Channel 4 unveils the remarkable untold story of the 9/11 Lost Hero

21 August 2013

Channel 4 today announced the commission of Steve Humphries gripping new documentary, 9/11: The Lost Hero, which will air on Channel 4 this September close to the 12th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

When the twin towers collapsed almost everyone underneath them was killed.  But two men were trapped, buried alive, 30 feet deep, under the rubble pile. As fires raged around them, the official rescue effort had been suspended, and they thought they were going to die. Until they heard a voice shouting “US Marine Corps – can anybody hear me.”   This man then climbed down and saved them. Incredibly he then disappeared without a trace.  His identity remained a mystery…  

Directed by British filmmaker Steve Humphries, for the first time 9/11: Lost Hero reveals the full and extraordinary true story of modest hero, Jason Thomas: a law student and former member of the US Marine Corps who after witnessing the attack on the first tower, put on his old uniform and drove 30 miles to Ground Zero to save lives.   Not wanting any notoriety – or his wife finding out that he had risked his life – Jason vanished from the scene quickly after his heroic mission.   It was only years later when he was watching TV when he saw a trailer for a Hollywood movie called World Trade Centre, did he realise his story had not gone unnoticed.  Except for one crucial detail…the actor playing him was white – and Jason is black.

Intersecting remarkable unseen footage of Jason running towards the scene with the personal testimonies of those he saved, Steve Humphries’ latest documentary provides a new and in-depth insight in to one of 9/11’s most extraordinary rescues and the man that made it possible.

Ahead of the transmission of The Lost Hero on Channel 4, More 4 will also host a two-night tribute to commemorate Humphries’ award-winning catalogue of films documenting the powerful and unique human stories of 9/11.   Since 2001, Steve – who is also Managing Director of Testimony Films in Bristol – has captured the stories of 9/11 more than anyone else - making a dozen films on the subject.  Broadcast across two consecutive nights, the tribute will feature six films – individually introduced by Humphries - that have previously aired on Channel 4.

David Glover, Senior Commissioning Editor of Specialist Factual, who commissioned 9/11: The Lost Hero and many of the films featured in the tribute night - including 9/11 Hotel, 9/11: Ground Zero Underworld and 9/11: The Miracle Survivor - says:   "It's rather incredible that one filmmaker in Bristol has made more documentaries about 9/11 than America has.   Actually Steve isn't obsessed with 9/11 - his passion is for interviews and the testimony one gets from those who have lived through extraordinarily intense things. His interviews and films are so sensitive and so powerful that other people involved in 9/11 approach him to tell their stories. The resulting films he has made are the most moving I have ever worked on. The narratives are often more unlikely and the characters more heroic than those dreamt of in Hollywood movies. Over two nights on More4 we are showing the very best of his work. “

                                                                               
9/11 Hotel
Nestled beneath and between the twin towers was the Marriott World Trade Center Hotel. Tending to the regular influx of tourists and business travellers, it was one of the busiest hotels in New York City. What happened there is one of the most incredible untold stories of 9/11. While guests were finishing their continental breakfasts and relaxing in the luxury pool on 11 September 2001, the tranquil environment of their hotel was shattered by the roar of jet engines and the horror of burning debris. Though many managed to escape before the towers came crashing down, some guests and staff became trapped after the collapse of the second tower; miraculously, 14 survived. This is the remarkable account of the men and women caught up in this incredible story. They include a British family on holiday; a hotel receptionist; an actress whose actions would later turn her into an American hero; a lawyer who ignored the commotion to prepare for an impending trial and narrowly escaped death; and his fire-fighter rescuer. Illustrated with extraordinary archive footage and first person testimony, this film commemorates the anniversary of 9/11 by telling these exceptional stories of survival and rescue that emerged from the wreckage of the Marriott. Director/Producer: Steven Humphries; Prod Co: Testimony Films

