Vycki Higley is only beginning to “reinvent” herself 25 years after the twin towers terror attack that claimed the life of her husband and more than 2,700 others.

Robert Higley, formerly a pupil of Saltus Grammar School, was said to have died a hero aged 29 saving others in the 9/11 attacks.

He was working with Aon Risk Management Services on the 92nd floor of the southern tower on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Mr Higley ushered fellow workers to safety and returned up a stairwell to find others when the tower collapsed.

His wife continues to pick up the pieces and acknowledged: “A lot of healing has happened, although a lot of hurt remains.”

She added: “We are very pleased to see his memory is remembered in Bermuda.

“He spoke of Bermuda a lot and we heard things about it from his mom. He was quite young when he was there but not so young that he doesn’t remember stuff.

“He would have loved to take me there and show me around but we never got there.

“I’ve never been but obviously it is a place that me and the girls want to get to.”

Mrs Higley said that her older daughter, Amanda, celebrated her first wedding anniversary on September 5.

Her younger daughter, Robyn – with whom she was pregnant when her husband was killed – got married in April.

“This time of year always bring up things and certainly the anniversary brings up stuff,” Mrs Higley said.

“We cannot get away from it. But we wanted September not to be just about that and that is why Amanda was married in September.

“I know it is necessary in a sense to mark the anniversary of the attack so that people don’t forget.”

Mrs Higley was pregnant with Robyn when her husband was killed, naming the baby after him despite the couple having earlier agreed on another name.

She added: “Every day hurts without him.

“We talk about it and I talk about it more freely. But at first we would not go into the city and now we love the city.

“I even talk about it at a school where there is a project called Eye Witness History.

“There are ten different speakers and range from all sorts of events.

“In the past there were Second World War veterans, people from Woodstock, soldiers from different wars such as Iraq and then they usually have me.

“Robyn has joined me a couple of years as well for the event. I talk about it from a family perspective and how that day was, then about my girls and how they have struggled through life and what has gotten them through.

“Both are very successful in their fields that they have chosen and are very bright.

“So I am trying to reinvent myself and talk about it more and I want to help others so that people are not in the same situation that I was in.

“I was in survival mode and a lot is still about [my daughters].”

Mrs Higley recalled the early days of the tragedy.

“I was traumatised and struggled as a single mom,” she said.

“I could not let them go out the door. I was always thinking the worst was going to happen, and still to this day I have to make sure they call me.”

She added: “People don’t realise, Robert walked into a building and didn’t come out. OK, I have got better but in the early days I could not let anybody out of my sight.

“Now both girls are living on their own.

“I am trying to live life on my terms now and step away from it.”