Alayne Gentul: She Saved 40
Co-Workers
Alayne
Gentul, the director of human resources for Fiduciary
Trust Company, was on the 90th floor of 2 World Trade
when the first plane hit, but she went up to the 97th,
because she thought it was her responsibility to get
everybody out. It was particularly difficult to get the
people in technical support out, because they were
backing things up. As the floor filled with smoke, she
called her husband, Jack, the dean of students at the New
Jersey Institute of Technology.
"She was with a colleague, Ed Emory," Mr. Gentul said.
"They made a determination to wet their clothing and put
it over their heads and get to the stairwell. She said
she loved the kids and we said we loved each other and we
said goodbye."
Mr. Gentul started to cry.
"At least we got to say goodbye," he said. "So many
didn't. And I know she did something decent. The chair of
Fiduciary told me at least 40 people are alive because of
Alayne."
Alayne Gentul was 44, had been married for 23 years
and lived in Mountain Lakes, N.J.. She taught Bible
school for nine years and loved Billy Joel and Louie
Prima. Her sons, Alex and Robbie, are 12 and 8. Asked
about treasured moments, her husband offers two, years
apart.
"We loved the ocean. Our first kiss was on the beach
on Wildwood, N.J. It was a beautiful moonlit night, full
moon, and thousands of horseshoe crabs were coming up on
the beach to lay their eggs. "
The latter: "Our son is part of a group of junior
Sunfish sailors and a few weeks ago, they had a junior
moonlight race. A bunch of kids gathered with boats, some
decorated with little glow lights, in this beautiful,
still, moonlit night. We had this feeling, in this
excruciating slow race, of something of incredible
beauty. One of those times in life you'll remember."
.
