Jen Black

Squirrel Major

[Mila Joy @Milajoy]

John Abruzzo was already at his desk on the 69th floor of the North Tower when the first plane hit.

He was a Port Authority accountant and a C5-6 quadriplegic.

His power wheelchair was how he moved through the world.

Most of his floor emptied fast.

Ten coworkers did not.

They lifted him out of his custom chair and into a lightweight evacuation chair the agency had bought after the 1993 bombing - the same attack that had already trapped Abruzzo in this building once before.

That first time it took six hours to get him down.

This time they took turns: two at the front, two at the back, sliding him down flight after flight, pivoting on every landing.

One person scouted ahead.

When they hit smoke they changed stairwells.

They even stopped at a Snapple machine.

Firefighters they passed offered to take him.

The group said no.

They would not leave him.

It took about 90 minutes to descend 69 floors.

They carried him over debris in the lobby and out through a broken window.

They were on the sidewalk roughly ten minutes before the North Tower fell.

The chair that brought him down is in the 9/11 Memorial Museum now.

The names of the people who stayed with him are not as widely known as they should be.

There was no speech.

No vote.

Just a group of office workers who looked at a man who could not take the stairs and decided his life was not someone else’s problem.

That is the story.

[The Galen and Hilary Weston Foundation @TheGHWF]

Delighted to share that a world-first centre for people impacted by rare dementias will be named in honour of visionary philanthropists Hilary and Galen Weston.
Read more:
https://t.co/TSVB6BITjM
https://t.co/6MzEKGjata
https://t.co/GSGHGQDt0M

[UCL Brain Sciences @UCLBrainScience]

At UCL, AI is revolutionising dementia research; from faster Alzheimer’s diagnosis to tracking progression and developing new treatments.
This #WorldAlzheimersMonth, explore how our neuroscience experts are improving lives: https://t.co/GPY7aOzW7K

[UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre @UCLHD]

Prof Tabrizi: “I want to thank the participants in our young adult study as their dedication and commitment over the last 5 years mean we hope that clinical trials aimed at preventing #HD will become a reality in the next few years." @ucl @UCLIoN @DrMFarag https://t.co/iufuIajqF0

[Prof Cath Mummery @cathmummery]

This is an exciting opportunity to build on a fantastic collaboration across the UK, at the most exciting time in dementia research! Let me know if you want to talk!

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

«The best thing I’ve learned this week is that when squirrels fall - they land like superheroes»

[Giving at UCL @UCLGiving]

We are delighted that the @SRausingTrust has awarded a further £5 million in support of the Neurogenetic Therapies Programme (NgTP) at @UCLIoN/@UCL.

Together, we can transform outcomes for people with neurodegenerative and dementia-causing diseases. 🔬 https://t.co/yDMcM1mYDg

[Jack Kenmare @jackkenmare_]

This is great. Espanyol players brought abandoned dogs onto the pitch to help them find homes

[Erin Overbey @erinoverbey]

“women like us fall into two categories: dragons and fools.

you must make sure they think of you as a dragon”

rip Maggie Smith💔 (1934-2024)

[UCL News @uclnews]

Congratulations to Dr @AndrewSeaton @UCLHistory who has been shortlisted for the 2024 #WolfsonHistoryPrize, the UK's most prestigious history writing prize, for his book 'Our NHS: A History of Britain’s Best-Loved Institution' https://t.co/W0gKjiMMM1

[Margaret E Atwood @MargaretAtwood]

Starting season 6 shoot! #thehandmaidstale ⁦@HandmaidsOnHulu⁩

[Margaret E Atwood @MargaretAtwood]

Memes are getting very naughty!

[Rochelle A. Burgess @thewrittenro.bsky.social @thewrittenro]

Well, it’s official: I have been promoted to full Professor @ucl I am well aware of what this means; that as a Black Woman I am one of a few. To the students over the years who told me it meant the world to see me at the front of a room- I am still here.

[UCL News @uclnews]

A teenager, who is the first patient to take part in a UCL-sponsored clinical trial led by Mr @martin_tisdall @UCLchildhealth @GreatOrmondSt to use deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat epilepsy, has seen his daytime seizures reduce by 80% https://t.co/36FwZ02GJS

[Professor Kevin Mills @Prof_K_Mills]

Front page of The Times this morning for our lab, describing our use of artificial intelligence & panels of biomarkers to create new predictive test for Parkinson's Disease.
It is an absolute privilege to work with the superb clinicians and scientists at UCL.
#ParkinsonsDisease

[UCL News @uclnews]

Scientists at @ucl and @yourUMG, including Dr Jenny Hallqvist, @Prof_K_Mills & Prof @kailashbhatia @UCLchildhealth @UCLIoN have developed a blood test that uses artificial intelligence to predict #Parkinsons up to seven years before the onset of symptoms https://t.co/75B0T8TRg3

[UCL News @uclnews]

Drugs with the potential to treat Alzheimer's are expected to be approved in the UK this year, but healthcare services may need to change to ensure patients have equitable access to these therapies finds a study co-led by Prof @rimonaweil & Dr @cathmummery https://t.co/2cbspDC2iP

[Prof Cath Mummery @cathmummery]

The perfect week to announce a flagship initiative - the first ‘Maggie Centre’ for dementia - it is much needed To support patients and families and hopefully will lead the way for more in the UK in the future

[Giving at UCL @UCLGiving]

This #DementiaActionWeek, we are delighted to announce that a £2.7 million gift from The Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation has secured a site for a world-first Rare Dementia Support Centre at @UCL. https://t.co/oLHiU2yLEo