This is the rare 9/11 story that ends happily. Not only is the ending joyful, it turns out smoking cigarettes SAVED the life of Joe Curci's father, Mike, who was working at a company called Icap, located on the 55th floor of The World Trade Center. Growing up in Manalapan New Jersey, Joe was in his second week of the 7th grade. Early on the morning of September 11, a woman from the front office came into his gym class, and told Joe that something had happened at his dad's work but that he was okay. She then directed Joe to go back to what he was doing in gym class. Only 10 minutes when he heard his name called again, only this time, the same office worker told him to pack his things for early dismissal. Just 13 years old, Joe was totally confused and even more bewildered when he saw a mob of 100 parents crowding the school lobby, all picking up their children. Joe got even more apprehensive when he saw it was his aunt and uncle picking him up, instead of his mom. His aunt finally explained that a plane had flown into The World Trade Center. She told Joe , "We THINK your dad got out". When Joe got home to join his mom, he put on the tv and just cried and cried. At 2:30 PM , Joe was incredulous as he watched his dad's car pull up, and his father emerge from the car, covered in soot. Tears flowed again with the joyful reunion. His dad showered, and the two went out on the deck to talk. Joe's dad had tried to quit smoking days before 9/11 but when he felt The World Trade Center shudder that morning (as the plane hit the building, he thought to himself, "I need a smoke". The elevators had already been turned off so he walked down the steps to get outside. That cigarette probably saved his life. The building pancaked minutes later.