Remembering 9/11: Heartbreaking final words and calls of those who died inside the Twin Towers

They were the final desperate acts of the trapped workers as smoke engulfed the Twin Towers.

More than 1,000 phone calls were made in just 10 minutes after the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, struck the buildings - and thousands more kept calling as the horror unfolded.

Some reached loved ones, others left heart-rending messages.

On the 17th anniversary of 9/11 we look, in moving detail, at some of those last conversations.

Kevin Cosgrove - 105 floor

Dad-of-three Kevin, 45, was one of the few people still on the line to emergency services as the South Tower collapsed.

The Aon Corporation vice president’s frantic call ended abruptly with screams and the sound of debris falling on him.

He called at 9.45am.

Cosgrove: Lady, there’s two of us in this office. We’re not ready to die but it’s getting bad.

911: We’re getting there.

Cosgrove: Doesn’t feel like it man, I got kids.

Cosgrove: There’s smoke really bad.

911: Sit tight and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.

Cosgrove: I know you’ve got a lot in the building but we’re up on the top. Smoke rises too. Come on, I can barely breathe now — can’t see. It’s really bad, it’s black, it’s arid. We’re young men, not ready to die.

911: Hello?

Cosgrove: Hello … there’s three of us, two broken windows … Oh God — oh!

His phone call ends abruptly, with screams and the sound of debris falling as the call cuts off.

(Rushing sound of collapsing building).

Ceecee Lyles

The flight attendant was working on board United Airlines Flight 93 when the plane was hijacked.

The mother-of-four called home twice, but couldn't reach her police officer husband, who was sleeping after his night shift.

“Hi baby,” Ms Lyles said in her voicemail. “I’m — baby, you have to listen to me carefully. I’m on a plane that’s been hijacked. I’m on the plane, I’m calling from the plane.

“I want to tell you that I love you. Please tell my children that I love them very much. And I’m so sorry baby.

“I don’t know what to say. There’s three guys, they’ve hijacked the plane … we’re turned around and I heard that there’s planes that have been flown into the World Trade Center.

“I hope to see your face again, baby. I love you.

“Bye.”

Betty Ong

Bety was a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles - the first plane to be hijacked. She phoned American Airlines reservations and Nydia Gonzalez, an operations agent, using a seat back Airfone located near the back of the plan.

Ong: The cockpit’s not answering. Somebody’s stabbed in business class, and um, I think there is mace that we can’t breathe. I don’t know, I think we’re getting hijacked … my name is Betty Ong. I’m Number 3 on Flight 11.

AAL: Can you describe the person, that you said someone is what in business class?

Ong: I’m — I’m sitting in the back, somebody’s coming back from business. If you can hold on for one second, they’re coming back. (Inaudible) Anyone know who stabbed who?

Background: I don’t know, but Karen and Bobby got stabbed.

Ong: Our — our Number 1 got stabbed. Our purser is stabbed. Ah, nobody knows who stabbed who and we can’t even get up to business class right now because nobody can breathe. Our Number 1 is — is stabbed right now. And our Number 5. Our first-class passenger that, first class galley flight attendant and our purser has been stabbed and we can’t get to the cockpit, the door won’t open. Hello? … Can anybody get up to the cockpit? We can’t even get into the cockpit. We don’t know who’s up there.

AAL: Well if they were shrewd, they would keep the door closed, and —

Ong: I’m sorry?

AAL: Would they not maintain a sterile cockpit?

Ong: I think the guys are up there. They might have gone there — jammed their way up there, or something. Nobody can call the cockpit. We can’t even get inside.

(American Airlines relays the information to an emergency line)

AAL: What’s going on, Betty? Betty, talk to me. Betty, are you there? Betty? (Inaudible) Do you think we lost her? OK, so we’ll like — we’ll stay open. We — I think we might have lost her.

Brian Sweeney

“Jules, this is Brian. Listen, I’m on an airplane that’s been hijacked,” said Brian, a 38-year-old aeronautics consultant and former Navy pilot. “If things don’t go well, and it’s not looking good, I just want you to know that I absolutely love you.

“I want you to do good, go have good times — same to my parents and everybody — and I just totally love you … and I’ll see you when you get there.

“Bye babe. I hope I call you.”

He called his mother straight after.

“They might come back here,” he said. “I might have to go. We are going to try to do something about this.”

Shimmy

When the first plane hit, systems analyst Shimmy, 42, called wife Miriam.

He told her: “There’s been an explosion next door. Don’t worry. I’m OK.”

But before he could escape the second plane hit and he became stuck.

Friend Dovid tried to help him through his ordeal:

DOVID: Just hang in there. Just breathe slowly through a towel. You just have to stay calm. As a last resort, break the window just to get a little air in.

SHIMMY: (Talking to others) He says as a last resort we should break the window.

DOVID: If you’re running out of air do that.

Shimmy made several calls before being cut off at 9.59am, screaming “Oh God!”.

Stephen Mulderry

The 33-year-old equity trader left a loving message to mum Anne when people began falling from the windows above.

