Georgia woman honors first responders after escaping World Trade Center's North Tower on 9/11
For 9/11 survivor Beth Zampieri, remembering that day has become an act of service.
Zampieri was starting her third day at a new job on the 51st floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower when a hijacked plane struck the building on Sept. 11, 2001.
She initially thought there had been an earthquake as the building swayed from side to side. Zampieri began walking down 51 flights of stairs and said seeing firefighters headed in the opposite direction gave her hope.
"The first moment that I knew I was going to be OK was when I saw the firefighters walking up, and that was about the 20th floor," Zampieri told CBS News Atlanta. "What I knew was that if they could get in, I could get out."
Zampieri later moved to metro Atlanta in 2013. She said seeing the anniversary pass like an ordinary day made her uncomfortable and pushed her to find a new way to remember it.
"One of the first anniversaries down here, everybody sort of treated it like any other day," Zampieri said. "For me, that was not my experience. What I decided to do was turn the page on the day."
She began by baking cookies and making cards with her family before visiting local fire stations and police departments. The effort has since grown to include schools, sports teams and community groups that write letters and visit first responders.
"It has grown into something I never imagined," Zampieri said. "Schools are really making it a meaningful event to shine a light on first responders."
Zampieri's story has previously been shared with students in metro Atlanta as part of her effort to honor first responders and keep the history of 9/11 alive, according to the city of Milton.
Restored church organ carries 9/11 history from New York to Georgia
Her path also led her to Johns Creek United Methodist Church, where she learned that its pipe organ came from Trinity Church near the World Trade Center and was affected by the towers' collapse.
"I walked into a Sunday service and read in the program about the organ," Zampieri said. "My thought was, 'Wow, I guess this is where I go to church now.'"
The organ was later restored and given a new home at the Johns Creek church.
"We saw One World Trade Center go back up, a new beacon of resilience and rebirth," said Justin Bowen, the church's associate director of music and organist. "We find a similar metaphor in our organ."
Zampieri now sings in the church choir and said sharing her experience has helped her heal while teaching others about the work first responders do every day.
"I have gotten more and more comfortable sharing it because I've seen the impact on the community," Zampieri said.
Johns Creek United Methodist Church will hold a 9/11 Service of Remembrance from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday. The program will feature organ solos, choral music, prayers, Scripture and readings, according to the church. Organizers said the service is intended to give people who are still grieving a place to find community and hope.