9/11: The Firemen’s Story
The dramatic stories of individual firemen on September 11 2001: those who died, those who survived and those who still bear the scars. Of the 2752 people who died on 9/11, 343 were New York’s firemen: by far the greatest loss of life by any emergency service in the world in a single day. In this documentary, made 10 years after the attacks, the firemen and their families able to speak about their experiences for the first time. Their courage and sacrifice made them national heroes but in the 10 years since many paid a terrible price for their bravery. This film tells the story of the close-knit and unusual brotherhood who call themselves ‘New York's Bravest’, and shows how their bold tradition of rushing into the heart of skyscraper fires cost lives - but saved many more. Prod/ Dir: Joseph Maxwell; Exec Prod: Steve Humphries; Prod Co: Testimony Films

9/11: Ground Zero Underworld
Television viewers all over the world are familiar with the iconic images of destruction and devastation that followed the collapse of the Twin Towers. What people don’t realise is that underneath the gargantuan mountain of rubble that greeted rescuers was an extraordinary world, hundreds of feet deep, which held even more incredible stories. 9/11: Ground Zero Underworld presents the untold stories of those who searched tirelessly for their loved ones, sifting through tonnes of debris in an attempt to bring them home to rest. In the hours and days following the disaster, relatives and friends of those inside the buildings descended on Ground Zero, vowing to find their loved ones, dead or alive. And so began one of the greatest search operations in history - a story of extraordinary courage, perseverance and humanity. Some worked in the emergency services, some were volunteers, but all were driven to Herculean lengths to keep the promise they’d made to themselves and their families. This film follows some of the people engaged in the search effort, documenting the emotional turmoil with heartrending testimony and harrowing, previously unseen footage of the rescue and recovery effort, including the eerie images of police cars lying perfectly preserved beneath 100 feet of debris. Prod/ Dir: Steve Humphries; Prod Co: Testimony Films

9/11: The Miracle of Stairway B
It was the most incredible story of 9/11; how 12 fire-fighters, a police officer and an office worker survived inside the North Tower of the World Trade Center as it collapsed on top of them. In this film, the survivors describe hearing the floors above them giving way, one after another. Convinced that they were about to die, they shared what they assumed were their last thoughts. They then endured burial under half a million tonnes of debris but were able to contact the outside world when all hope seemed lost. Eventually they emerged into the post-apocalyptic landscape of Ground Zero, the only survivors to walk out of the wreckage.  Director/Producer: Steve Humphries; Prod Co: Testimony Films

9/11: The Miracle Survivor
9/11: The Miracle Survivor reveals what could be the last untold survival story from the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York. Survivor Pasquale Buzzelli rode a blizzard of falling debris from a 22nd-floor World Trade Center stairwell and lived, miraculously, to tell his story. Pasquale recalls in extraordinary detail the full story of September 11, 2001. With exclusive access, the documentary follows an awe-inspiring account of events that led to Pasquale’s survival against all odds, providing new inspiration from one of America’s darkest days. His wife, Louise Buzzelli, talks candidly in the film about her experiences dealing with this trauma when she was seven months pregnant. And two firefighters, Mike Morabito and Mike Lyons, also give first-hand accounts of the dramatic rescue they carried out, disobeying orders as they saved Pasquale. Home footage shows Pasquale and Louise making a video for their unborn child, who they had already named Hope. And a leading physicist discusses the science behind Pasquale’s survival; how did he survive the collapse of the North Tower by effectively surfing down it? Prod/ Dir: Steve Humphries, Nick Maddocks; Prod Co: Testimony Films

The Man Who Predicted 9/11
Rick Rescorla died in the World Trade Center trying to save his colleagues. He’d been preparing to avert this kind of disaster for ten years, because Rick was the man who predicted 9/11. This film reveals the extraordinary story of Cornishman Rescorla, whose vital role in the building’s evacuation made him an unsung British hero of that terrible day. As security chief of Morgan Stanley, Rescorla believed that the WTC would suffer an air attack by terrorists using a plane as their weapon. He trained his colleagues in the evacuation of the building.  It is due to his foresight that 2,700 people in his company were saved. The Man Who Predicted 9/11 uses previously unseen archive footage and features heart-rending testimonies from family, friends and colleagues.  Relatives of those who died in other companies in the WTC believe that had Rick worked in their offices many more victims would have survived. Tony Blair lobbied President Bush for Rescorla to receive a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom as tribute to his extraordinary heroism. Director/Producer: Steve Humphries; Prod Co: Testimony Films.

ENDS.