Nivin Benjamin

Pictured below is Marcy Borders, an American legal assistant who worked for Bank of America at its World Trade Center branch. She was born on July 19, 1973, and tragically passed away on August 24, 2015. Marcy Borders survived the harrowing events of September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center was attacked by al-Qaeda. Photographer Stan Honda captured an iconic image of her that day, earning her the nickname "Dust Lady." Reflecting on his photograph's legacy, Honda said, "Over the years, it has been strange for me to think that my photo has a lasting impact. I never imagined I'd have an image like that. I believe people relate to it because it depicts a single person trying to cope with the chaos of that fateful day." In 2011, Marcy Borders revealed how the trauma of 9/11 led to ten years of depression and addiction. She described it as if her soul was knocked down with the towers. Tragically, in August 2014, Marcy Borders was diagnosed with stomach cancer, which she attributed to exposure to toxic dust during the World Trade Center collapse. Despite not having undergone surgery and requiring more chemotherapy, her medical bills had already accumulated to $190,000. She couldn't even afford to fill her prescriptions. She firmly believed that her cancer was linked to the toxic exposure, stating, "I definitely believe it because I haven't had any other illnesses, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes." Marcy Borders lost her battle with cancer and passed away on August 24, 2015.