In lower Manhattan, a walking tour led by Christina Stanton offers a deeply personal account of the September 11, 2001, attacks, reflecting on her direct experience as a resident near the World Trade Center during that day’s events. Stanton, a licensed tour guide living just blocks from the towers at 21 West St., uses her firsthand memories to guide visitors through the site and its surrounding areas, combining historical facts with intimate stories.
Stanton had moved into the apartment building with her husband, Brian, just two months before the attacks. On the morning of September 11, the couple witnessed the first plane crash into the north tower from their 24th-floor terrace, feeling the impact and hearing the deafening roar of the second plane seconds before it struck the south tower. They were soon forced to evacuate along with neighbors, descending through smoke-filled streets amid falling debris.
After the south tower collapsed, Stanton, Brian, and their Boston terrier sought refuge near the harbor, only to be engulfed in thick dust and smoke. They ultimately boarded a boat as part of the spontaneous waterborne evacuation, often called the largest maritime rescue in U.S. history, crossing the Hudson River to New Jersey. Stanton later described the surreal experience of walking through unfamiliar industrial neighborhoods covered in ash and grit.
In the weeks and months following, Stanton watched the transformation of the Ground Zero site from her nearby apartment. Like much of lower Manhattan, tourism initially declined sharply. Over time, she resumed her work as a tour guide, gradually incorporating her personal narrative into the World Trade Center tours she leads today. Her approach has evolved from a factual recitation to one that blends the human impact, recounting moments such as the impromptu boat rescue and the emotions of that day.
Stanton’s reflections extend beyond the day itself. She revealed to recent tour groups the long-term health consequences she has faced, including cancer diagnoses linked to exposure to toxic dust from the collapse. Despite undergoing a hysterectomy in 2025 to treat her illness and a skin cancer diagnosis in 2024, she continues to offer her tours, determined to share both the heroism and the ongoing costs of 9/11.
The guide emphasizes the importance of remembering not only the immediate tragedy but also the subsequent health crises affecting thousands beyond emergency responders, including residents like herself. Stanton sees her role as a living memorial and educator, using her platform to inform new generations about the attack’s lasting legacy, including the lesser-known maritime evacuation often described as the "American Dunkirk."
Her tours typically last about an hour, concluding before she prepares for the next group, blending historical context with a poignant personal account aimed at preserving the memory of that day and its aftermath.