Remembering Terence Hatton: 'Capt. Man-Hatton'

Terence Hatton, the captain of FDNY’s elite Rescue Company 1, was nicknamed "Capt. Man-Hatton" for his insistence on learning the borough’s buildings inside and out. It was with this disciplined mindset that he led a group of 10 members of the company up the stairs of the North Tower on the morning of Sept. 11. Today, a white rose at the 9/11 Memorial marks what would have been his 56th birthday.

Hatton was described as the “ultimate firefighter.” His best friend and fellow firefighter, Tim Brown, describes his uncompromising commitment to technique that gave him a reputation in the department as straight-laced. “I had so much respect for him, in that he would always, always, always, do the right thing,” said Brown.

This professional drive propelled him through the ranks in the department. As one of the FDNY’s most decorated members, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani joked, “I think we ran out of medals.” 

In addition to the FDNY, Hatton’s great love was his wife, Elizabeth Petrone Hatton who he married in 1998. As Giuliani’s long-term executive assistant, Beth was by the mayor’s side that day when she learned her husband was in the North Tower when it collapsed. The next day, she learned that she was pregnant with their first child. She named the little girl Terri after her father.

By Jenny Pachucki, 9/11 Memorial Content Strategist