A shift swap on 9/11: The story of the World Trade Center restaurant staff who lost their lives
The Independent • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Sekou Siby survived the 9/11 attacks by swapping shifts with a co-worker, avoiding the fatal morning shift at Windows on the World, the World Trade Center’s top-floor restaurant where all 170 people present perished.
- The new documentary short "Top of the World," directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen, revisits the legacy of Windows on the World, highlighting its status as a cultural landmark and a tight-knit workplace community of immigrant workers from over 60 countries.
- Windows on the World, operating from 1976 until the attacks, was the highest-grossing restaurant in America, known for its glamorous setting 1,300 feet above Manhattan and a diverse staff who built a unique workplace culture.
- Survivors like Siby and head chef Michael Lomonaco reflect on the profound trauma of losing colleagues and friends, emphasizing that the restaurant’s legacy lies in the community and culture it fostered rather than its tragic end.
- The film premieres on CNN on September 7, offering an intimate perspective on the restaurant’s history and the personal stories of its staff before and after the attacks.
