Associated Press journalists are recounting their personal experiences during the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City. The reporters describe how routine professional assignments were abruptly replaced by the chaos of the World Trade Center's collapse.
Karen Matthews and the disruption of a Manhattan morning
Karen Matthews, an Associated Press reporter, was in her Manhattan apartment with her three-year-old daughter when the first explosions occurred. Instead of covering a scheduled primary election, she found hersef navigating a city in panic, attempting to record witness accounts while shielding her child. As the report notes, the event fundamentally altered her sense of security, dividing her life into a clear "before" and "after." Matthews recalled the surreal moment when teachers began grabbing children and running north,forcing her to prioritize her daughter's safety over her journalistic duties.
Richard Drew’s 'Falling Man' and the camera as a protective wall
Photographer Richard Drew was originally assigned to cover the opening of Fashion Week when he witnessed the unfolding tragedy in Lower Manhattan. While documenting the chaos, Drew captured the iconic and controversial "Falling Man" photograph, which depicts a person plummeting from the North Tower. This was not Drew's first encounter with high-stakes tragedy, as he had previously photographed the 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.
According to the accounts shared by these journalists,Drew utilized his camera as a "wall"—a psychological filter that allowed him to maintain professional focus amidst the horror. This "wall" helped him navigate the emotional weight of images that some publications initially rejected for being too upsetting for their readers.
Larry Neumeister’s view of the 'snowstorm' at ground zero
Reporter Larry Neumeister arrived at a hospital near the World Trade Center site to find the air filled with a "snowstorm" of pulverized dust.. Neumeister observed medical staff preparing for a massive influx of casualties, noting lines of empty wheelchairs and gurneys waiting at the entrance. A doctor at the scene told Neumeister that the survival rate was stark: those who did not run away from the falling buildings were simply gone .
Amy Sancetta’s scramble through the Lower Manhattan debris
Photographer Amy Sancetta, who had traveled from Ohio to cover the U.S. Open tennis tournament, found herself disoriented when her editor called to report the attacks. Sancetta admitted she did not initially know the exact loccation of the twin towers. She described a sense of "muscle memory" as she rushed toward the site, only to be forced to seek shelter in a parking garage as a massive cloud of debris approached.
The unanswered identity of the man in the falling photo
While the "Falling Man" image remains one of the most significant visual records of the 9/11 attacks, several details remain unverified by the source. The report does not identify the individual captured in Drew's photograph, nor does it address the long-standing debates regarding the identity of that person. additionally, while the source details the immediate chaos, it leaves open the question of how many other journalists faced similar choices between professional duty and personal safety during those first critical hours.
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