[Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
 | [Main General Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
25th & Park Posted by Pete [Email]  (#2000) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Pete) on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:54:11
In Reply to: Where were you seven years ago today?, yaofeng, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:37:42 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Shortly after the first building was attacked, we all went out of our office to the park. By the time we got out, the 2nd building was burning.
At the corner where we were standing watching the towers burn, a young woman came out of the subway -- she fell to the street and broke down sobbing -- that her sister was in the north tower. To this day it haunts me -- did her sister make it out or not?
By the grace of God, 2 people who worked for me were supposed to be in a meeting in the north tower... but instead I had sent them to a meeting in mid-town with a new client.
Two people at my company -- their spouses never came home.
Since I live in a commuter town in north NJ, everyone here knows someone who was impacted, the town were I grew up, and where my parents still lived (Middletown), had more deaths than any other town.
When I saw the burning buildings -- the old Towering Inferno movie came to mind. I never imagined they would fall.
By mid day, those of us stuck in the city found the nearest drug store to buy contact solution, toothpaste, toothbrush. There was no air traffic at that point. We cringed when a jet did go over (military). Walking by the armory in NYC -- there were many many heavily armed soldiers. Awful feeling.
At my company they brought in food and were organizing places for people to stay. All I could think about was my 2 kids (I'm a single Dad), who would be home alone. I finally was able to phone with my parents who were able to my house to take care of them.
And then within a month I lost my job -- our largest clients were financial services -- who had been in lower Manhattan, and now had no offices.
For the first few years after 9-11 I could not go into Manhattan on Sept 11. Now I work from home...
These words don't begin to do justice to the horror of that day, the fear we all had, the uncertainty. All things considered, my life was relatively untouched -- but around me far too many lost Dads, Moms, sons, daughters.
There is a spot in my town that overlooks to NYC. It became a shrine, a mecca -- pictures, candles, cards -- hundreds and hundreds of them. Someone set up a telescope -- to be able to see Manhattan clearly. Went on for days and days. People would come up there and sit, sometimes talk.
It knocked the sense of confidence, of peace out of me...
Peter
posted by 67.82.57...
, Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:39:51, Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:14:42
, Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:48:39, Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:54:55
, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:23:58, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:54:11 <-- Viewing This Message, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:27:51, Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:30:05, Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:43:50
, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:48:09, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:27:14, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:16:21
, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:47:34, Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:25:26
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
