After New York City's Twin Towers were destroyed on September 11, 2001, rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers began uncovering tragic artifacts at Ground Zero — including some victims' damaged ID cards.
September 11, 2001 was one of the darkest days in modern American history. In a series of coordinated terrorist attacks, carried out by al-Qaeda, hijacked commercial planes were turned into deadly weapons that struck symbols of U.S. economic, military, and political power.
The most infamous of these attacks, however, was the targeted strike on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Thousands of people were killed and the Manhattan skyline was permanently changed. The assault was as psychological as it was physical, leaving deep emotional scars on survivors, families of victims, and the nation as a whole.
In the aftermath, countless people desperately searched for any signs of their missing loved ones near the fallen towers. Hospitals prepared for a sudden influx of survivors, but that rush sadly never came. Rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers soon discovered that Ground Zero had essentially become a mass grave, leaving many victims unable to tell their stories.
The workers did, however, find one way to tell the victims’ stories, as they collected a series of identification cards belonging to some who perished in the towers that day. Now in the possession of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, these ID cards help illustrate the true human cost of the tragedy.
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The ID card of Catherine Nardella, a resident of Bloomfield, New Jersey. An active member of her local Catholic church, she served as a lector and sang in the choir. She worked as an insurance consultant at Aon Corporation and was at her office near the top of the South Tower on September 11th. She was 40 when she died in the attacks.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The badly damaged ID card of Gavkharoy Kamardinova. Born in Uzbekistan, she came to the U.S. on a student visa, attended the Spanish-American Institute, and settled in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. On September 11, 2001, she was working at an Amish Market in the South Tower that served Aon Corporation. She was 26 when she died.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Robert Gschaar, who lived in Spring Valley, New York, with his wife Myrta. Throughout their marriage, the couple each carried a $2 bill — a symbol of Robert’s reminder that they were two of a kind. In July 2001, he joined Aon Corporation as an insurance underwriter. On September 11th, he was at his office on the 92nd floor of the South Tower. He was 55 years old when he died in the attacks.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Paul Eckna, who lived in West New York, New Jersey. A lifelong football player, he continued the sport in college at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. After graduating, he became a bond broker at Cantor Fitzgerald. On September 11th, he was at his office on the 104th floor of the North Tower. He was 28 years old.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of David Lee, a Brooklyn native who lived with his wife Angela in West Orange, New Jersey. Eager to become a father, he had begun collecting stuffed toys for the baby they were expecting in early 2002 and had already chosen names for both a boy and a girl. On September 11th, he was at work on the 94th floor of the South Tower, serving as a senior vice president at Fiduciary Trust. He was 37 years old.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Lukasz T. Milewski. A college student studying marketing and management in Poland, he moved to Queens in July 2001 and took a summer job with Forte Food, serving in Cantor Fitzgerald’s cafeteria. On September 11th, he was working on the 101st floor of the North Tower. He was 21 years old.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of David Bauer. Bauer lived in Rumson, New Jersey, with his wife Virginia and their three children. He was the managing director and head of sales at eSpeed, a Cantor Fitzgerald subsidiary. A longtime athlete, he had remained active in sports and had even competed in a triathlon the weekend before September 11th. On the day of the attacks, he was at his office on the 105th floor of the North Tower. He was 45 years old when he died.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Uhuru "Gonja" Houston, who worked for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. Houston was born in Brooklyn and grew up in the Canarsie housing projects, where he earned money by sewing clothes and cutting hair. He later settled in Englewood, New Jersey, with his wife, Sonya, and their two children. A PAPD officer assigned to the World Trade Center, he helped evacuate the PATH station on September 11th before helping at the towers. He was 32 when he died in the attacks.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of FDNY Capt. William F. Burke Jr. During his two decades with the fire department, Burke had a reputation for always putting his men first. This was more than proven true on September 11, 2001, when he ordered his whole company out of the North Tower while he bravely stayed behind looking for more people to rescue. Burke was the only member of Engine 21 to die in the attacks. He was 46.