2 min read
It’s been 25 years since the September 11 attacks claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people. Genelle Guzman-McMillan was the last person rescued alive from the World Trade Center rubble, where she survived for 27 hours. Now, actress Sherri Shepherd is bringing her story to life in a powerful new film: Angel in the Rubble, which premieres September 12, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
Based on Genelle’s 2011 memoir of the same name, the film follows Genelle on that fateful day. While trapped, a mysterious man named Paul (Dondré T. Whitfield) stays with Genelle and promises that rescuers are coming. Genelle later searches for him, but no one could confirm his identity. She now believes he was an angel.
Sherri was acutely aware of how difficult it would be to portray Genelle accurately.
“I didn’t take it lightly that I had a responsibility,” she told Good Housekeeping. “There were days when I had to cry because she thought she was going to die. I kept thinking, ‘Oh my gosh—one person had to go through so much and still be alive to tell the story.’ I wanted to respect that and make sure her story would be an inspiration for viewers.”
To prepare for the role, Sherri met with Genelle to learn more about her life before 9/11. In addition to being a Port Authority worker, she was also a mother—something Sherri could relate to.
“When I got to speak with Genelle, so many aspects of her life mirrored my own,” she said. “I’m a mother, and because she was a mother at this time, I felt like I needed to bring a bit of that into my portrayal, since the situation was horrific for so many people. I wanted to honor that side of her, too—not just the survivor.”
The two also spoke about what’s helped Genelle persevere in the years since the attacks.
“I talked to Genelle about survivor’s remorse—losing all of her co-workers, her best friend, and having to reconcile with that,” Sherri said. “That’s a heavy burden to carry. But she does it with such grace, and she came to the conclusion that she’s using her life to inspire people to keep living. She’s so resilient, and she loves life because she almost lost hers.”
Sherri hopes Angel in the Rubble viewers leave the film reminded to be compassionate toward those around them.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “Be kind to people. Be present. Live life. Laugh. We don’t know what could happen, so we have to live life like it’s a gift that we’ve all been given. We also must not ever forget what the victims of 9/11 went through. We have to honor them, because this was a time that everyone came together. We need to remember that, especially now.”