He told her: “Mom, my building’s been hit by a plane. And right now... I think I’m OK, I’m safe now but it’s smoky.

“I just want to say how much I love you (voice breaks a little) and I will call you when I’m safe. OK mom? Bye.” Stephen had first spoken to brother Peter after his tower was attacked – casually answering his phone “What’s up brother?”

He had tried to make it to the roof with six others but the doors were locked.

Stephen’s relatives tried to contact him before the tower fell. His mum was in a yoga class when he called.

Orio Palmer, Floor 78

Her fire chief Orio, 45, fixed a lift and took it to the 40th floor before traipsing up an incredible 38 flights of stairs with heavy kit.

In a radio conversation with colleagues, he reveals the chaos before him.

Crew: What floor should we try to get up to, Orio?

ORIO: I’m up to 55.

We’re going to have to hoof it. B stairway walls have been compromised on 73 and 74. The walls are breached so be careful. We’ve got two isolated pockets of fire. 78th floor, numerous 10-45 code ones (civilian fatalities).

Crew: Floor 78?

ORIO: 10-4. We need 2 engines.

Crew: We’re on our way.

His family took comfort in the relief victims would have felt seeing him.

Brad Fetchet, Floor 89

The stock trader, 24, was in the South Tower as the first plane hit.

Minutes before his own building was struck he called dad Frank, girlfriend Brooke and left this message for his mother Mary:

“Hey Mom. I’m sure you’ve heard a plane crashed into World Trade Center One. I’m obviously alive and well but obviously pretty scared.

Saw a guy fall out of probably the 91st storey all the way down. You’re welcome to give a call. Love you.”

Jim Gartenberg, Floor 86

The real estate broker had just accepted a promotion at another firm and was clearing his desk for the move.

He left a frantic message for wife Jill and daughter Nicole, two, as he became trapped. Jim, 35 – about to be a dad again – said: “There’s a fire. I love you, tell Nicole ‘I love you’. I don’t know if I’m going to be OK. I love you so much.”

Jill did finally manage to speak to him after hearing the message. She went on to have another daughter, Jamie.

As Jim waited for emergency services, he rang ABC News who aired his call live:

JG: I’m stuck right now.

ABC: Now are you above, Jim, or below?

JG: I have no idea, I have no idea where the plane hit.

ABC: There were two planes. One went into one tower, one the other. What do you see around you? Are you in smoke? Are you in fire?

JG: Debris is falling around us and part of the core of the building has been blown out.

ABC: How many other people are with you Jim?

JG: One other person... On the air I want to tell anybody who has a family member in the building that the situation is under control... Please all family members, take it easy.

Melissa Doi - 83rd floor

The Northwestern University graduate dreamed of becoming a ballerina, and worked as a manager at IQ Financial Systems.

She called 911 from the 83rd floor of the South Tower.

Doi: It’s very hot, I see … I don’t see, I don’t see any air any more!

911: OK …

Doi: All I see is smoke.

Doi: OK dear, I’m so sorry, hold on for a sec, stay calm with me, stay calm, listen, listen, the call is in, I’m documenting, hold on one second please …

Doi: I’m going to die, aren’t I?

911: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, say your — ma’am, say your prayers.

Doi: I’m going to die.

911: You gotta think positive, because you gotta help each other get off the floor.

Doi: I’m going to die.

911: Now look, stay calm, stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.

Doi: Please God …

Melissa Harrington Hughes, Floor 101

Melissa, 31, was only in New York for one day to oversee her software firm’s merger.

She made a tearful call home to husband Sean Hughes in San Francisco – but missed him as he was still in bed.

“I just wanted to let you know I love you and I’m stuck in this building in New York.

“There’s lots of smoke and I just wanted you to know I love you always.”

Minutes after the impact she called her dad Bob, who had to get her to calm down so he could understand her.

He hadn’t seen the news yet but when he turned on a bulletin while on the phone, the true extent of his daughter’s terrifying ordeal became clear.

Brian Nunez, Floor 104

Brian, 29, was struggling to breathe when he tried to ring brother Neal twice.

But Neal had just got home from a nightshift and was trying to sleep.

Office manager Brian’s message said: “A plane crashed into the Trade Center. It’s on fire, and I’m in it, and I can’t breathe. Tell everyone I love them, and if I don’t get out... goodbye.”

For the past eight years Neal has wondered how their chat might have gone.

Christopher Hanley, Floor 106

The Reuters news agency worker, 31, made one of the first 911 calls that morning from 80 floors above the crash.

Despite his desperation he still managed to be polite to the emergency operator.

CH: Hi, I’m on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center – we just heard an explosion.

911: 106th floor?

CH: Yes.

911: OK.

CH: We have smoke and it’s pretty bad. We can’t get down the stairs. We have about 100 people up here. I can see smoke coming up from outside the windows now.

911:: We’re on our way, sit tight.

CH:: I’ll do that. Alright. please hurry.

He was soon overcome by smoke and heat from the inferno.

For parents Joe and Marie, the recording brought comfort he kept his manners amid his ordeal.