Naman Shrestha
In the tragic events that unfolded on September 11, 2001, Genelle Guzman was one of the few survivors who made it out of the debris of Tower One alive. After being trapped for over 27 hours beneath the rubble, the NYC transit worker lived to tell her tale of courage and faith. These details are recounted in Lifetime’s ‘Angel in the Rubble: The Genelle Guzman Story,’ which is helmed by Manu Boyer. The dramatized account of the tragedy also includes Genelle’s encounter with a mysterious man named Paul, whom she believes was an Angel.
Genelle Guzman’s Will Power to Reunite With Her Family Helped Her Survive
Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Genelle Guzman relocated to the US in 2000 in search of new opportunities. In the initial months, she worked small jobs before landing a job at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as an Office Assistant in 2001. Her office was on the 64th floor of Tower 1 (the North Tower) at the World Trade Center. So, when a plane collided straight into the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, Genelle and the rest of the employees in the North Tower were instructed to evacuate the building. However, she was unable to make it out and was trapped beneath the rubble. After being stuck for approximately 27 hours, she was rescued by first responders in critical condition and rushed to the hospital.
Her faith and the thoughts of reuniting with her daughter, Kimberly, and boyfriend, Roger McMillan, gave her the strength to survive the traumatic ordeal. After healing from her wounds, she tied the knot with Roger in a civil ceremony at the New York City Hall on November 7, 2001. As per reports, given the severity of the injury to her right leg, it took her more than a year to regain the ability to walk. Genelle and Roger threw a big wedding celebration on July 13, 2002, at Bridgewaters (now permanently closed), a wedding venue in Manhattan, New York City. Ginelle, a volunteer at the 9/11 Tribute Center and the American Red Cross, has also received multiple awards for her bravery and courage, including the Medal of Honor from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
Genelle Guzman Continues to Inspire Others Through Her Survival Story
Several years down the line, in 2011, Genelle Guzman-McMillan published a memoir titled ‘Angel in the Rubble: The Miraculous Rescue of 9/11’s Last Survivor,’ wherein she recounts her experience of meeting an Angel while she was stuck beneath the debris. She also began speaking at corporate conferences and other public events to encourage people to lead purposeful lives by sharing her courageous story of adversity and survival. Since 2016, Genelle has been working as a Supervising Office Administrator at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In September 2025, she was a public speaker at Camden County College’s 9/11 commemoration.
Sharing her testimony, she said, “I wasn’t fearful at all after. I knew I was here for a reason. I knew I was saved for a reason, and I knew there was a plan and a purpose in my life, and I wanted to share the story.” She also opened up about making a phone call to her boyfriend at the time, Roger McMillan, whom she later married, to tell him she loved him. Three months later, in December, she was welcomed at Walsh University as a special guest as a part of the Education for Life Colloquium Series.
She spoke about her inspirational and transformational story in the Cecchini Center Auxiliary Gym in front of more than 600 faculty, students, staff, and community members. On the personal front, she is still happily married to Roger McMillan, with whom she has two daughters, Kaydi and Kellie. Genelle also maintains a close bond with her daughter, Kimberly, from a previous relationship. She leads a content life, surrounded by her family and friends, in Valley Stream, Long Island.
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