On September 11, 2001, Port Authority police officer Will Jimeno rushed toward the World Trade Center after the attacks began, determined to help others. Inside the South Tower, everything changed when the building collapsed, trapping Jimeno beneath enormous amounts of concrete and steel. He was badly injured and surrounded by darkness, with no idea whether rescuers would ever find him. Beside him was Sergeant John McLoughlin, and the two men encouraged each other to hold on as the hours passed. Jimeno thought about his pregnant wife, Allison, and their young daughter, praying he would see them again. Nearly 13 hours after the collapse, rescuers finally reached the men and pulled Jimeno from the wreckage. Looking toward the sky, he asked a firefighter, “Where is everything?” The answer—“It’s all gone, kid”—became the moment when Jimeno finally broke down. He later recalled that he had not cried when he was injured or when fellow officers died. Instead, seeing the towers gone overwhelmed him because he understood how many people were still missing.

Jimeno was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where doctors worked urgently to save his life. He underwent eight surgeries, including procedures to repair severe injuries and skin grafts, and survived despite his heart stopping twice that night. Weeks later, his four-year-old daughter visited him in the hospital, bringing a small pumpkin and giving him a kiss. Jimeno said that moment made him realize he had truly survived. On November 26, his 34th birthday, he sat beside Allison as she gave birth to their daughter Olivia—the name he had asked McLoughlin to pass along if he did not survive. The physical and emotional recovery continued for years, including treatment for PTSD, but Jimeno chose to move forward. His story remains a powerful reminder of the courage shown on 9/11 and of the importance of remembering those who never made it home.