history, a spontaneous rescue effort involving dozens of boats ferrying stranded evacuees across the Hudson River to New Jersey.
After disembarking in Paulus Hook, New Jersey, the Stantons found themselves in an unfamiliar industrial neighborhood, exhausted and covered in dust. Their ordeal continued as they sought shelter and basic necessities, eventually purchasing supplies while news coverage relayed the catastrophe they had narrowly escaped. In the days and months that followed, the couple temporarily relocated to Florida for safety before returning to their West Street apartment by spring 2002, determined to remain part of the city’s recovery.
Over the past 25 years, Stanton has continued her work as a New York City tour guide, integrating her personal experience of 9/11 into her tours. Initially hesitant to share her trauma, she gradually incorporated the events, including vivid memories of the plane impacts, the evacuation, and the maritime rescue. Her tours now serve as a living memorial, educating new generations—many born after the attacks—about both the day’s horrors and the acts of resilience that followed.
Despite overcoming immediate physical harm, Stanton has faced ongoing health challenges attributed to her exposure to toxic dust at Ground Zero. She was diagnosed with cancer consistent with illnesses documented among 9/11 first responders and survivors, undergoing a hysterectomy in 2025 and more recently receiving a skin cancer diagnosis. Stanton emphasizes that these long-term effects extend beyond emergency personnel, impacting thousands of people exposed that day.
Her dog Gabriel also suffered adverse health effects following the attacks, ultimately succumbing to cancer believed linked to the exposure. Stanton speaks openly about the personal losses and ongoing grief tied to her experience, including friends who perished in the towers.
Stanton continues to lead tours around Lower Manhattan, emphasizing stories that often go untold, such as the extensive boat evacuation, sometimes referred to as the “American Dunkirk.” She views her role as a responsibility to keep the memory of 9/11 alive for future generations, using her platform to share both the tragedy and the resilience witnessed that day.
Even after two and a half decades, Stanton’s connection to the site and its history remains deep and personal, reflecting the enduring impact of 9/11 on individuals and the city as a whole. Her tours provide a firsthand perspective on a defining moment in modern history, blending fact with lived experience to preserve the legacy of those lost and those who endured.