The Woman Who Saved Me on 9/11

The Woman Who Saved Me on 9/11

Author: BBC World Service September 11, 2026 Duration: 26:37

On 11 September, 2001, Paul Carris was working on the 71st floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. When the building was struck, he joined the evacuation and came across a colleague, Judith Toppin, who was struggling to descend the stairs. Paul stayed with her, supporting her through the long journey down as thousands fled and firefighters climbed towards the danger. They emerged only minutes before the tower collapsed. Paul believed he had saved Judith, but in the years that followed he came to understand that she had also saved him. Colm Flynn meets deacon Paul Carris to hear how the events of 9/11 transformed his life and faith. Paul recalls the extraordinary calm inside the stairwell, Judith praying Psalm 23, and the silence he later recognised as the presence of God. Twenty-five years after the attacks, he reflects on the terror of that day, and how a split-second decision to help a stranger changed his life forever.


From the BBC World Service comes The Documentary Podcast, a series dedicated to immersive audio storytelling that explores the intricate layers of our global society. This isn't about quick news summaries; it's about settling in for a deep, thoughtful listen that brings you directly to the source. Each episode is built around the voices and experiences of people living the stories we often only see in headlines. You might find yourself on the road with Canada’s Sikh truckers, examining the far-reaching implications of China's overseas investments, or standing with communities on the front lines of the climate emergency. The production takes you into the minds of creative thinkers and follows profound personal journeys, all crafted with the BBC's renowned journalistic depth. For anyone with a curious mind looking to uncover hidden truths and make better sense of our complex world, this podcast offers a vital, human-centered perspective. It represents the best of documentary storytelling, where every narrative is an opportunity to listen, learn, and connect to the wider human experience far beyond the daily news cycle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Documentary Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Big surveillance, Flock and ICE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:58
AI cameras, drones, licence plate readers, sound detection, Flock - the United States is monitored through a growing, high-tech, and increasingly interconnected surveillance network. In some cities, like Houston, Texas,…
Is Turkey's clothing industry unravelling at the seams? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:38
The Made in Turkey label found in so much of our clothing could disappear as the industry faces competition from countries like Egypt. Turkey is battling huge inflation and hundreds of clothing factories are going bankru…
The price of peace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:28
Colombia is reeling from the False Positive scandal. Incentivised by the government, soldiers abducted and killed over 7,000 innocent civilians, falsely presenting them as guerrilla fighters in an attempt to convince the…
Hong Kong's bookstore raids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:28
The spoken languages in Hong Kong and Taiwan differ, with Cantonese being spoken in Hong Kong and Mandarin preferred in Taiwan, but the two territories use traditional Chinese characters for reading and writing. This has…
We will always love you, Dolly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:30
Flags are at half-mast across the United States following the death of Dolly Parton at the age of 80. Born in poverty in a log cabin in rural Tennessee, she went on to sell more than 100 million records and became one of…
Kirk Franklin: Gospel music and my own faith journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
rk Franklin is one of the biggest names in Gospel music, with 20 Grammy awards, and a career that spans over 30 years. From classics like ‘Why we sing’ to the mainstream hit ‘Stomp’, so many of his songs are loved by Chr…
Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary- Love Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:28
Throughout August, the Lives Less Ordinary podcast is sharing extraordinary love stories from around the world. To listen to the season, search ‘Lives Less Ordinary’ wherever you get your BBC podcasts. In this episode: i…
Peanuts for the people [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:00
In the 30 years since its invention the ready-to-use therapeutic food Plumpy'nut has saved the lives of millions of children and protected countless others from the effects of malnutrition. Jewel Kiriungi explores its or…
Brazil’s gambling addiction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:57
The figures are startling - 2.1 million Brazilians have a clinical addiction to betting and 7.5 million are problem gamblers. Women now comprise 40% of all gamblers, having been 25% just a decade ago. Online sports and c…
Lucy Sparrow: Nostalgic supermarket made of felt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
Lucy Sparrow stitches life into everyday objects, creating vibrant felt worlds that look just like the real thing. Following the success of her hand-stitched felt fish and chip shop, she has recreated a Walmart convenien…