Michael Hingson

and His Guide Dog “Roselle”

• World Trade Center Survivor

• Public Speaker

• Media Spokesman

As was the case with many Americans, Michael Hingson’s life changed dramatically on September 11th. He and his Guide Dog “Roselle” were the lucky ones, however, in that they escaped the World Trade Center attack. As a WTC survivor and as a Guide Dog user, he was thrust into the international limelight. Michael and “Roselle” have since become well-known as representatives of the strength of the human/animal bond, and have been successful in communicating the power of that bond in many media interviews and public presentations. Michael has traveled with a Guide Dog for 38 years and embodies the lifelong partnerships created by Guide Dogs for the Blind and those they serve.

Prior to becoming the National Public Affairs Representative for Guide Dogs for the Blind, Michael was district sales manager for Quantum Data Protection Division of Irvine, Calif., overseeing a sales force and field operations. He has a master’s degree in physics from the University of California at Irvine. He is a former member of the California State Guide Dog Board, and is a member of the National Federation of the Blind.

Michael has several avenues that he likes to explore with his audiences. Most requested, of course, is the story of his escape, but as Mike defines, “It is only the foundation on which I have built the rest of my life.” Michael’s topics include: Team Building, Establishing Real Trust, Ethics-The Real Bottom Line, Human-Canine Bonding, and many related subjects tailored for his audiences.

The following is a summary of one his most requested presentation.

The Path to Safety:
Michael Hingson Tells His Story

Michael Hingson was on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center in New York on that fateful Tuesday morning when the building was struck by a plane under the control of a terrorist fanatic. His yellow Lab guide, “Roselle,” was sleeping peacefully under his desk, and the two had been going about daily routines. Michael was the district sales manager for a computer data storage company had been hosting a meeting of field representatives. “I heard a loud noise like a bump and then a lot of shaking.

It was worse than any earthquake I’ve ever experienced,” he said. Michael grew up in Palmdale, Calif., and had experienced the Northridge earthquake that the state in ’94, among others. “The building started swaying, and the air was filled with smoke, fire, paper and the smell of kerosene,” he said. The plane had struck 15 floors above him and he knew something serious had happened, and his first thought was to call his wife and then make sure everyone in the office was evacuated safely. His wife would not hear from him again until he emerged from the building hours later. “We knew the emergency exit procedures and people did a very good job of following them,” he said. “Roselle” led him through the disheveled office and to the stairwell to begin the long decent, sometimes guiding, sometimes following behind him when things were tight. Although they didn’t feel anything, Michael estimated that the second plane had struck the other tower when they were somewhere around the 50th floor.

“By the time we reached the bottom, it had become very hard to breathe,” he said. “We were both very hot and tired. ‘Roselle’ was panting and wanted to drink the water that was pooled on the floor.” They continued walking away from the building. They were about two blocks away when Tower 2 began to collapse. “It sounded like a metal and concrete waterfall,” he said. “We started running for the subway.” “Roselle” remained focused on her work and he kept his commands simple. When they emerged and were making their way from the scene, Tower 1 toppled, showering them with ash and debris. “Roselle” guided him to the home of a friend in mid-Manhattan where they stayed until the trains were running again. He finally returned home to his worried wife at 7 p.m. “For me,” Michael said, “the saddest part was talking to the firemen as they were coming up the stairs—that’s what I’ll always remember most. I knew that some of them got kisses from ‘Roselle’—probably the last demonstration of love that they would ever receive.”