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Nancy Seliga, who survived the 9/11 attack (and the earlier 1993 World Trade Center Bombing). Seliga worked for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and was the general manager of the North Tower at the time of the 9/11 attacks. After the Twin Towers fell, she was tasked with notifying family members of victims when remains were found, and she also helped fellow survivors reunite with their personal items that had been found in the debris.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Jason Cefalu, a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. He enjoyed fishing and traveling in his spare time. While at Hofstra University, he was active in the Young Republicans and worked on political campaigns. On September 11th, he was at his office in the North Tower. He was 30 when he perished in the attacks.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Marc Murolo, who worked as a vice president in government bonds at Cantor Fitzgerald. In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with family and friends, cheering for the Mets, and enjoying home-cooked meals. He was in his office in the North Tower during the 9/11 attacks. He was 28 years old when he died.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Summit Security guard Ronald Hoerner. A Queens native, he previously had a career as a state trooper. On September 11th, the 58-year-old was last seen helping a woman evacuate the South Tower.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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Lorraine Mary Greene Lee, a Staten Island resident who worked as an administrative assistant at Aon Corporation. She was at her office on the 101st floor of the South Tower during the 9/11 attacks. She was 37 years old when she died on September 11th.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Gordon M. Aamoth Jr., a Minnesotan who moved to New York to be an investment banker at Sandler O'Neill & Partners. He closed the biggest merger deal of his career on September 10th. One day later, the 32-year-old was on the 104th floor of the South Tower when the attacks unfolded, leading to his death. 9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Edward Beyea, who worked for Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Beyea had been paralyzed from the neck down for about 20 years due to a diving accident, so he had to use a wheelchair. On September 11, 2001, the 42-year-old tragically couldn't leave his office on the 27th floor of the North Tower, as the elevators weren't working and he was unable to descend the stairs. But he didn't die alone — as his coworker and friend Abraham Zelmanowitz chose to stay with him.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Lyudmila Ksido, a Ukrainian widow who had moved to the U.S. with her one-year-old son in 1979. She eventually settled in Brooklyn with her new husband Felix and had two more sons. She was at work on the 94th floor of the North Tower on September 11th. She was 46 years old. 9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Christopher Briggs Young. Young, a temporary employee at Marsh & McLennan, was alone in a descending express elevator in the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. when a hijacked plane struck the building, bringing the car to an abrupt stop. He was trapped for over an hour. Ironically, it was the collapse of the South Tower that saved his life, as it caused a power failure that allowed him to pry open the elevator doors and escape the North Tower just moments before that building collapsed too.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Patricia Fagan, a Manhattan native, who later moved to Toms River, New Jersey. Known for her outgoing nature and ease in striking up conversations, she served as a greeter at her local Catholic church’s Saturday evening Mass. Professionally, she was an assistant vice president at Aon Corporation. On September 11th, she was at her office on the 98th floor of the South Tower. She was 55 when she died.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The tattered ID card of Abraham Zelmanowitz, a computer programmer for Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Though Zelmanowitz worked on the 27th floor of the North Tower, well below the impact zone of the plane crash on 9/11, he refused to evacuate the building — because his coworker and friend Ed Beyea used a wheelchair and was unable to descend the stairs. Zelmanowitz, 55, perished alongside Beyea when the tower collapsed.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Yvette Moreno, a lifelong Bronx resident, who lived with her mother and brother. She worked as a receptionist at Carr Futures on the 92nd floor of the North Tower while taking college classes, with the goal of becoming a guidance counselor someday. Just before September 11th, she had purchased her first car, a Mitsubishi. On the morning of the attacks, as she was leaving her office building, she was fatally struck by debris from the collapsing South Tower. She was 24 years old.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Paul J. Simon, who worked for Marsh & McLennan as a computer consultant. He met his beloved wife Shelley when they were just children, and the two stayed together for about 40 years. When not at their Staten Island home, the couple enjoyed their summer house in New Jersey. On September 11th, Paul J. Simon was at work in the North Tower. He was 54.