Christina Geist shares her sister’s 9/11 survival story

Christina Geist has shared the survival story of her sister, Alison, who escaped the South Tower of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks. At the time of the incident, Alison was working on the 70th floor and was three months pregnant.

During the evacuation, a security guard named Dereck Lovell directed Alison and her colleagues toward a previously unknown stairwell. This guidance allowed Alison to descend 70 flights of stairs and reach safety. The child Alison was carrying at the time is now 24 years old. Geist uses the anniversary to reflect on family resilience and the impact of calm leadership during emergencies.