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On the Story

Manu Dhingra Looks Back on September 11th and His Priorities

Aired November 22, 2001 - 08:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In New York, thankful might not cover it adequately. We want to reintroduce you to Manu Dhingra, a man who was, who does have much to be thankful for today. You may remember his story. He is a World Trade Center survivor with a very special tale.

And our medical news correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has that for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the first time ever, Manu Dhingra is seeing himself as he was just two days after 9-11.

MANU DHINGRA, WTC VICTIM: Did you see that? That's pretty bad, right?

GUPTA: I first met him at the Weill Cornell Burn Center. In fact, it was through watching this report on CNN that his family around the world found out that he had been in the World Trade Center around 9:00 a.m. just two days before.

DHINGRA: When you're looking at the original piece is that, I think that's what they saw, and I'm grateful because some of them did not know that I was hurt, because they were looking for me and trying to call and they couldn't get a hold of me.

GUPTA: While thousands survived and thousands died, only a few were caught in between. Yes, Manu Dhingra escaped, but at a great cost.

DHINGRA: All of a sudden as I'm walking in the hallway I hear a door explode and just this big ball of fire just engulfed me.

GUPTA: This young man had strong ambitions which brought him from India to the capital of the financial world and to the building which symbolized it. After 9-11, his priorities were significantly changed.

DHINGRA: And I just wish this pain would go away and now I'm just looking forward to just walking.

Now I take nothing for granted, even to walk down the street or to a movie or something as simple as that.

GUPTA: Everywhere he walks, he carries a reminder of 9-11.

DHINGRA: I still carry the keys to my office at the World Trade Center with me. But it's more as, it brings me joy, because every day I enjoy going to work there. I had all my friends there. They were like my family.

GUPTA: Not that he needs much reminding. Although Manu continues to heal physically, the emotional wounds heal much more slowly. When he left the hospital weeks ago, he still asked the impossible to answer question -- why?

DHINGRA: I have such deep sorrow that, you know, that this is happening and I really, I don't know why I don't feel that I deserve this. I don't know why I don't deserve the second chance.

GUPTA: And he still thinks about those who died.

DHINGRA: You see the grief all these families are going through nowadays, you know, with especially the holidays coming up and their loved ones not being around and, you know, but I think we all need to support those families and, you know, just cherish those people who are not with us anymore and just remember them.

GUPTA: But today, Manu Dhingra is very much a product of his new experiences and new perspectives.

DHINGRA: My perspective has totally changed. I mean I used to put off things, you know, do them a week later or two weeks later. Now, you know, after going through this experience, you realize that every moment is precious, not just days you're here, and you have to basically cherish every opportunity that you have to tell your loved ones that you love them, every opportunity you have to like say, you know, hang out with your friends or just, you know, I think just enjoy life.

GUPTA: In the meantime, Thanksgiving is a time to come together and give thanks, especially for a healing nation. Despite all that he's been through, no one is more thankful than Manu Dhingra.

DHINGRA: I think I'm a very lucky person. I would never ask anybody to feel sorry for me because, you know, I'm just grateful that I'm here, you know? And I really do know how lucky I am to have the second chance at life.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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