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Erik Isbrandtsen, an industrial sales trader at Cantor Fitzgerald. Raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts, he attended Babson College, where he played on the soccer team, a sport he continued to enjoy after moving to New York City. Isbrandtsen was working in his office in the North Tower on September 11th. He was 30.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of William Wren, a retired member of the FDNY who eventually became the World Trade Center’s fire safety director. He resided on Long Island with his wife, Patricia, and the couple's two sons, and enjoyed learning about art and art history. On September 11th, he assisted in the evacuation of the towers. He was 61 years old when he died in the attacks.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Joanne "JoJo" Capestro, an employee at May Davis Group who evacuated from the 87th floor of the North Tower. She survived, but wasn't able to reach her home in Brooklyn until later in the day. Her ID card was later recovered from Ground Zero.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Glen Pettit. A police officer, photographer, and videographer, Pettit also freelanced as a television news camera operator. Starting in 1997, the NYPD tapped Pettit to document rescues for training and promotional videos. On September 11th, he reported to the World Trade Center to record the department’s rescue efforts. He was 30 years old when he died.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Julio Fernandez, a Peruvian man who settled in Queens with his wife Enriqueta and their two sons. He loved playing football and cooking traditional Peruvian dishes for family and friends. A union painter with OneSource Hudson Shatz, he was working in the South Tower on September 11th. Though he evacuated, he was caught in the collapse. He was 51.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Adriane Scibetta, a Brooklyn native who eventually moved to Staten Island, where she lived with her husband, Charles, and their two young children. She enjoyed tending to her garden and often spoke of leaving her accounting job at Cantor Fitzgerald to return to school and pursue her real dream of becoming a math teacher. On September 11th, she was at Cantor Fitzgerald’s offices on the 101st floor of the North Tower. She was 31.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Douglas Gardner, a lifelong New Yorker who lived with his wife Jennifer and their two children. An avid basketball player, he also dedicated much of his time to charitable causes. Professionally, he was the executive managing director of Cantor Fitzgerald and vice chairman of eSpeed. On September 11th, he was at his office in the North Tower. He was 39.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Freeport, Long Island native John Perry, who later moved to Manhattan. He served as an NYPD officer with the 40th Precinct and as a New York State Guard first lieutenant. In addition, he held a law degree and sat on the board of the New York Civil Liberties Union. Perry was actually planning to retire from the police force to practice law full time. Despite this, and the fact that he was off duty on September 11th, he still responded to the towers, leading to his death. He was 38.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of James Reilly, a Huntington, Long Island native who later moved to Manhattan. Known for his humor, he often brought laughter to his family. Once, to entertain his young nieces and nephews, he managed to squeeze his nearly six-foot frame into a child-size electronic train. On September 11th, he was on the 89th floor of the South Tower, working as a bond trader at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. He was 25.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of physician Paul Ambrose. He served as a senior clinical advisor in the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, focusing on issues such as obesity prevention. On September 11th, he was aboard American Airlines Flight 77 en route to a conference in California. He was 32 years old when that hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon.9/11 Memorial & Museum
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The ID card of Gregory James Trost, a research analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. A big fan of Neil Young, Trost made a point to learn the words to all his songs. He was on the South Tower’s 89th floor during 9/11. Trost was 26 years old.9/11 Memorial & Museum
ID Cards From 9/11 Victims And Survivors That Reveal The Tragedy Of America’s Worst Terrorist Attack
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The Horrific Attack On The World Trade Center
On the morning of September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners. Two of them — American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 — were directed toward the Twin Towers in Manhattan.
Flight 11 struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m., tearing through floors 93 to 99. The impact immediately killed hundreds and trapped many more above the crash site. Then, at 9:03 a.m., Flight 175 hit the South Tower between the 77th and 85th floors, confirming that the unfolding disaster was an intentional act of terror, rather than an accident.
The collisions caused catastrophic structural damage, and the resulting fires weakened the buildings even further. At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed in a massive cloud of dust and debris, shocking bystanders nearby and everyone worldwide who had been watching live television coverage of the attack. Not long afterward, at 10:28 a.m., the North Tower also collapsed.
