Sadly last week Marcy – known as the dust lady - died aged just 42 from stomach cancer, which she believes was caused by inhaling toxic dust during the terror attack that brought down New York's twin towers in 2001.
Following the attacks - which killed nearly 3000 people - she suffered depression and drug addiction.
Despite turning her life around her cousin Shaniqua Borders, 24, tells Closer that Marcy, who was mum to Noelle, 21 and Zayden, seven, never fully recovered from 9/11.
TUNISIA SURVIVOR SHOT IN THE FACE 'WOULDN'T LET GO OF HER DEAD HUSBAND'
“A part of Marcy died that day and 14 years on it has finally taken her,” she says.
Marcy was working for the Bank Of America on the 81st floor of the North Tower when the attacks happened.
Shaniqua, a hospitality manager from New Jersey, recalls: “We frantically tried to trace Marcy then at 9pm got a call to say she was in hospital.
“Physically she was ok but she was very fragile and we now know was in the early stages of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” says Shaniqua.
“Marcy told us how she’d just got out of the building when the South Tower started to come down. She said she couldn’t breathe as her throat was coated in dust and really thought she was going to die.”
“I don't think she was even aware the photo had been taken. She didn't mind being called "The Dust Lady" but she had 'survivor's guilt'.”
To read more, get your copy of this week's Closer magazine.