The man in Richard Drew’s iconic photograph, captured at 9:41 a.m. on September 11, 2001, falling headfirst from the North Tower of the World Trade Centre, has never been identified. His anonymity has turned him into one of the most enduring mysteries of the deadliest terror attack in U.S. history.
According to early accounts, the jumper was Norberto Hernandez, a pastry chef working at Windows on the World, the restaurant situated at the North Tower. Yet, Hernandez’s family denied that assertion, stating that he would never willingly make that choice and would struggle to get back home to them.
In 2003, journalist Tom Junod conducted additional research on the identity of the falling man. By analysing additional photos of Drew that captured other images of the man during his fall – including his orange undershirt, his dark skin, and his black high-top sneakers – he discovered Jonathan Briley, a 43-year-old audio engineer at Windows on the World, suffering from extreme asthma, which made the smoke intolerable for him.
Gwendolyn Briley-Strand, Jonathan Briley’s sister, stated in USA TODAY that his wedding ring, ID, pager, and his black tennis shoe were found after the attacks by his family. Although some of his relatives doubted whether the remains belonged to him, there was never any confirmation of that.
Drew himself has downplayed the importance of a name. He wrote in 2021: “We already knew the identity of the man in the picture. He was you and me.”
