Woman Launches Search To Find People Her Dad Helped On 9/11

A woman has launched a search for the people her late dad helped on 9/11.

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the 11 September terrorist attacks, which claimed 2,977 lives.

Now, Mercedes Martinez is trying to track down the seven people her 'hero' dad helped on that fateful day.

Taking to Twitter, radio host Mercedes said her dad was flying from Ohio home to Denver when the pilot announced there had been a security breach and the plane needed to be grounded.

Aware something was wrong, Mercedes' dad hired a rental van before the plane had even landed.

After disembarking and catching wind of what was going on, he rustled up a DIY sign and wrote on it: "Going to Denver."

He quickly filled the van with 'scared' strangers and drove from Omaha to Denver (more than 250 miles).

Each passenger was dropped right at their door, and he declined money for fuel or the cost of renting the van.

Mercedes' dad stayed in touch with a number of those strangers, but he sadly died of brain cancer in 2016.

Mercedes is now trying to track them down on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.

She wrote: "My dad died from brain cancer on July 24, 2016. I often wonder if those people still remember him. I wonder if on the 20th anniversary of that day, will they think of him for a split second when they reflect on where they were?

"I know social media is powerful and I'm really hoping this tweet finds those people. I'd love to hear about that drive. His name is Emilio. And I know there were so many heroes that day. I am grateful for each and every one. My dad has and always will be my hero.

"And I do believe my dad was a hero to 7 people that needed to get to their families in Denver on September 11th, 2001."

If you're one of them, please send Mercedes a DM.

Topics: Viral, 9/11, Awesome, Inspirational, Interesting, Community

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey