A former IBM executive has sparked outrage by saying he subsequently fired the colleague who saved his life after she advised him against taking one of the flights hijacked on September 11.
People commenting on his recollection, posted to mark the 22nd anniversary of the tragedy, have told Bill Elmore to “be ashamed of himself.”
The former tech company executive said he ultimately fired the colleague for “poor performance” at the instruction of his boss.
But an unsympathetic X (formerly Twitter) user commented: “I don’t care what your boss says or what she says. You should be ashamed of yourself.’
Ellmore, without revealing his former colleague’s name, had said he understood she had built a successful career elsewhere.
Bill Ellmore has revealed that he subsequently fired the colleague who advised him against one of the September 11 hijacked flights. Pictured: American Airlines Flight 175 flies toward the South Tower of the World Trade Center while the North Tower is on fire
X users (formerly Twitter) did not react well to the revelation of the former IBM CEO
The former technical director (photo) was booked on Flight 93, which was due to crash into the Capitol in Washington
Another commenter encouraged him to “make sure you always include the part about you screwing up the person who saved you,” after his original post left out that detail.
Another joked, “Now that I’ve met Bill Ellmore, I’m looking forward to Bill El-less.”
Ellmore had begun: “I was booked on United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. Around midnight the night before, a colleague called me and urged me to change my flight and fly to San Jose instead.
‘This meant I had to give up my 1st class seat and transfer to a flight that departed 20 minutes later (from the same gate) with a stopover in Denver. I was very reluctant, but I did it.”
After watching passengers board the doomed plane, Ellmore’s flight was grounded just before takeoff as those on board watched the shocking scenes on the other side of the Hudson River from their runway.
Ellmore, who left IBM in 2019 according to his LinkedIn, claimed he found the experience life-changing.
“I changed that day,” he said, “I have had two children since September 11th and been on multiple mission trips to war-torn countries. Every day I wake up, breathing is another gift from God.”
Ellmore described the story among his tributes to the victims of the attack on the 22nd anniversary of the tragedy
He told Daily dot: ‘I no longer take life for granted.’
He also told the publication about the moment he realized his future plane had crashed.
“Just as I pulled into my driveway behind my wife coming back from a yoga class, they reported it was United Flight 93,” he said.
“I physically couldn’t get out of my car. I felt faint and my legs wouldn’t move.’
He added to mistake she made’.
He revealed the unfortunate development in the story after an X user (formerly Twitter) asked “what ever happened” to the life-saving colleague.
Commentators were surprised at the ‘plot twist’.
One described it as ‘crazy funny’, while another added: ‘I will never delete this app.’
People also enjoyed imagining the looting — one person imagined Ellmore saying, “You saved my life, but you came in at 8:10 a.m. seven times this year.” We have to let you go.’
Another suspected use of the quip “I need profits now, not prophets.”
Despite the backlash, the former director reiterated that “the reason I was originally booked on Flight 93 was due to her performance issues.” These problems did not improve afterward and I delayed letting her go until my boss insisted it happen.”
Commenters on X also saw a funny side to Ellmore’s story, but he reiterated that he did not regret the firing
A plume of smoke from the crash of United Flight 93 in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
However, he added: “I’m certainly not going to reveal her name and publicly humiliate her. I truly believe she was used by God to make me reschedule my flight.
“From what I was told, it was a wake-up call that ultimately led to her excelling in her next job. I don’t regret the action.’
United Airlines Flight 93 was not one of the two planes that hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, but was hijacked.
The intended target was Capitol Hill in Washington DC, but the passengers voted to insurrection – this is documented in the 2006 film United 93.
This ultimately led to the plane crashing near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, which Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly described as “an act of heroism.”