Pentagon Survivors Become Friends For Life Four Office Workers Led Each Other To Safety

ARLINGTON, Va. -- There are four Pentagon workers who survived the attack last Sept. 11 who share a bond that few could ever fathom.

They are survivors and they consider themselves each other's heroes and angels. They sat down to share with News4's Jim Handly what they lived through when American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into their workspace on the second floor of the Pentagon.

Lt. Col. Regina Grant said, "His voice [Sgt. Major Tony Rose] led me and I followed it. His feet [John Yates] led me and I followed them, her appearance [Tracie Webb] gave me that energy, she's my angel," Grant said. "I love all three of these people. My heart is full of love, extra love and when we talk and especially when they tell me certain things, I get goose bumps, and I will forever have these folks in my heart."

In the chaotic moments after the impact, Grant's life depended on each of her defense department colleagues. "So I snatched her dress, and because of her, somehow the adrenalin inside of me just popped again, and I just started yelling again, and that's when this beautiful voice again started yelling, 'We got you, come on out here, we got you, come on, you're OK, we got you,'" Grant said.

That voice belonged to Sgt. Maj. Tony Rose. He helped Grant past a wall of fire. He also led Tracie Webb out of the darkness. "Her hair was smoking, her hair was on fire and her back was smoking," Rose said.

"I was like this was it, I'm going to die, so I started going back down praying to have my mother take care of my kids then all of a sudden, I didn't hear the voice scream, but I started feeling somebody pulling on my dress," said Webb.

They've seen the best of each other in the most dangerous and traumatic conditions. Rose said he went back in the devastation five times to try to rescue co-workers. "I wanted to run just as fast as I could, to get away from it, but somewhere in that smoke and fire were people that were part of our family and we don't leave people behind," said Rose.

After this foursome escaped the flames, the smoke and the jet fuel, they gathered in the Pentagon courtyard. Soon, however, they heard fresh warnings that a fourth plane could be on its way to the Washington area so they had to flee the courtyard and get away from the building.

"I became deathly afraid again because I had survived and I didn't want to go through it again," said John Yates.

Anger is among the emotions Rose felt in the hours and days that would follow. "When I picked up a child's hand I got very mad. You can come after us as soldiers, but not after innocent children. I was very angry," said Rose.

All four have been anticipating the anniversary of the attack with mixed feelings. "One part of me is dreading it kind of, I don't know what to anticipate, if anything is going to happen, and another part of me is anticipating it to celebrate and not forget the ones who are not here," Webb said.

Grant also will spend the day remembering co-workers. She said, "Two of my most favorite people in the room passed. Two people did not make it out of the room that I sat across the table from, and that's really tough for me."

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