9/11: The Falling Man - Unraveling the mystery, story, and impact of the iconic photograph featured in the documentary

9/11: The Falling Man is a 2006 documentary that aired on Channel 4, inspired by an Esquire article about a photo of a person falling from the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks. The individual's identity remains unconfirmed, though a 2016 Time article suggested they may have worked at the Windows on the World restaurant. Around 200 people tragically jumped from the towers after two Al Qaeda-hijacked planes crashed into them, among thousands of victims that day.

The photo was controversial when it was first released, with some Americans decrying it as cold-blooded and exploitative. However, others, like recording artist Elton John, considered it "one of the most perfect photographs ever taken", with him buying a copy to put into his collection.

When reflecting on the controversy and impact of the photo behind 9/11: The Falling Man, Richard had this to say:

"The man in my picture is uninjured. He does not look like he’s in pain. But you know he is moments from death. And you can’t help but think, “That could have been me.”

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9/11: The Falling Man covers a photo taken by Richard Drew

Richard Drew was the photographer behind The Falling Man. (Image via Time)

The iconic photo featured in 9/11: The Falling Man was taken by Richard Drew, a photographer for the Associated Press. On September 11, 2001, he was originally on assignment covering a maternity fashion show at Bryant Park. When word of the terrorist attack got out, Richard to the New York subway until it arrived at the Chambers Street subway station, the closest to the Twin Towers.

At the corner of West and Vesey Street, Richard began taking photographs of the smoldering towers. He heard crackling sounds that he originally assumed were debris falling from the tower, only to realize that people were in fact jumping from the World Trade Center to their deaths.

Most of the people who jumped did so from the North Tower, as it was more crowded, and more of the tower had been destroyed with the people still inside.

Richard took 8 photographs in a quick sequence before a first responder pulled him away from the path of the collapsing South Tower. In total, Richard had taken ten to twelve photos of people jumping, one of which went on to become the photo featured in 9/11: The Falling Man.

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The photo behind 9/11:The Falling Man was controversial

The photo behind 9/11: The Falling Man sparked controversy. (Image via Time)

The photo was controversial when it originally appeared in news publications. Several people criticized the image as exploitative and cold-hearted. Richard reflected on his experience in the book September 11: The 9/11 Story, Aftermath and Legacy. In it, Richard came to believe that the reason behind the photo's controversy was that it hit a little close to home.

Richard had previously photographed major events, including Robert F. Kennedy Sr.'s assassination in 1968 and images from the Vietnam War. However, none sparked the controversy like the 9/11 photo, The Falling Man. Richard believed this was because Americans could distance themselves from the Vietnam War victims or a political figure like RFK Sr., but they couldn't distance themselves from the falling man.

The indistinct person falling off of the World Trade Center could've been any of them, causing them to reflect on their own lives and what they might've done had they been trapped in the collapsing World Trade Center the way he was.

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The identity of the person photographed in The Falling Man picture was never confirmed. At varying times, the victim has been speculated to be Noberto Hernandez, or Jonathan Briley, both of them employees of Windows on the World. 9/11: The Falling Man originally aired on Channel 4.