Celebs Who Narrowly Escaped The 9/11 Attacks

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Numerous well-known people have recounted how being slightly off schedule saved them from danger on September 11, 2001. These near misses included things like missing flights, delayed meetings, or even just taking a different route at the last minute. Here are some remarkable stories of how luck and happenstance played a role on that tragic day.

Seth MacFarlane

I remember hearing this story about Seth MacFarlane, the creator of ‘Family Guy.’ He was supposed to be on that first flight, American Airlines Flight 11, from Boston to LA on 9/11. He’d been out the night before and somehow got the departure time wrong, so he missed the flight. He managed to get rebooked on a later one, and then, while still at the airport, he found out Flight 11 had hit the North Tower. He’s said many times that he missed the flight by just a matter of minutes, and it’s just… unbelievable to think about.

Mark Wahlberg

The actor had initially booked a seat on Flight 11, but he changed his travel plans at the last minute. Instead of flying to Los Angeles, he and some friends went to the Toronto film festival. This change of plans meant he wasn’t on the flight that crashed after departing from Logan Airport. He later expressed regret for some statements he’d made about how he might have reacted if he had been on the plane.

Sarah Ferguson

The Duchess of York was scheduled to be at the World Trade Center that morning for work with her charity, which had an office there. Because of a morning interview and some unexpected delays, she didn’t arrive at the building before the attacks happened. Her charity’s office was completely destroyed. Afterwards, she shared a story about members of her team and a small red mascot doll representing the charity that were both found amongst the wreckage.

Michael Jackson

According to his family, the singer was scheduled to be in a meeting at the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11. However, he stayed up late visiting with relatives and overslept, causing him to miss the meeting. He believes that conversation with his family ultimately saved his life, as it kept him away from the towers that day. This story has been shared by his family in numerous interviews and books.

Patti Austin

The Grammy-winning singer was originally scheduled to be on United Flight 93, but she changed her travel plans due to a family medical issue. This meant she flew earlier and wasn’t on the flight when it crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers bravely fought back against the hijackers. She has said that changing her flight saved her life.

Michael Lomonaco

The head chef of the ‘Windows on the World’ restaurant usually arrived at work early, before anyone else. But on September 11th, he stopped to get his glasses fixed in the lobby. This meant he wasn’t on the 106th or 107th floors when the first plane struck the North Tower. His team and many of the restaurant’s regular employees were already upstairs. He later explained that this simple errand unexpectedly saved his life by keeping him out of the building when the attack happened.

Gwyneth Paltrow

While driving in Manhattan, the actress unexpectedly held up a commuter on her way to the World Trade Center. This brief delay caused the woman to miss her regular train and arrive after the initial attack. Gwyneth Paltrow later reached out to the woman, recognizing how their chance meeting altered the course of the day. The woman has since shared that the delay likely saved her life.

Ian Thorpe

The Australian Olympic swimmer had intended to go up to the observation deck that morning. He realized he’d left his camera back at the hotel and had to return to get it. While he was gone, the first plane hit the Twin Towers. He later said that forgetting his camera was what kept him from being at the World Trade Center during the attack.

Gabourey Sidibe

Before becoming a famous actress, she was a student who had a class scheduled near the World Trade Center on 9/11. She slept through her alarm and first learned about the attacks on TV. She later shared that the building where her class was held was damaged when the towers fell. Had she gone to class that morning, she would have been in the area.

Jackie Chan

The actor, known for his roles in action films, was scheduled to film a comedy, including scenes on top of the World Trade Center. However, delays with the script and changes to the filming schedule meant the shoot was canceled. Because of this, he wasn’t at the World Trade Center when the attacks happened, and the movie was ultimately never made.

Julie Stoffer

A former cast member of ‘The Real World: New Orleans’ originally planned to fly from Boston to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight 11. However, she changed her travel plans and canceled the flight. This meant she wasn’t on board when the plane crashed into the North Tower. She later explained that this last-minute decision saved her life.

Rob Lowe

The actor was on a flight from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles in late August 2001, unknowingly sharing the plane with some of the future 9/11 hijackers, who were reportedly using the flight as a practice run. He didn’t notice anything strange during the flight itself. It was only after the attacks that investigators informed him of the connection, a revelation he has since discussed and reflected upon.

James Woods

The actor recalled a strange flight in August 2001 where several passengers acted suspiciously, making him uneasy. He reported his concerns to the flight crew and then to federal investigators. After the 9/11 attacks, he discovered that some of those same men were involved in the hijackings. His story is now seen as an early, though unrecognized, warning sign.

Paul McCartney

The musician was on a plane at JFK airport, ready for takeoff, when the attacks began. After air travel was halted, his flight returned to the gate, and he stayed in New York City. From the plane, he saw smoke billowing from Lower Manhattan. He went on to help organize a major benefit concert to support first responders and the families of the victims.

If you have any other memories or stories from that day, please share them in the comments – we want to include as many perspectives as possible to build a complete record of what happened.

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2025-10-15 19:17