In the Shadow of 9/11, Two Strangers Found Comfort, Healing, and Love

Two strangers fell in love after 9/11, while working at the wreckage site. It was a unique experience that few people share, and they’ve gone through it together. It’s so sweet to see something beautiful like this come out of our nation’s deep tragedy. 

A Near-Death Experience

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“On September 11th, I was in Tower 1 on the B4 level, four levels below ground,” Bianca Figueroa-Greco explained. “I worked for Turner Construction. They were the general contractor in the building, fixing up the mechanical rooms. I heard the elevator falling in the shafts, and then there was a rushing explosion sound that entered our office.”

She didn’t know what was happening as smoke filled the rooms. The doors were locked, and they couldn’t get out. Then a maintenance man, Ed McCabe, came through with keys and unlocked the doors. Once she made it outside to the sidewalk, she heard another boom–the second plane crashing into the Twin Towers. 

She crawled under a car for protection as debris rained down. She waited until it stopped to crawl out. Another man who crawled out from a vehicle was on fire, and Bianca helped put it out. They both saw shock and horror on each other’s faces. Bianca ran away from the damage and jumped on a train to the Bronx.  

They Both Wanted to Help in the Disaster Recovery

Meanwhile, her now-husband, Rafe Creco, was working in construction in Times Square. His company sent the employees home, but he was restless, pacing in front of his TV. Later that night, he went to volunteer. He went to the scene and used his welding skills to help clean up and retrieve victims.

“It was very disorienting. Everything was gray. All of the street signs were covered up. You couldn't tell where you were, and I knew the area,” he explained. 

He says he worked for three days straight and was one of the four people who cut down the final beam removed from Ground Zero. 

Two Strangers Fall in Love After 9/11

Three days later, Bianca went back to work at the site. She managed a sheet for the names and signatures of people who signed in and out for construction work. One day, Rafe wrote next to his name, “Would you have lunch?” and she did. 

The couple looks back on 9/11 as a significant part of their lives. It’s easy for them to talk to each other about it, but most people who weren’t there don’t know what it was really like. 

Now that it’s been 25 years since the accident, Bianca is grateful that both she and Rafe are alive and healthy. Many of her former co-workers have passed away. She and Rafe now share two children as well.

“There's a lot of things to be grateful for 25 years later,” Bianca said. 

I’m glad that these people found each other and were able to kindle love amid so much sadness. 

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“Behold, I have refined thee, but not as silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10

WATCH: In the Shadow of 9/11, Two Strangers Found Comfort, Healing and Love 

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h/t: NY1 and Spectrum News

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/NY1 and Spectrum News

Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.