Thunder Dog
The bond with a dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be. (Konrad Lorenz)
“Settle in…You are about to read a page turner.”
from the foreword, by Larry King
From Kirkus Reviews: ”The story of a four-legged superhero named Roselle, who led her owner out of the ruins of the World Trade Center. Hingson’s remarkable relationship with guide dogs began long before the events of 9/11. Growing up blind, the author came to rely on their dedication, loyalty and courage at a very young age. Guide dogs helped him navigate through grade school, college and his first jobs. It was a beautiful but storm-shy Labrador retriever with a golden coat who would help save his life. The chilling account of how the two worked in tandem to safely descend 78 floors and 1,463 steps, while simultaneously helping others remain calm, is truly awe-inspiring. A decade has not muted the horrors of 9/11, and Hingson and co-writer Flory do a magnificent job of relating what it was like in the aftermath of the attack. That account alone would have been a worthy and important endeavor. But the authors go beyond that, offering both an illuminating look at the realities blind people face every day and the astounding capabilities of seeing-eye dogs. Seamlessly weaving the narrative between the extraordinary exodus from the burning towers and Hingson’s fascinating life is a savvy literary device that only enriches the tale. A tragic, inspirational and enlightening memoir.”
From People Magazine, August 8, 2011: ”How Hingson, who is blind, escaped the Twin Towers on 9/11 with help from his intrepid guide dog, Roselle. Irresistible.”
Booklist calls Thunder Dog “moving and enlightening.”
About the book: Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero, by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory, is the story of a man blind from birth who triumphed over adversity throughout his life. His hard won survival skills and his feisty can-do 
spirit prepared him to survive the World Trade Center attacks in a 78-story stairwell descent with his guide dog, Roselle. Michael’s blindness didn’t stop him from shocking the neighbors by riding his bicycle through the streets of Palmdale, California as a child, and on September 11 his blindness became an asset as he survived and helped others during the worst terrorist attack ever on American soil.
Yet, there’s more. “The real story, in my mind, isn’t how I got out of the World Trade Center,” said Michael. “It’s how I got there in the first place.”
* * * * *
Thirty-seven years after the birth of Michael Hingson, a tiny yellow Labrador retriever puppy was born in the whelping unit of Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California. The puppy’s name was Roselle and she, too, was blind from birth. But sometime between her third and fourth week, she opened her eyes. On September 11, 2001, she saved Michael’s life. This is Roselle’s story, too.
- Thunder Dog is a heartwarming and inspirational guide to embracing life’s challenges with principles forged in the fires of 9-11.
- On September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson, blind from birth, was in his element as the regional sales manager of a data backup company located in Tower One of the World Trade Center. His guide dog Roselle, a three year-old yellow Labrador retriever, was sleeping peacefully under his desk as Michael prepared for a routine training meeting later that morning. At 8:46 A.M. Michael heard a loud explosion and grabbed onto his desk as the building shuddered and bent over, tipping to the southwest for close to a minute. Michael said goodbye to his coworker and thought he was going to die. Slowly the tipping stopped and the building began to right itself, but what Michael did not yet know was that American Airlines Flight 11 had been hijacked by terrorists and crashed into his building 18 stories above. Millions of pieces of burning paper began to rain down outside the windows. The screaming started. And the stairs were the only way out.
Michael Hingson & Susy
- This is the dramatic story of Michael Hingson, a blind man who, along with his guide dog Roselle, survived the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in a harrowing descent down 78 floors. Along the way, the Michael and Roselle team helped dozens of others in often surprising ways and were just 100 yards away when Tower Two collapsed. Now, ten years later, Michael reveals what he has learned about trust, courage, teamwork, and heroism both as a blind man, and as a survivor of the initial airplane attack, the 78-story stairwell descent, and the desperate sprint away from the collapsing tower and choking debris cloud.
- Thunder Dog is the astonishing account of a man who refuses to be called a hero, but who displayed extraordinary strength in the face of adversity long before September 11. It’s also a heartwarming and inspirational guide to embracing life’s challenges with principles forged in the fires of the Twin Towers.
Release Date: August, 2011 from Thomas Nelson Publishers.
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