Lindsay Smith is a thin, beautiful blonde who starred in a popular soap opera. She grew up in western Pennsylvania, went to New York University for graduate school and was immediately successful in getting work in commercials and on Broadway.

“I thought that getting acting work was easy, and I gave all of my money away,” she says. “I helped my parents put my brothers through school. I didn’t save much.”

After a period of time, she found that getting acting work wasn’t always so easy and became more cautious about her finances.

She married a few times but finally settled down with an attorney and moved to Tribeca. She had a son at the age of 38 and has recently spent the majority of her time in school-related activities.

Lindsay was deeply affected by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, experiencing them firsthand.

“It was the most horrible thing that ever happened to me,” she says. “My gym was at the top of the South Tower (of the World Trade Center). I used to go to the gym every morning and clock in at 8:45. I would have been in the elevator, but I was going to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned that morning.

“Normally, I would take my son to school then walk through his soccer fields to the top of the South Tower and work out. Instead, I was at Warren and Church when I heard this incredible roar. I looked up and saw this commercial plane flying through the streets and then accelerating upward into the tower. I ran home and yelled at my husband that we were being attacked by terrorists and needed to get (our son) Coulter from school. He said, ‘You are out of your mind. We are not going to the school.’ I was in shock, screaming, ‘We have to get the baby!’

“My husband went upstairs to the deck to see, and I heard him say, ‘Oh, my God!’ He thought plane number two was going to hit us. We ran to get Coulter from the school. We went back to the apartment to get a few things, and then we just started running. We saw people jumping and falling. It was terrible.”

Because of her experience, Lindsay is very concerned about the long-term safety and health of her family.

“That day made me value people and relationships more,” she says. “This day, this moment, is the most important. I may only have this one day left.”

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