Albuquerque hair‑salon owner Roberto Vazquez has long carried the memory of September 11, 2001. While flying home from New York on that fateful morning, his aircraft nearly intersected the path of United Airlines Flight 175, the hijacked plane that later struck the south tower of the World Trade Center.
Close call in the sky
Vazquez was aboard TWA Flight 3 when the other aircraft approached. “I see a shiny thing coming at us and the plane does thing thing,” he recalled, describing the terrifying moment when the two planes came within dangerous proximity. The pilot of TWA Flight 3 took immediate evasive action, steering his plane away and preventing a catastrophic mid‑air collision.
Shortly after the maneuver, Vazquez heard the explosion of Flight 175 as it hit the south tower. The close call left him with lingering guilt, wondering what might have happened if the hijacked plane had struck his own aircraft instead of the towers.
Years of searching for a hero
For more than a decade, Vazquez tried to locate the pilot who had saved his life, but his efforts yielded no results. In 2012, KOAT produced a story about his search, naming the pilot as George Ceshker. Ceshker later saw the segment, reached out, and left a voicemail for Vazquez in 2014. The message remains on Vazquez’s phone to this day.
Reunion on the 25th anniversary
On September 11, 2026, the two men finally spoke directly. Vazquez called Ceshker with tears in his voice, expressing gratitude that the pilot’s quick thinking had spared him and his fellow passengers. “It’s still emotional for me even though it’s been 25 years,” Ceshker said. “It seems like it was yesterday. We are blessed because we have each other,” Vazquez added.
Both men reflected on how the attacks reshaped their lives. “That day changed our whole lives; we never went back to the America we were before 9/11,” Ceshker observed.
Local significance
The reunion underscores the lasting impact of the September 11 attacks on New Mexicans. While the tragedy unfolded thousands of miles away, its reverberations reached Albuquerque’s community, reminding residents of the bravery of ordinary citizens who, in moments of crisis, act with extraordinary courage.
Vazquez’s story also highlights the power of local media in connecting people across time and distance. KOAT’s coverage helped bridge a gap that might otherwise have remained forever unfilled, allowing two strangers bound by a shared experience to find one another.
As the city marks the 25th anniversary of the attacks, stories like Vazquez’s serve as a reminder of gratitude, resilience, and the enduring bonds forged in the face of adversity.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
