Rudy Giuliani Shows Up at Ground Zero in Body Brace

‘America’s Mayor’ Makes Painful Return to 9/11 Memorial as Nation Marks 24 Years Since Terror Attacks

Rudy Giuliani made a dramatic return to the public eye Thursday morning—rolling into Ground Zero in a wheelchair and full body brace just days after a devastating car crash that nearly killed him.

The 81-year-old former New York City mayor, who led the city through its darkest hours on September 11, 2001, appeared visibly fragile but smiling during the solemn ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the attacks that changed America forever.

“Frankly, it’s a miracle I’m here,” Giuliani said earlier this week on his radio show, still wearing the stiff white brace that now supports his injured spine. “If I didn’t have my seatbelt on, I wouldn’t be alive.”

Giuliani was hospitalized for several days after suffering a fractured vertebra in a violent rear-end collision on Interstate 93 in New Hampshire on August 30. He had been traveling with longtime advisor Ted Goodman when a 19-year-old driver allegedly slammed into their vehicle.

“He’s lucky to be alive,” Goodman said in a statement. “But if you know Rudy, you know he wouldn’t miss the 9/11 memorial for anything.”

The former mayor’s appearance at the World Trade Center site was his first since the crash—and a stark reminder of both his physical vulnerability and the symbolic weight he still carries on this day.

Giuliani was wheeled in quietly and escorted to a white chair where he remained seated for most of the ceremony. Clad in a navy blazer and adorned with a small American flag pin, he greeted several high-profile attendees with a warm smile and firm handshake.

Photos captured him in conversation with current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, and even former Gov. Andrew Cuomo—his political opposite in many ways, but a familiar face from New York’s leadership circles.

Current Mayor Eric Adams also shook hands with Giuliani, sharing a brief exchange in the shadow of the newly constructed World Trade Center buildings.

One attendee, a first responder who survived the attacks, told us: “Whatever people say about him now, Rudy will always be the mayor of 9/11. Seeing him here like that… it hits hard.”

Thursday’s remembrance included six moments of silence to mark the exact times of the four coordinated attacks: the two plane strikes on the Twin Towers, the crash at the Pentagon, and the downing of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

Family members read names of the 2,977 victims, their voices cracking with emotion as bells tolled in the background. Despite the passage of nearly a quarter-century, the pain remains raw.

Giuliani remained composed throughout the ceremony, occasionally nodding during the tributes and pausing to wipe his eyes. At one point, he placed his hand over his heart as a speaker referenced the firefighters lost on that day.

Giuliani’s public image has taken a hit in recent years—from ethics investigations to mounting legal troubles tied to his work for former President Donald Trump. But for many Americans, especially New Yorkers, his leadership on and after September 11 remains indelible.

A 2021 Quinnipiac poll still showed that over 50% of NYC residents viewed Giuliani’s response to 9/11 positively, even if his current reputation has faltered.

“I’ll always remember how he walked through the rubble with us,” said John R., a retired NYPD officer who attended Thursday’s memorial. “No matter what came after, that’s who Rudy is to me.”

Giuliani’s medical team has not released a formal statement, but sources close to him say recovery could take months—and may require further surgery. Still, those near him insist he’s determined to remain active, particularly around events tied to 9/11.

“He told me, ‘They’ll have to drag me away before I miss one of these,’” a family friend said.

As the 24th anniversary of the attacks passed with teary eyes and solemn vows of remembrance, Giuliani’s battered frame served as a quiet metaphor—wounded, but still standing for something.