Rosie's View
By Jelena Zanko
Though born a Puerto Rican, William Rodriguez is an American.
As a child growing up, Rodriguez entertained himself and those around him through the artistry of magic. His divorced mother worked diligently to provide for William and his two siblings, but still they endured financial hardship. When Rodriguez’s mother married his stepfather, life changed for the better. Rodriguez worked as an assistant to an iconic figure known as “The Amazing Randi”. Rodriguez proved to be a natural study of human nature, which culminated in his transformation to a skilled escape artist. He became somewhat of a celebrity in his native Puerto Rico, appearing on television from the age of 17. The master of illusion was ready to trade the lull of the Caribbean for the promise of bigger opportunity.
Like many others, Rodriguez moved to New York City toting a carry-on overflowing with not much more than his larger-than-life dreams. He performed one night a week at a local nightclub, "Mostly Magic", dazzling crowds with his craft. Still, the competition for work was stiff; too many magicians desperately pursued the same gigs. His aspirations slowly faded as life’s financial responsibilities could not be met through the thrill of magical enchantment alone. He could have probably achieved success if he chose to leave New York, but it was too late. He had already fallen in love with the great city.
Rodriguez found steady employment as a maintenance worker in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. His custodial duties included the labor-intensive maintenance of the three steep stairwells. Every morning he looked forward to meeting his beloved friends, employees of the acclaimed Windows of the World restaurant, for breakfast. What Rodriguez lacked in terms of money, he made up for with rich friendships forged over their daily ritual. The only request his friends made required Rodriguez to swallow his pride and leave his wallet at the door so that he could go about his day on a full stomach.
On September 11, 2001, Rodriguez arrived to work thirty minutes late. He skipped his usual breakfast, not knowing that the day prior was the very last day he would ever see his Windows of the World friends alive. Instead, he reported directly to the maintenance office among thirteen other employees. Minutes later, Rodriguez and others reported hearing a loud blast while feeling the reverberations of the massive explosion that seemed to originate from the sub-basement levels. Shortly thereafter, a second explosion was heard from up above. They were later told that a plane had struck the tower at a high-level floor.
What happened next could have been a blur, but for some reason, Rodriguez entered a state of enhanced consciousness; he felt no fear. As he thought of his fallen friends on the 106th floor, he felt the ensuing adrenaline rush that would tirelessly guide his legs up countless flights of steps, and most definitively, the self-proclaimed former atheist made a verbal plea to God. “God, help me!” he cried out.
Call it fate. Divine intervention. At that harrowing moment, Rodriguez had realized his life’s to-date most important mission. 110 Floors, 3 stairwells, 97 passenger elevators, 6 freight elevators, and a singular key. Only Rodriguez's 20 years of familiarity coupled with a master key could unlock the stairwell doors, removing would-be victims from death's imminent stranglehold. Four others in addition to Rodriguez held master keys; however, they had already evacuated the complex.
A fireball gushed out of a nearby freight elevator upon the first explosion’s impact seriously burning fellow colleague, Felipe David. Rodriguez escorted David outside so that he could receive life-saving medical attention. Ignoring police orders, Rodriguez would return to the collapsing building three more times.
Rodriguez alone rescued fifteen people, in addition to assisting the dedicated firefighters, unlocking doors as they ascended through the rapidly deteriorating building. These actions allowed hundreds of others to flee the structure. He stopped only once, to call his mother. He yearned to hear the voice of his hero who had taught him limitless compassion, not cognizant that his own valiant efforts would forever brand him a hero.
Rodriguez made it to the 39th floor as firefighters grew increasingly insistent that he must turn back. His eyes burning from the smoke, his breathing growing increasingly laborious, he embarked on his dangerous descent. His intentions were to return to the building and help his friends at Windows of the World, unaware that they had all perished. Then the deafening sound of the second plane striking the South Tower momentarily jarred him. He collected himself, made it all the way back down, and took one last look at the carnage. It was a sight that will never leave him: the North Tower was collapsing. He sprinted toward safety, just barely evading death as he dove underneath the shield of a fire truck. Rodriguez, according to numerous eyewitness accounts, is believed to be the last person to flee the towers alive.
His rescue efforts did not stop there. He relentlessly sought out survivors as well as the dead amidst the rubble for the remainder of the day. Starting at dawn on September 12th, he perpetuated his altruistic calling by way of volunteering at Ground Zero.
Rodriguez firmly believes that he “was given a responsibility that constantly needs to be fulfilled”. In the aftermath of 9/11, he played an instrumental role in the formation of several organizations providing support to the families of the victims. Additionally, he founded the Hispanic Victims Group and lobbied for the Victims Compensation Fund, which resulted in an increased compensation structure for the victims. Rodriguez declined to submit his own application for compensation despite losing his job of twenty years, opting instead to live out of his car at times and under a bridge. He survived on a combination of canned foods from a local soup kitchen, his dignity and unwavering pursuit of truth.
The unanswered questions surrounding 9/11 sent Rodriguez down the path of his own truth mission. Besides Rodriguez, many witnesses contend they felt a major explosion that emanated from a sub-basement, well below the plane’s point of impact. Joined by other deponents, Rodriguez challenged Congress to a formal investigation which became The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, or most commonly known as the 9/11 Commission. Much to his dismay, Rodriguez’s testimony was excluded from the Commission’s final report.
Truth cannot be forever suppressed. When William Rodriguez made the decision to embark on an international tour of speaking engagements, the U.S. politicians and press that had previously honored him turned their back on him. Conversely, the rest of the world allowed him to share his story, uncensored. Patriots everywhere have banded together waging their resolute campaign for truth. These activists, known as “truthers”, are part of a movement that believes that the World Trade Center buildings could not have come down in the rapid fashion they did due to aerial collisions and consequential fires alone.
More and more celebrities and prominent figures are questioning what happened on 9/11. Rodriguez believes that their attachment to the cause brings heightened visibility, reputation, and most importantly, access to the mainstream media. “It’s working…keep watching, stay tuned”, states Rodriguez, recently interviewed after a Chicago speaking engagement. And when Rodriguez tells you that he will not stop until he is able to liberate the souls of his lost friends, you believe him. He has stopped being the person he was before; he has undergone a complete metamorphosis. “I have a new birthday now”, he says. “September 11th”.
