September 12th: Reflections on September 11th From an Airline Worker (2021)

On September 11, 2001, Vaughn Allex was working the ticket counter at Dulles International Airport. When two men arrived late for their flight, he ran through all of the security measures of the time and let them board. Only later did he learn that they were among the five hijackers responsible for the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon. Vaughn came to StoryCorps to remember the guilt and shame he experienced following the attacks — and how he eventually found healing.