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Lisa Lefler's Briefcase, World Trade Center

American History Museum

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Object Details

user

Lefler, Lisa

maker

Heritage

Description

Lisa Lefler's briefcase was recovered from the World Trade Center wreckage.
World Trade Center workers had varied experiences on September 11. While about 2,200 office workers were killed, over 20,000 managed to escape the Twin Towers.
When the first plane struck the north tower, Lisa Lefler, an Aon Risk Services executive, immediately evacuated her 103rd-floor office in the south tower. In her haste she left her briefcase behind. Seventeen minutes after the north tower was hit the south tower was struck, cutting off the escape path above the 78th floor. Fifty-six minutes later, the entire building collapsed, killing 175 of Lefler's fellow Aon employees.
Several days later, Boyd E. Harden, a rescue worker at Ground Zero, found the briefcase in the debris near Church and Liberty Streets and returned it to Lefler.

Location

Currently not on view

ID Number

2002.0053.01

accession number

2002.0053

catalog number

2002.0053.01

Object Name

Briefcase

Measurements

overall: 35 cm x 44 cm x 10 cm; 13 3/4 in x 17 5/16 in x 3 15/16 in

used

United States: New York, Manhattan, World Trade Center

See more items in

Military and Society: Armed Forces History, 9/11
September 11

Data Source

National Museum of American History

associated subject

September 11 Terrorist Attacks

related event

Attack on the World Trade Center
September 11th Attacks

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-3c93-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record ID

nmah_1000867
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