What happens when life takes you somewhere you never expected to be? In this deeply moving episode of Deep Journey Conversation, host Necherem sits down with Solange Schwalbe, an Emmy Award-winning motion picture sound editor whose remarkable journey took her from the heart of Hollywood to the recovery effort at Ground Zero following the September 11 attacks. With more than three decades in Hollywood and over 175 film credits, Solange worked on iconic productions including The Goonies, Gremlins, Die Hard, Pirates of the Caribbean, Black Hawk Down, Moneyball, and HBO’s John Adams, which earned her team an Emmy Award for sound editing. But beyond her successful entertainment career lies an extraordinary chapter of service. After the September 11 attacks, Solange travelled to New York City, volunteered with the Salvation Army, and eventually became a safety monitor working inside the Pit at Ground Zero. For four months, she worked alongside firefighters, police officers, and construction crews, becoming one of only four women among more than 1,500 responders. In this conversation, Solange takes us inside an experience few people have witnessed firsthand. She shares how she found herself at Ground Zero, what her responsibilities involved, what it was like working in such an extraordinary environment, and the people whose dedication and service left a lasting impression on her. She also discusses her memoir, I’m Not Supposed to Know This: An Unlikely Account of Ground Zero After the 9/11 Attacks, and why preserving the stories of those who contributed to the recovery effort matters. This episode is a reminder that courage doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes, it looks like showing up, serving others, and doing what needs to be done, even when the circumstances are beyond anything you could have imagined. IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE: - Solange’s journey into Hollywood and her award-winning sound-editing career. - What led her to New York City after September 11. - Her experience volunteering with the Salvation Army. - How she became a safety monitor inside the Pit at Ground Zero. - What daily life was like during the recovery effort. - Her experience as one of only four women working inside the Pit. - The people, courage, and spirit of service she encountered. - Why she wrote her memoir and what she hopes future generations will remember. ABOUT OUR GUEST Solange Schwalbe is an Emmy Award-winning Motion Picture Sound Editor and author with more than 30 years of experience in Hollywood and over 175 film credits. Her work includes The Goonies, Gremlins, The Color Purple, Die Hard, Pirates of the Caribbean, Black Hawk Down, Moneyball, and HBO’s John Adams. Following the September 11 attacks, she volunteered in New York City and later worked for four months as a safety monitor inside the Pit at Ground Zero. Her memoir, I’m Not Supposed to Know This, shares her firsthand account of the recovery effort and the remarkable people she encountered. CONNECT WITH SOLANGE Visit her official website to learn more about her story, explore photographs from her Ground Zero experience, and order her memoir: https://imnotsupposedtoknowthis.com LISTEN, REFLECT & SHARE If this conversation moves you, share the episode with someone who values stories of courage, service, history, and the resilience of the human spirit. Subscribe to Deep Journey Conversation for more meaningful conversations that inspire growth, purpose, and transformation. Because sometimes, the stories we are not supposed to know are the ones we most need to hear.
