9/11 Victim Edna Cintron, “The Waving Woman” Wikipedia: Did She Jump?

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Edna Cintron, A 9/11 Victim Whose Video Of Waving Hand For Help From WTC Went Viral

A Puerto Rico-born Brooklyn resident, Edna Cintron, was among 2,996 people who lost their lives in the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack. Cintron was a worker of Marsh & McLennan at the World Trade Center 1.

In the aftermath of the unfortunate incident, several photographs showed Edna survived the crash and preceding explosion.

She stood in the hole of the impact for 102 minutes, waving hands in hopes of being rescued before the collapsing building perished her along with other survivors. Thus earning her the name of “The Waving Woman.”

It led to searches about Cintron with numerous tributes, which, in turn, also brought her childhood struggle and an adorable married life into the light. Please read the full article to know her life story.

Quick Facts

Name Edna Cintron (nee Troche)
NicknameEdna
Birth DateOctober 14, 1954
Birth PlacePuerto Rico
Death DateSeptember 11, 2001 (aged 46)
HusbandWilliam Cintron
ChildrenNo
ProfessionAdministrative assistant
GenderFemale
Sexual OrientationStraight
Career ActiveUntil death (in 2001)

Edna Cintron Wikipedia: Where Was She From? When Was She Born?

According to Edna’s obituary, she was born Edna Troche in Puerto Rico on October 14, 1954. The 9/11 victim took the last name “Cintron” after her marriage.

When she was five, her mother brought her to New York City, where she grew up in a financially troubled childhood.

Edna Cintron lost her life in the 9-11 attack
Edna Cintron lost her life in the 9/11 attack (Source: FindAGrave)

Edna attended a local high school but didn’t graduate (managed up to 11th grade). Dropping off her academics, she began working to support her family.

Years later, after landing a job at Marsh & McLennan, she resumed schooling to advance her career; she took classes for GED, equivalent to a high school diploma. Alas, a different fate awaited her.

Cintron’s Family Details: A Childhood Raveld In Poverty

After moving from Puerto Rico to NYC, Edna Cintron lived in lower Manhattan on Delancey Street, famous for the neighborhood of immigrants. Her parents’ names were Torey and Rich, while further details about them never came up.

Cintron’s mother reportedly worked as a clerical worker for the New York City Board of Education.

Her mom used to take two boiled eggs for lunch to save expenses and use that money for her kids. She received several cents from her mother as a weekly allowance.

According to an article by Independent.Co.UK, Edna had two siblings: an elder sister, Myrna, who lives in New Jersey, while her brother was long-estranged.

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Who Was Edna Cintron’s Husband?

Late Edna was not married until the age of 32 before she met her future husband, William, in 1987. On the other, William, then 30, was already a divorcee and father of two children with his ex-wife.

Cintron and her future hubby met when the latter visited his brother at his brother’s girlfriend’s house. Edna (his brother’s girlfriend’s friend) turned out to be in the kitchen, and it was love at first sight for him, which he told during his interview with the Independent.

Both of them were dating other people then, but soon, they connected and got into a relationship. As reported, he would pick her up and drop her to work daily.

Edna Cintron and her husband William
Edna Cintron and her husband William (Source: YouTube)

After dating for a few months, the duo moved to a Brooklyn apartment. They married in 1989.

According to Mr. Cintron, both he and Edna had been homeless at one point in their lives, and the shared emotion of pain made their bonding even more vital.

The duo juggled jobs to cover their bills and worked hard to create the ideal life they dreamt of.

Edna’s husband, William, worked 7-3 five days a week as a doorman at an apartment building on the swanky Upper East Side. As reported, before meeting her, he used to struggle with alcoholism. Thanks to his wife, he was able to detox and celebrated 12 years of sobriety in 2000.

Did They Share Children?

The couple didn’t welcome any children, as Edna could not conceive. Even if they had plans for adoption, it was always postponed due to tight financial mobility.

Cintron Worked In Marsh & McLennan

Edna Cintron joined Marsh & McLennan in 1999, located on the 97th floor of the World Trade Center 1, where she was an administrative assistant. Before that, she worked in Manhattan’s World Financial Centre.

In interviews, her husband (widower) described Edna as a ‘strong person’ and a very organized person. Despite her busy work, she would keep him in check- if he ate and was alright.

It was a routine for nine years in their residence in East Elmhurst, Queens, until the 9/11 attack turned his life upside down.

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Edna Cintron In 9/11 Attack: Did She Jump Or Fall?

During the unfortunate day of the 9/11 attack (September 11, 2001), Cintron was working in the Marsh & McLennan office at the World Trade Center 1 building (North Tower).

The hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 struck the building at 8:46 a.m. with an impact on the 93rd to 99th floor, leaving no escape route to occupants over the 92nd floor. There are assumptions that all occupants were mortally wounded, leaving no survivors.

However, video and photographs of the impact hole after the collision showcased a woman on the edge of the impact zone alive and waving for help. William identified the woman as none other than his wife of 12 years, Edna Cintron.

Mrs. Cintron waving her hand from the impact hole at the World Trade Center amid the 9/11 attack
Mrs. Cintron waving her hand from the impact hole at the World Trade Center amid the 9/11 attack (Source: Twitter)

As reported, Mrs. Cintron remained there for 102 minutes seeking help and was last seen in the photographs before the building collapsed at 10:28 a.m.

In a photograph by Richard Drew, the same woman (Edna) was captured falling into the impact void, which raised curiosity about whether she jumped with no hopes left or accidentally fell. The footage became famous as The Waving Woman of 9/11 video.

At the time of death, she was 46 years old.

In the aftermath of the collapse, her body was found in the rubble. As a tribute to Edna, her obituary is available at FindAGrave.com and Legacy.com. She is memorialized at the North Pool at Panel N-12 at the National 9/11 Memorial.

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