Were These the Two Last Items Sold Before the World Trade Center Fell?

DENVER, Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Contained in the new book from TJFR Press, "September Twelfth: An American Comeback Story," is a photo of what may well be the last receipt generated in the shops of the World Trade Center before the Twin Towers collapsed.

The receipt, for two $5 refrigerator magnets plus tax, is from the Lechters Housewares store located on the concourse of the North Tower. It is time-stamped "8:55 AM," nine minutes after American Airlines Flight #11 struck the North Tower, 90-plus floors above Lechters.

The story of the receipt is one of many touching 9/11 anecdotes that author Dean Rotbart includes in his detailed account of how the staff of The Wall Street Journal responded when the paper's headquarters — located directly across the street from the World Trade Center — was decimated by smoke, ash, and falling debris.

As Rotbart writes in "September Twelfth":

"For Rebecca Distler, September 12, 2001, promised to be an extra special day. Not only was the sixth-grader turning eleven years old, but she had just started at a new school. Rebecca told her mom, Joanne Lipman, a senior editor at The Wall Street Journal, that she'd like refrigerator magnets for her locker.

"Before work on the morning of September 11, Lipman was browsing the aisles of the Lechters Housewares store located on the concourse of the World Trade Center. When she spotted a violin-shaped magnet, she knew it would be perfect for Rebecca. The novelty had a button in the middle that, when pushed, played a little tune. Lipman pressed it idly while waiting to check out.

"For good measure, Lipman also grabbed a magnet in the shape of a flip mobile phone."

Before the day ended, Lipman would play a key role in producing the Pulitzer Prize-winning next day edition of the Journal.

As Lipman waited to pay, she could hear a commotion coming from the corridor. She witnessed a security guard shooing a crowd of people toward the World Trade Center's Church Street exit.

The Lechters cashier was concerned.

"Everybody's running. Maybe we should get out of here."

Lipman pushed the two magnets forward.

Once again, the anxious cashier looked apprehensively toward the concourse.

"We've got to leave."

Rotbart writes that Lipman was, and is, an exceptionally congenial individual. "But she didn't rise to the upper echelons of the journalism profession without knowing how to stand her ground. All the more so when the cause was Rebecca's birthday."

Lipman rolled her eyes at the nervous cashier. After all, the editor hadn't heard anything. The commuters being steered to the exits looked more annoyed than worried. Lipman figured whatever it was, it was most likely a false alarm.

"Ring this up first. I'm not leaving until I pay."

Lipman handed the cashier a $20 bill to cover the two five-dollar magnets. Adding in the 83 cents in sales tax, the cashier returned $9.17 and a receipt.

Rebecca Distler, who will turn 31 years old on September 12, 2021, was married in June 2019. She is a leader in the field of global digital health. Rotbart doesn't know if she still has the two magnets, but he assumes that she does.

Lipman, Rebecca's mother, is now a Yale University journalism lecturer, an on-air contributor to CNBC, and the bestselling author of "That's What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together."

Lipman still has her Lechters receipt.

"September Twelfth" is a universal and timeless comeback story offering models of courage, determination, and resurrection.

Journalism groups, independent booksellers, schools, businesses, museums, and others interested in purchasing bulk copies, or copies for resale, may place their orders at [email protected]. For pricing details and additional information, phone 1-800-TJFR-659 (800-853-7659).

To schedule interviews or media appearances with Rotbart, contact TJFR Press at [email protected] or phone 303-296-1200.

SOURCE TJFR Press