Genelle's Surrender

Genelle Guzman McMillan was the last person to be rescued from Ground Zero alive. She had been trapped in the rubble of what remained of the Twin Towers for 27 hours when at last fire fighters heard her calling and pulled her out.

This 30-year-old single mother had only been on the job as a Port Authority clerk for nine months when the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. When the North Tower collapsed, her job was no longer on the 64th floor---there was no 64th floor! Her job became trying to stay alive entombed in the ten floors of twisted steel and smoking debris, hoping for a miracle.

McMillan lay there, "head pinned between two pieces of concrete, legs sandwiched by pieces of a stairway. Her toes had gone numb hours ago. Her right hand was pinned under her leg. Only her left hand was free."

Genelle, had fallen away from her faith God over the years, but in the rubble now, her thoughts turned to Him. Thinking of her 14-year-old daughter, she prayed that her body would at least be found so that it could be buried. Becoming a bit more bold, she revised her prayer and asked the Lord that if she had to die, that she could at least make it to the hospital so she could see her daughter one last time. But as faith seemed to bubble in her heart, she boldly asked her Heavenly Father to be rescued alive.

"I was praying to God: 'God please save my life. Give me a second chance. I promise I will change my life and do your will.'"

McMillan remembers saying that prayer over and over. "God please save my life. Give me a second chance. I promise I will change my life and do your will." She had no idea now how many times she repeated it or how many hours passed. Not long after that she was rescued by fire fighters.

Genelle’s story illustrates a principle that we run from in good times and are brought to remember in a time of peril. Deep down we all know that the crucial issue in our turning to God is the need to surrender our will.