The Marriott World Trade Center Hotel (WTC 3) stood nestled between the Twin Towers. On September 6, 2001, just five days before 9/11, the hotel’s management held a special employee appreciation luncheon for staff members. It was meant as a celebration of their hard work during the busy summer season and a way to boost morale.
The luncheon took place in one of the hotel’s banquet spaces and brought together dozens of employees from housekeeping, catering, front desk, and other departments. Many later recalled it as a rare, joyful event where staff could relax together, share food, and feel recognized. Photographs were even taken of the gathering — snapshots of smiling employees who had no idea that their workplace would soon be destroyed.
On September 11, 2001, when Flight 175 struck the South Tower, debris from the collapsing skyscraper fatally damaged the Marriott. The hotel was completely destroyed when both towers fell, crushing it beneath the debris. Tragically, at least 41 people inside the hotel — employees, guests, and first responders — were killed. Some of those who had attended the luncheon days earlier were among the victims.
Survivors later reflected on how meaningful that September 6 luncheon was — in hindsight, it became the last happy gathering for many Marriott employees at the World Trade Center. For families and coworkers, the photographs taken at that luncheon became cherished keepsakes, capturing their loved ones’ final days in the place where they worked.
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