BAYONNE, N.J., Aug. 26 (UPI) — Marcy Borders, a woman who became an iconic representation of the 9/11 tragedy through a picture of her covered in the dust after the attacks, died Monday night after a battle with cancer.
Borders, 42, from Bayonne, N.J., was photographed inside one of the Twin Towers at the time of the attack just before she made her way onto the street. She was 28 at the time when Agence France-Presse photographer Stan Honda took her picture, at the same time that a bystander was instructing her to safety.
Borders was working as a legal assistant for the Bank of America, on the 81st floor of one of the towers. She was running late as al-Qaida terrorists crashed two of four hijacked planes into both towers. The incident took approximately 3,000 lives.
Borders died around 11:10 p.m. according to her brother Michael, who solicited prayers for his sister on Facebook and said he couldn’t believe she was gone.
Borders had been told in August of 2014 that she had stomach cancer, which she later suggested was influenced by her experience during the 9/11 attacks. She claimed that she did not have any illnesses prior to the attack and questioned whether the experience ignited cancer cells in her.
She underwent chemotherapy after she found out about her cancer.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted “Marcy Borders’ passing is a difficult reminder of the tragedy our city suffered nearly 14 years ago. NYC holds her loved ones in our hearts.”
