Faith. Trust. Triumph.
“I trust Roselle with my life, every day. She trusts me to direct her. And today is no different, except the stakes are higher.” — Michael Hingson
First came the boom?the loud, deep, unapologetic bellow that seemed to erupt from the very core of the earth. Eerily, the majestic high-rise slowly leaned to the south. On the seventy-eighth floor of the World Trade Center’s … seventy-eighth floor of the World Trade Center’s north tower, no alarms sounded, and no one had information about what had happened at 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001?what should have been a normal workday for thousands of people. All that was known to the people inside was what they could see out the windows: smoke and fire and millions of pieces of burning paper and other debris falling through the air.
Blind since birth, Michael couldn’t see a thing, but he could hear the sounds of shattering glass, falling debris, and terrified people flooding around him and his guide dog, Roselle. However, Roselle sat calmly beside him. In that moment, Michael chose to trust Roselle’s judgment and not to panic. They are a team.
Thunder Dog allows you entry into the isolated, fume-filled chamber of stairwell B to experience survival through the eyes of a blind man and his beloved guide dog. Live each moment from the second a Boeing 767 hits the north tower, to the harrowing stairwell escape, to dodging death a second time as both towers fold into the earth.
It’s the 9/11 story that will forever change your spirit and your perspective. Thunder Dog illumiates Hingson’s lifelong determination to achieve parity in a sighted world, and how the rare trust between a man and his guide dog can inspire an unshakable faith in each one of us.
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One of the several stories about service dogs involved in the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Almost too realistic but true story. Makes you appreciate the bond between dogs and their companions in even terrifying conditions.
Wonderful story about how a blind man survived 9-11. Heartwarming and very informative about the strength and capabilities of the blind!
The blind author and hiis guide dog’s escape from the World Trade Center is amazing.
The actions of a guide dog during 9/11. Fantastic – attests to the excellent training service dogs get – their bravery and also the man being led by the dog. He did NOT panic – he followed his dogs lead. EXCELLENT….
Of all the stories coming from 911, this story touched my heart to the extinct that I could almost taste the jet fuel from the plane that crashed into the tower. A brave blind man and his super partner with eyes that guided them to ground zero. A book well worth the read.
Gave me new insights to this tragic event and how far-reaching training and compassion can be. I learned so much here. Thank you to the author.
True story! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
Amazing what that team could do together.
September 11, 2001 was such a tragic day in history. It was good to read a story about people who made it out of the towers even though they had so many obstacles along the way.
About the successful life of a blind man and his hero dog that lead him out of the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Mr. Hingson interweaves the tragic events of 9/11 with his life story as he navigates 1,463 stairs to safety with his beloved guide dog, Rosalie, along with a mounting gathering of people trying to escape the tower. He does have a tendency to digress from his story to info about matters that would only interest those who are blind. This I …
This true story tugged at my heart while being very informative about 9-11. The amazing rescue by the dog was so positive and beautiful in the midst of the tragedy. A very worthwhile read for those of us who lived through that time in other parts of the country and especially for those younger people who didn’t share in that part of our history.
I was interested in the service dog -owner relationship. Way, way too much didactic information about blindness.
I was watching as it happened that morning. I learned more about that morning from this first-hand account. I also learned a great deal more about seeing-eye service dogs. Roselle was truly amazing. I highly recommend this book.
Amazing perspective on how a person blind from birth became successful as well as survived World Trade center attack.
I loved hearing about how Michael and his dog survived 9/11 with faith and even a little humor along the way.
I enjoyed reading the story, and couldn’t put it down. I met Mike and Karen at church in San Diego before 9/11. I was elated to hear that Roselle led him out of WTC. This book is well written, and it also is a teaching tool.
Excellent book, learned so much about an amazing man and dog.
A great read. A different perspective of that tragic day in our history. As a person who was in the Pentagon on 9/11, it brought back painful memories, but also brought an understanding on the courage and fortitude of those who escaped the towers. Never Forget!!
This book was less about dogs and more about the author and his achievements with the handicap of blindness. I stopped reading after the attacks on the World Trade Center.