After the 1993 World Trade Center attack, he anticipated the threat of another attack and implemented regular evacuation drills for Morgan Stanley employees, ensuring they were well-prepared for any emergency.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, when the North Tower was struck by the first hijacked plane, Rescorla immediately began evacuating the Morgan Stanley offices in the South Tower, ignoring announcements that urged people to stay at their desks. He led thousands of employees to safety, all while calmly singing Cornish songs to keep people calm.
Despite successfully evacuating nearly all of Morgan Stanley’s 2,700 employees, Rick Rescorla went back into the building to ensure no one was left behind. Tragically, he was still inside the South Tower when it collapsed.
Rick Rescorla's family was honored for his bravery. In 2019, President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Rick Rescorla the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian award in the United States.
