On September 11, 2001, the world witnessed a tragic series of events that left nearly 3,000 people dead across New York City, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. For Katrina Keefer, now the CEO of DCH Health System, the day was particularly harrowing as she lived just blocks away from the World Trade Center.
Katrina recalls that fateful morning when she heard a loud explosion echoing through her Manhattan apartment. As she rushed to the roof of her building, she was confronted with a horrifying scene unfolding before her eyes. “I was in New York City during the best of times and the worst of times,” she reflected, recalling how she watched the second plane strike the World Trade Center.
Living only three blocks from the site, Katrina vividly remembers the first plane hitting Tower 1. The force of the impact was so strong that she initially thought something had struck the nearby Brooklyn Bridge. “I looked out my window and saw that traffic was still moving,” she said. It was her roommate who alerted her to the unfolding crisis as she turned on the television.
Katrina described the chilling moment as she witnessed flickers coming from the first building, followed by people jumping from the windows in desperation. “To know this was their choice was very hard,” she said, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. When the second plane hit the second tower, it slowly dawned on her that this was a coordinated terrorist attack.
As the situation deteriorated, residents were ordered to evacuate. Katrina packed a backpack with essential items, including her Bible and cash from ATMs, prioritizing practicality amid the chaos. “I’m a girl from Alabama, so I had my Bible, clean underwear, and I stopped at every ATM to get as much cash as it would give me,” she explained.
Her prior missions experience played a crucial role in her response that day. Despite the uncertainty, she made thoughtful preparations, packing socks to keep her feet warm.
The streets soon filled with smoke and debris as the first tower collapsed. “I couldn’t see what was imploding,” she recalled. “I could only see the smoke billowing in the street.”
Katrina’s experiences on that tragic day profoundly influenced her leadership approach. She concluded, “In my life, I’ve had a lot of opportunities to be in so many unique situations, and I’ve learned from them all.”