He Didn’t Dial 911 on 9/11

By Bob Cox

When it comes to unforgettable moments in the last century of American history, three will be etched upon the souls of everyone that’s old enough to remember them: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (November 22, 1963) and the terrorist attack on New York City and Washington D.C. (September 11, 2001). Whenever these topics are brought up, the conversation generally begins with the question: “Where were you when...?”

When the terrorist attack occurred fourteen years ago this month, I was pulling up to my office in Roseville when I heard the unbelievable news on the radio. My first thought was the attack happened here in downtown Sacramento against our own "Twin Towers". A few minutes later, when broadcasters were referring to The World Trade Center towers in New York City, I realized the tragedy was even more unfathomable.

As the news slowly emerged, with one horrific plane crash after another, most people seemed to either be shuffling around in a dazed fog or sitting in stunned shock in front of the nearest television screen. Yet, throughout all the chaos, mayhem and destruction, one man stood tall amongst the backdrop of the smoking skyscrapers. Hi name was Rudy Giuliani.

Rudolph William Louis Giuliani was born May 28, 1944, less than two weeks prior to another monumental date in American history (D-Day, June 6, 1944). During his childhood, his father fell far short of being a shining role model. Harold Giuliani not only had trouble holding down a steady job, he was convicted of felony assault and robbery and ended up serving time in Sing Sing Prison. Shortly after his release, he worked as an enforcer for his brother-in-law, who ran an organized crime operation, which involved loan sharking and gambling.

As an ironic twist of fate, Giuliani retraced his father’s footsteps and went on to become the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York during the 1980’s. During his tenure, he prosecuted several cases against the Italian Mafia, including the notorious mob boss John Gotti (a.k.a. Teflon Don), who was sentenced to life in prison. This accomplishment earned Giuliani a reputation for being tough on crime and he continued to apply those practices as mayor from 1993-2001. During his tenure, crime in New York City was reduced substantially.

Giuliani was much more than the mayor of America’s largest city (New York) on September 11, 2001. He was also a prominent source of information and inspiration in the aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center. He continuously made time for interviews on radio and television in the days and weeks after the attacks. In one of his most famous statements, Giuliani said: “Tomorrow New York is going to be here. And we're going to rebuild, and we're going to be stronger than we were before... I want the people of New York to be an example to the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, that terrorism can't stop us.

In the wake of the attacks, Giuliani was widely hailed for his leadership during the crisis. Giuliani received a 79 percent approval rating among New York City voters shortly after the attacks and Oprah Winfrey referred to him as "America's Mayor". Later that year, Time magazine named Giuliani its Person of the Year for 2001.

Amazingly enough and despite his father’s obvious character flaws, he loved his dad dearly and gave him a lot of credit for his ability to deal with the chaos of 9/11. “The most important lesson my dad taught me was how to manage fear. Early on, he taught me that in a time of emergency, you've got to become deliberately calm. The more people are yelling and screaming around you, the calmer you should become. Become unnaturally calm. Somebody's got to be able to figure a way out of the jam. And you'll be able to do that."

Rudy Giuliani’s grit, determination and calm resolve galvanized our planet’s greatest nation and we found a way through the smoke and debris to become even stronger and more resilient. The next time you’re faced with a crisis, don’t allow collective fear and hysteria to sweep you up. Try following Rudy Giuliani’s example by remaining calm, proactive and determined. The results will likely amaze you.