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'Dust Lady' of Iconic 9/11 Photo Dies: Family

A New Jersey woman whose image became an iconic snapshot of the moments following the 9/11 attack on New York City has died.

Known as the “Dust Lady,” 42-year-old Marcy Borders of Bayonne, died Monday night in the hospital after a battle with cancer, her brother told NBC News.

The photo shows Borders covered in a thick layer of yellow dust, which she believed contributed to her illness, according to the Jersey Journal.

"I'm saying to myself, 'Did this thing ignite cancer cells in me?'" she told The Journal. "I definitely believe it, because I haven't had any illnesses."

Borders was photographed after the World Trade Center was hit by two passenger jets. Borders was inside one of the Twin Towers at the time of the attack, but managed to escape onto the street below.

"At this time I need everyone to take the time out to pray for my sister, Marcy Borders," her brother said on Facebook shortly after her death Monday. "I can't believe my sister is gone."

Mayor de Blasio tweeted about Borders’ passing, saying it was a “difficult reminder of the tragedy our city suffered nearly 14 years ago.”

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