Michael Hingson

On September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson and his guide dog, Roselle, were among the lucky ones to escape from the World Trade Center - just minutes before it collapsed.

A successful district sales manager who has been blind since birth, Michael worked in the World Trade Center for years. But before that tragic day, he and Roselle had never descended 78 flights of stairs together, even under normal circumstances. Through incredible teamwork and trust, they persisted through choking smoke and falling debris into a world and life that would never be the same.

"We were fortunate to emerge with our lives, but we had no idea how greatly they would change," recalls Michael.

Just days after the tragedy, he was asked to appear on national television programs, such as Larry King Live, The Early Show and CNN.

He and Roselle were also spotlighted representatives of the human/animal bond in a slew of local and international publications, including The New York Times Magazine.

Surprised by the intensity of the attention, Michael soon welcomed it as a prime opportunity to openly discuss issues surrounding the benefits of guide dogs and the role that people with disabilities have in the workforce. A re-evaluation of his life goals prompted him to make a cross-country move to California to accept a position as the national public affairs representative for Guide Dogs for the Blind, an organization to which he feels he owes his life.

"Organizations like Guide Dogs for the Blind and RFB&D make such a difference," states Michael, a past RFB&D Scholastic Achievement Award winner who used RFB&D's recorded textbooks to earn both bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from the University of California, Irvine. "They've helped me so much in my life, and it's been very therapeutic to use my speaking and public relations skills to help give back. We can never change what happened on September 11, but each person can help assure that some good comes from it."