Rachel Uchitel reflects on the tragic loss of her fiancé James Andrew O’Grady during the 9/11 attacks, sharing a heartfelt tribute 23 years after the devastating event.
Rachel Uchitel Reflects on 9/11 Loss and Honors Late Fiancé James O’Grady
Rachel Uchitel, podcast host and former Tiger Woods mistress, marked the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a heartfelt tribute to her late fiancé, James Andrew O’Grady, who tragically died when 2 World Trade Center collapsed. Taking to Instagram, Uchitel shared an emotional video and paid tribute to O’Grady, reflecting on their love and the impact of his loss.
In her post, the 49-year-old wrote, “23 years ago, I lost the love of my life, Andy O’Grady.” The video featured clips from shortly after the attacks, showing a young Uchitel, then 26, holding missing posters of her fiancé, desperately searching for him. Visibly shaken in the footage, she tearfully pleaded, “If I don’t find him, I have to start all over again. It’s taken my whole life to find him.”
Uchitel also included the famous New York Post cover of her grief-stricken photo, clutching the missing flyers, captioned “New York’s Tragic Face.” Despite the overwhelming sorrow, the video concludes with happy memories of O’Grady, showcasing his beaming smile and their loving moments together, set to emotional piano music.
The Love Story and Tragic Loss
O’Grady, a former competitive swimmer at UCLA, was working as a managing director at Sandler O’Neill & Partners on the 104th floor of 2 World Trade Center. He and Uchitel had gotten engaged just weeks before the attacks, on August 5, 2001, and were planning to marry in May 2002.
On the morning of September 11, Uchitel had the horrifying task of watching the events unfold live while working at Bloomberg News. She recalled speaking with O’Grady after the first plane hit, unaware that minutes later his building would be struck and collapse. Her last conversation with him revealed the chaos in the tower: “Rachel, it’s really chaotic here… I just saw somebody jump out the window.”
Uchitel shared that watching his building fall left her gasping for breath, knowing there was little hope. “The despair of not knowing was beyond words,” she wrote, reflecting on how the loss fundamentally changed her life. She had found her “one” in O’Grady, and just as they were planning their future, it was taken from them.
A Legacy of Love
In her tribute, Uchitel honored O’Grady’s memory, expressing how deeply his smile and voice are etched in her mind, even 23 years later. She described him as “wonderful” and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love and support from strangers after her story went public. “It was the honor of my life to have been loved by James Andrew O’Grady,” she concluded.
Though the pain remains, Uchitel’s post serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost on that tragic day and the enduring love she carries for her late fiancé.
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