The survivors of 9/11 encompass approximately 15,000 to 18,000 people who were inside the World Trade Center towers and successfully evacuated before the collapse, as well as thousands more at the Pentagon and in the immediate vicinity of the crash sites. Notable survivors include Genelle Guzman-McMillan, the last person pulled alive from the rubble 27 hours after the collapse, and individuals like Pasquale Buzzelli, who survived the fall of the North Tower from the 64th floor. Beyond the immediate physical survivors, the term also includes the "9/11 community"—the first responders, clean-up crews, and residents of Lower Manhattan. In 2026, the focus has shifted heavily toward "long-term survivors," many of whom are currently battling 9/11-related cancers and respiratory illnesses through programs like the World Trade Center Health Program, highlighting that for many, the "survival" of that day is an ongoing medical struggle.