Sophia Thomas, a licensed professional counselor based in Denton County, is set to release her memoir, "92 Reasons: A Journey of Faith," on Friday. The book launch event will be held at Cafe Mila in The Colony at 7:30 p.m., coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Thomas, who was a temporary employee at the time of the attacks, details her escape from the 92nd floor of the South Tower alongside her experiences with self-discovery and recovery.
Thomas was 18 years old when she began working for Aon, an insurance brokerage located in the second World Trade Center building. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, she moved to the United States with her family in 1995 after they won a visa lottery. The family initially settled in Florida before relocating to New York in the summer of 2000.
Thomas stated that her mother secured her a position with Aon through a temporary staffing agency after she returned to her family following a period of separation.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Thomas was six and a half months pregnant. She recalled hearing screams from colleagues in the elevator as she ascended to the 92nd floor. She described the atmosphere as one of panic, with voices chanting that they were going to die.
Thomas said she decided to trust that she would survive to see her unborn child. She entered a stairwell with several coworkers to exit the building, noting that she does not recall specific events between floors 72 and 3. She explained that her brain created a "bubble" to help her survive the trauma, preventing her from processing the full extent of the disaster around her.
