New York, New York – The 25th anniversary of the tragic September 11 attacks was marked on Friday. A survivor of the assault in New York now recounted how his guide dog safely led him from the 78th floor down to the ground.

Michael "Mike" Hingson has been blind since birth and was working that day in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He was in his office on the 78th floor when he suddenly heard an explosion.

In an interview with People, he recounted that his coworker David Frank was gripping his desk – it felt as if the building were swaying for meters. Their guide dog Roselle was also in the room at the time.

"David and I actually said goodbye to each other," the 76‑year‑old remembered. "Because we thought we were going to take a 78-floor plunge to the street.”

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“Oh my God, Mike, there’s fire and smoke above us. We got to get out of here – right now,” his colleague shouted as the building steadied. Once they were sure no other employees remained in the office, they made their way down.

The stairwell was cramped, so Roselle stayed close behind Mike while he held onto the railing.

“I knew she was going to sense the fear in everyone else, so I needed to let her know I was OK,” Mike explained.

He had to keep reassuring the four‑legged friend the whole time.

In the stairwell, crowds gathered from all floors – until Frank, too, was seized by fear.

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"Mike, we’re going to die," he shouted.

The 76‑year‑old, however, was convinced of the opposite and encouraged his colleague.

When Frank calmed down, he kept the panic of the people in check.

When they finally had solid ground beneath their feet, it wasn't long before the South Tower collapsed. Mike heard a voice in his head: “When I did that, I literally heard in my head a voice that said, ‘Don’t worry about what you can’t control.'"

Roselle guided the blind man to a subway station. As a police officer was just giving the all‑clear, the North Tower also fell.

"Oh my God, Mike, all I see are pillars of smoke hundreds of feet tall. It’s gone,’ ” Hingson said.

Hingson now lives in California with his dog, and he has a positive message for those facing fear: "If we allow ourselves to be blinded by fear,” he said, adding, “all we’re going to do is make it harder for ourselves to live.”