Gabi Dick, 19 (pictured), was born six days after her father’s death in the 9/11 attacks. The teenager says his parents’ death “changed lives”, citing long-standing fears about planes, elevators and tall buildings
The video shows a momentous feat when a 19-year-old, whose father died in the 9/11 attacks, conquers his fears in elevators and tall buildings by climbing to the top of the World Trade Center.
Gabriel ‘Gabi’ Jacobs Dick has spent most of his life fearing planes, elevators and tall buildings after his father, business executive Ariel Jacobs, was killed in the north tower of the World Trade Center.
The teenager, born six days after his father’s death, told People that his father’s death “altered life” and played an important role in his phobias.
Dick, who always avoided elevators and only flew when needed, decided just this summer that it was time to conquer his fears.
“I thought,‘ I can do this, get on the elevator. And if I can do that, I hope I have nothing to be afraid of, at least when it comes to elevators, ”he told the magazine.
“Terrorism aims to instill fear in the minds of your victims. So, in a sense, if you have terror, they will succeed.”
Dick has always avoided elevators and only flew when needed. It wasn’t until this summer that he decided it was time to conquer his fears
He said, “I thought,‘ I can do this, get on the elevator. And if I can do that, I hope I have nothing to be afraid of, at least when it comes to elevators. Terrorism is instilling fear in the minds of your victims. So, in a sense, if you’re terrified, they’ll succeed. “
The young man from SUNY Purchase College said he was scared while waiting for the elevator that would take him to the 102nd floor of the World Trade Center.
He said he was thinking, “I’m going up there, of course it’s going to happen to me.”
“In a way, I thought I was damn good,” Dick said.
“As soon as I get on it, there’s a risk.”
According to Dick, making the trip to the top of the World Trade Center changed his life.
“Being up there, I felt a crazy release of tension, as if everything was fine; I’m alive and I don’t have to think like that anymore,” he said.
“When I looked at the city, I thought, ‘This was the last vision my father had, it’s not the last I will have.’
As the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches, Dick and his mother, Jenna Jacobs McPartland, reflect on Ariel’s event and death.
Jenna Jacobs McPartland (left) reflects on the death of her ex-husband, Ariel Jacobs (right), as the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches
“For any parent, watching their children turn 20 and become adults is an unreal experience, and putting it in the context of 9/11 and not having their father during those 20 years still does. more unreal, ”McPartland, who has since remarried, told the magazine.
“I think I’m most proud to be a man with personal reflection and convictions and to be kind.”
She continued, “I wanted her to grow up, to be her own person, and to make her own decisions about how to manage her father’s memory and 9/11 legacy, and I’m glad she does. And I’m proud of him for making sure that even though 9/11 is part of what he is today, it’s not his unique identity.Gabi lives in the present, and that’s great for him.
Dick echoed his mothers’ comment and said, “I can’t imagine my dad would want me to think about it all the time or ask me crazy questions about what’s going on?” There is no answer. If he died, I wouldn’t want my son to think about it all the time.
“Now I honor him by living, being happy and leading a great life. My 9/11 story ends with “I’m fine. I’m 19. My story keeps evolving.”
You can learn more about Dick’s story, along with the stories of other children who were born after their parents died in the 9/11 attacks, in the new documentary Rebuilding Hope: The Children of 9/11, which is now broadcast on Discovery +.
Dick said making the trip to the top of the World Trade Center changed his life and his way of thinking