Wikimedia CommonsUnited Airlines Flight 175 crashing into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
In total, 2,977 innocent people were killed in the attacks across all the sites, with most of those deaths occurring at the World Trade Center. Victims included office workers, airplane passengers, firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel who rushed toward the towers to save lives.
The destruction didn't stop at the towers themselves, either. The surrounding area — including nearby buildings, subway stations, and streets — was devastated by falling debris, fires, and toxic dust. First responders worked tirelessly under dangerous conditions, unaware of the long-term health consequences that would follow their ongoing exposure to asbestos, pulverized concrete, and other hazardous materials.
The Immediate Aftermath And Cleanup Efforts
In the days and weeks after 9/11, countless Americans were overwhelmed with a strong sense of fear, sorrow, and unity. Vigils, memorials, and moments of silence were held nationwide to honor the victims, while workers at Ground Zero sifted through the rubble and debris.
The American government, meanwhile, began to take measures to prevent a similar attack from happening in the future. Security in particular tightened across borders, airports, and public spaces, and the attacks led to many policy changes — notably, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, and the expansion of intelligence-gathering and counterterrorism efforts.
Public Domain9/11 survivors at Ground Zero, covered in dust as they head toward safer areas.
But these reactionary measures weren't limited to American soil. Within a month, the U.S. launched Operation Enduring Freedom, beginning the war in Afghanistan with the stated goal of dismantling al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. The memory of 9/11 also influenced the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and went on to shape years of American foreign policy in the Middle East.
The health effects on first responders, construction workers, and nearby locals, meanwhile, continued for years after 9/11. Many developed respiratory illnesses, cancers, and other long-term conditions caused by exposure to toxic dust and other hazardous materials, adding yet another layer of tragedy to the already immense human cost of the attacks.
The cleanup of Ground Zero went on for about eight months. Steel beams were removed piece by piece, remains were carefully recovered, and the site gradually transitioned from a place of devastation to one of remembrance. Now, many items recovered from the site — including the ID cards of some people who perished in the World Trade Center that day — are held at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, where they serve as a permanent reminder of the national tragedy that America suffered back in 2001.
ID Cards And Other Tragic Artifacts At The 9/11 Memorial & Museum
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City houses a collection of artifacts that serve to humanize the statistics and headlines from 9/11. Among these 9/11 artifacts are the ID cards of some victims who died at the World Trade Center — small, everyday objects that now hold immense symbolic weight. They show how an otherwise routine day suddenly became a great tragedy. No one walked into work that day expecting to die.
Wikimedia CommonsThe 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.
By placing these ID cards alongside other recovered items like wallets, jewelry, fire helmets, and pieces of twisted steel, the museum reminds visitors that 9/11 was more than just a devastating attack — it was also a deeply personal, intimate disaster for thousands of people.
In preserving the victims' identities, the museum is also reclaiming those identities from the terrorists who sought to erase them.
The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 was a defining moment in global history that reshaped the physical, emotional, and political landscape of the United States. But through the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the deeply personal stories of the people who suffered the most endure, reminding us all of the innocent lives that were lost that day.
A staff writer for All That's Interesting since 2022, Austin Harvey has also had work published with Discover Magazine, Giddy, and Lucid, covering topics including history, and sociology. He has published more than 1,000 pieces, largely covering modern history and archaeology. He is a co-host of the History Uncovered podcast as well as a co-host and founder of the Conspiracy Realists podcast. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Point Park University. He is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Jaclyn Anglis is the senior managing editor at All That's Interesting, where she has worked since 2019. She holds a Master's degree in journalism from the City University of New York and a dual Bachelor's degree in English writing and history from DePauw University. In a career that spans 11 years, she has also worked with the New York Daily News, Bustle, and Bauer Xcel Media. Her interests include American history, true crime, modern history, and science.
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Harvey, Austin. "ID Cards From 9/11 Victims And Survivors That Reveal The Tragedy Of America’s Worst Terrorist Attack." AllThatsInteresting.com, September 11, 2025, https://allthatsinteresting.com/9-11-id-cards. Accessed September 12, 2025.
