JD Durkin: Joining me now for a one-on-one interview from the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Dr. Thomas Lo, the CEO of Modern Renaissance Anesthesia, a man with a truly incredible story with regards to 9/11. I’m really grateful for your time. Thanks for joining us today.
Dr. Thomas Lo: It’s a pleasure. Thank you.
JD Durkin: Talk us through your experience on that day 25 years ago, for people unfamiliar with your story.
Dr. Thomas Lo: Wow. Well, September 11th, 25 years ago, I was working in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on the 73rd floor. It was actually my 23rd birthday. I remember just getting to work real early. Happy it was my birthday, and a few minutes after sitting down, I heard this huge boom.
I looked behind me, and all I could see outside my window was, it was raining paper. I was really confused. And that was when, what I now know is, you know, the first tower got hit, because I was in the South Tower.
We were all confused. We quickly walked down from the 73rd floor to the 44th floor, where there’s a sky lobby, trying to figure out what’s happening. Not really sure what’s going on. I was on the 44th floor just listening to announcements.
There was actually an announcement where they said, you know, you could go back up if you wanted, but his voice was kind of quivering. And a few moments later, that’s when our building got hit. And I remember looking at the elevator bays. All the smoke came, and I could hear the creaking of steel bending as my entire tower was shifting. It almost knocked me down. I thought we were going down at that point.
The swaying stopped, and I said, “I got to get out of here.” So I walked down then 44 flights of stairs. And as I reached the lobby, I thought there would be pandemonium, but when I looked outside, there was not one person outside. It was a ghost town, and it was all ash. And at that point, I was like, “What is happening?”
I exited through the basement, which at the time was a large mall. Got out to safety by where J&R World was back then. That’s like City Hall, right by the Brooklyn Bridge.
At that point, I felt safe, relatively safe, as I’m watching my tower burn, still unsure of what was happening. And I remember firefighters coming by, fire trucks. And then I remember the moment when there was a firefighter on a megaphone that said, “Stand back. The building’s not secure.”
And a few seconds later, I’m watching my building burn, and it just comes crumbling down. And that’s when I run. I run to Brooklyn, pass onto the Brooklyn Bridge, and here I am, so thankful to be here to tell you that story.
JD Durkin: I’m very grateful for your willingness to share that with us. It’s difficult, as I can’t even imagine that it is, even 25 years later.
Talk to me now a bit about the path that that set you on in your life, as remarkable as it has been, and the passions that that helped encourage you to further pursue.
Dr. Thomas Lo: Yeah. You know, when you survive something as significant as that, and I escaped untouched, it really gives you a different perspective on life.
I try to make every day count. I’m thankful every day that I’m here. It’s an extra day for me, and I don’t waste any time. It’s important to be thankful and grateful and hug and kiss your loved ones, your children, your mom, your dad, your wife, your husband.
And it really gave me a new perspective and helped change my trajectory. So, you know, I live every day to the fullest. I’m a doctor now, and I’m also a chef and living my dream.
JD Durkin: That’s incredible. Talk to us a bit more about forming Modern Renaissance Anesthesia, and why form that particular medical practice after your experience 25 years ago?
Dr. Thomas Lo: Sure. So Modern Renaissance Anesthesia is an anesthesia group that I put together. We provide anesthesia services for patients undergoing surgery, sedation.
And it’s actually interesting. Being an anesthesiologist is very similar to being a chef, which, I’m also a chef, in terms of mentality, how we think about things. It’s a mindset.
I think it’s just very important for me to use, you know, my interests and my passion, my talents, to help people get through some of their most difficult times, especially when it’s a day of surgery, when they’re, you know, maybe their first time ever going under anesthesia or having surgery. And if I can help them get through that day and survive.
JD Durkin: I’m incredibly grateful that you chose to spend some of this day, 25 years later, reliving some of that experience for us, talking to us about the amazing accomplishments professionally and personally you’ve gone on to since then.
Dr. Thomas Lo, thank you for seeing us down here at the New York Stock Exchange. Please come back and see us anytime.
Dr. Thomas Lo: Absolutely. It’s a pleasure.
JD Durkin: Dr. Thomas Lo, CEO of Modern Renaissance Anesthesia. Very grateful for you, sir.
