Mystery 9/11 Rescuer Reveals Himself

This photo supplied by Jason Thomas shows him in September 2001, at the World Trade Center site where he helped in the rescue effort following the terrorist attacks in New York. Thomas, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, helped rescue Port Authority police officers John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno, but never thought to contact them or anyone else about his role. Even the producers of the new Oliver Stone film, "World Trade Center," which chronicles the rescue effort, couldn't find him. Encouraged by an aunt, Thomas has unmasked his identity amid publicity for the film. (AP Photo/Jason Thomas) (AP)

It was dark before they heard a response. The two crawled into a deep pit to find McLoughlin and Jimeno, injured but alive.

Jimeno would spend 13 hours in the pit before he was pulled free. Thomas stayed long enough to see him come up, but left due to exhaustion before McLoughlin, who remained pinned for another nine hours, was retrieved.

Thomas said he returned to ground zero every day for another 2 1/2 weeks to pitch in, then walked away and tried to forget.

"I didn't want to relive what took place that day," he said.

Shamberg said he apologized to Thomas for an inaccuracy in the film: Thomas is black, but the actor cast to portray him, William Mapother, is white. Filmmakers realized the mistake only after production had begun, Shamberg said.

Thomas laughed and gently chided the filmmakers, then politely declined to discuss it further. "I don't want to shed any negativity on what they were trying to show," he said.

As for his story, Thomas said he is gradually becoming more comfortable telling it.

"It's been like therapy," he said.

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On the Net:

World Trade Center film: http://www.wtcmovie.com/