marcyborders

Her picture really captured the horror and confusion of that day.

Marcy was only 42, and she believed that her stomach cancer was caused by inhaling toxic dust.

RIP, Marcy.

Via Guardian:

It was one of the most haunting images that emerged after 9/11: a woman covered in ash and powdered concrete fleeing the World Trade Center after the first plane struck the tower and brought horror to the heart of New York.

Marcy Borders was a 28-year-old Bank of America worker when the photograph of her staring into the lens with her eyes asquint and her mouth agape was taken. Borders, who came to be known around the world as “dust lady”, died on Monday at the age of 42 after a year-long battle with stomach cancer that she blamed on dust inhaled during the attack….

Borders’ life spiralled downward after that fateful moment in 2001. She battled severe depression and became addicted to crack cocaine. “I didn’t do a day’s work in nearly 10 years, and by 2011 I was a complete mess,” she said. “I was convinced Osama bin Laden was planning more attacks. Every time I saw an aircraft, I panicked. If I saw a man on a building, I was convinced he was going to shoot me.”

After losing custody of her two children, Borders checked into rehab in April 2011 and remained sober. She announced that she’d been diagnosed with stomach cancer and had undergone chemotherapy last summer. She was scheduled to undergo further surgery, radiation and chemotherapy in December.

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5 Comments | Leave a comment
  1. ancientwrrior says:

    Your battle in this world is complete, rest in peace in your heavenly home now. God bless.

  2. Piquerish says:

    This is disturbing and sad in so many aspects. The savages claim another victim, I suppose. Prayers.

  3. Kitten says:

    Such a sad story. In many ways, it sounds as if she didn’t “survive” 9/11.

    Never. Ever. Forget.

  4. Dave says:

    Our loving Father wanted her home.

  5. hbmuzik says:

    Wow…that’s a heartbreaker of a story. So sad that she wasn’t able to “shake off the dust” of that horrible horrible day…I hope she found some support and comfort in the days of fighting her cancer.

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