John McLoughlin (World Trade Center attack survivor)
Encyclopedia
John McLoughlin is one of two Port Authority Police Officers who survived after being trapped in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center
. His rescue and that of William Jimeno
is the subject of the Oliver Stone
film World Trade Center
released in 2006, which McLoughlin was portrayed by Nicolas Cage
.
, where he was a member of the Sigma Tau Chi fraternity
.
, and were buried in the ensuing collapse of the concourse. Officers Antonio Rodrigues and Chris Amoroso were killed immediately. McLoughlin, Jimeno and a third officer, Dominick Pezzulo
, were trapped but alive. The freight elevator withstood the devastation, creating breathing room that saved their lives. Pezzulo, who was the only one not pinned, immediately managed to free himself and tried to free Jimeno, but the subsequent collapse of the North Tower caused shifting and additional debris falling through. Pezzulo was mortally wounded and died minutes after the collapse.
McLoughlin and Jimeno were rescued after former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant Jason Thomas
and staff sergeant Dave Karnes
heard their cries for help about ten hours after they were first buried.
The two men were eventually rescued after several hours of painstaking work: Jimeno after 13 hours and McLoughlin after 22 hours.
McLoughlin was gravely injured. Doctors kept him in an induced coma
for six weeks. He underwent 27 surgeries and spent nearly three months in the hospital and rehabilitation.
Four months after their rescue, McLoughlin and Jimeno — who both have since retired — took part in a ceremony at Ground Zero to watch as the final column was removed. When all the uniformed officers walked out of The Pit, the last two to be rescued were the last to leave. On June 11, 2002, McLoughlin (with a walker) and Jimeno (with a limp) walked across a stage at Madison Square Garden
to receive the Port Authority's Medal of Honor
.
The film World Trade Center
(2006) tells the story of McLoughlin (played by Nicolas Cage
) and William Jimeno
(portrayed by Michael Peña
).
with his wife Donna and four children. He once served as the Goshen school board president.
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
. His rescue and that of William Jimeno
Will Jimeno
William J. Jimeno is a Port Authority Police officer who survived the September 11 attacks. He was buried under the rubble for a total of 13 hours, but survived, along with fellow Port Authority officer John McLoughlin....
is the subject of the Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
film World Trade Center
World Trade Center (film)
World Trade Center is a 2006 American disaster-drama film directed by Oliver Stone and based on the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. The film was shot from October 19, 2005 - February 10, 2006...
released in 2006, which McLoughlin was portrayed by Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
.
Early life and education
McLoughlin graduated from the State University of New York at OswegoState University of New York at Oswego
State University of New York at Oswego, also known as SUNY Oswego and Oswego State, is a public university in the City of Oswego and Town of Oswego, New York, on the shore of Lake Ontario...
, where he was a member of the Sigma Tau Chi fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
.
September 11, 2001 events
McLoughlin led a team of officers, including Jimeno, who were on the main concourse between the two towers when the South Tower collapsed. The five ran toward a nearby freight elevatorElevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
, and were buried in the ensuing collapse of the concourse. Officers Antonio Rodrigues and Chris Amoroso were killed immediately. McLoughlin, Jimeno and a third officer, Dominick Pezzulo
Dominick Pezzulo
Dominick A. Pezzullo was a Port Authority Police Department officer who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001...
, were trapped but alive. The freight elevator withstood the devastation, creating breathing room that saved their lives. Pezzulo, who was the only one not pinned, immediately managed to free himself and tried to free Jimeno, but the subsequent collapse of the North Tower caused shifting and additional debris falling through. Pezzulo was mortally wounded and died minutes after the collapse.
McLoughlin and Jimeno were rescued after former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant Jason Thomas
Jason Thomas
Jason Thomas is a former U.S. Marine who located and rescued people after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. With David W...
and staff sergeant Dave Karnes
Dave Karnes
David W. Karnes is a retired U.S. Marine, who with Jason Thomas located and helped rescue two police officers trapped in the rubble from the September 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center.-During the 9/11 attacks:...
heard their cries for help about ten hours after they were first buried.
“As we were walking we were yelling at the top of our lungs ‘United States Marines, can anyone hear us?'” Karnes described. “As we approached the depression of the south tower I thought I heard something. Indeed it was some muffled call for help, I assured them that Thomas and I were both looking for them so keep yelling so we can find you.”
The two men were eventually rescued after several hours of painstaking work: Jimeno after 13 hours and McLoughlin after 22 hours.
McLoughlin was gravely injured. Doctors kept him in an induced coma
Induced coma
A barbiturate-induced coma, or barb coma, is a temporary coma brought on by a controlled dose of a barbiturate drug, usually pentobarbital or thiopental...
for six weeks. He underwent 27 surgeries and spent nearly three months in the hospital and rehabilitation.
Four months after their rescue, McLoughlin and Jimeno — who both have since retired — took part in a ceremony at Ground Zero to watch as the final column was removed. When all the uniformed officers walked out of The Pit, the last two to be rescued were the last to leave. On June 11, 2002, McLoughlin (with a walker) and Jimeno (with a limp) walked across a stage at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
to receive the Port Authority's Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
.
The film World Trade Center
World Trade Center (film)
World Trade Center is a 2006 American disaster-drama film directed by Oliver Stone and based on the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. The film was shot from October 19, 2005 - February 10, 2006...
(2006) tells the story of McLoughlin (played by Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
) and William Jimeno
Will Jimeno
William J. Jimeno is a Port Authority Police officer who survived the September 11 attacks. He was buried under the rubble for a total of 13 hours, but survived, along with fellow Port Authority officer John McLoughlin....
(portrayed by Michael Peña
Michael Peña
Michael Anthony Peña is an American film and television actor. He is probably best known for his roles in the films Crash, World Trade Center, Observe and Report, 30 Minutes or Less and Tower Heist...
).
Personal life
He currently resides in Goshen, New YorkGoshen (village), New York
Goshen is a village in and the county seat of Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
with his wife Donna and four children. He once served as the Goshen school board president.