Reflecting and remembering

[TBSS]

As some of you know, I was in NYC four years ago and both lived and worked about 1500 feet from the WTC. Today, while attempting to remember and reflect upon what happened, I went back through my email and found what I had composed to send to my friends after reaching my girlfriend's at around 11:30 AM. I thought I would share with you one person's perspective on that day 4 years ago.

 

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9/11/01

 

Friends -

 

As you know, I live about 4 blocks away from the World Trade Center. I was at home when the plane crashes occurred, but didn't hear them because buildings between mine and the WTC towers stopped any sound from reaching me.

 

I walked outside at 9:05AM to go to work and there was debris and office paper raining down on everyone. The only thing I could think of was that there was some kind of event going on – the only time I saw something similar was when the Yankees won the World Series and there was a tickertape parade.

 

As I asked people what was going on, I heard differing stories, one of which was that a plane had crashed into the WTC. “What a ridiculous thought” I remember saying to myself. “What people will say and believe around here …”

 

I walked two blocks up and saw one of the towers on fire. In retrospect, I must have gone into shock at that very moment. I remember thinking, “Hmm, I wonder if I should go in to work?” and a number of other variances on that theme like, “I don’t want to get into trouble, so maybe I should go in …”

 

I don’t remember making a decision, I just remember walking back to my apartment. I went upstairs and sat down in my office chair. I was faintly aware of a grumbling in my stomach and I thought that it would be a good idea to get something to eat. This gave me something concrete to do, something definite, so I had a sense of purpose. I felt a little better.

 

I walked down to Starbucks and there were only a few people there. No one was talking about what was happening right outside the door. “What would you like?” asked the nicer-than-usual person behind the counter. I had trouble making up my mind. I finally decided that I should get extra food just in case (?) and ordered both a cheese danish and a chocolate croissant.

 

I went back up to my apartment to eat. It was about 9:35AM. As I started into the chocolate croissant, I thought I should call Elle – but I was concerned about waking her up. I called her anyway and she answered. “Do you know what is happening?” she asked. “Yes,” I said, matter-of-factly, still eating. “What are you going to do?” she asked. “I’m wondering if I should go to work …” I said, trailing off. At that moment I realized I wanted to be with her.

 

“I want to come over,” I said. Even though I was still thinking about work, I thought I had a pretty good excuse if I didn’t show up. “How are you going to get here?” she asked me. “Ferry!” I said and we both laughed, since my recent experiences on the ferry made me not want to ride it again. She pointed out that she thought the last ferry was leaving at 10AM. It was 9:49AM. “I’m coming over …” I said, and hung up and headed for the door.

 

Halfway down to the ferry people started running behind me. Someone asked what was happening and someone else said, “Another plane crashed into the Stock Exchange!” (which of course would later prove to be untrue). At this the point I started to pick up my pace since everyone else was running past me. I got to the ferry landing (on the other side of Manhattan, but still only about eight blocks from the WTC) and saw nearly 200 people waiting. I was relieved to see that they were waiting for a ferry other than mine.

 

As I moved toward the landing I asked what had happened. “One of the towers just collapsed …” someone said. Just then I saw a large cloud moving down Wall Street toward us. Within seconds we were completely enveloped in ashen dust. The ferry for Port Liberte (where Elle lives) pulled away - full, without me on it. I was beginning to get nervous.

 

A new ferry docked and I was hopeful it was going to Port Liberte. “Weehawken Only! Weehawken Only!” yelled the first mate. “Damn, that’s about five miles north of Elle …” I thought. I considered boarding it anyway, thinking that anywhere in New Jersey would be better than where I was standing right then. Moving deliberately through the crowd that was waiting for the Port Liberte ferry, I made it onto the Weehawken boat.

 

As we pulled away from the pier, I realized that I couldn’t see anything. By this time soot and ash had completely concealed the whole East River and all of lower Manhattan. The ferry had to creep along until we got around the bottom end of the island and then we started up the Hudson River. I strained to see through all of the smoke and realized that there was only one tower standing. I cannot describe how I felt, simply because I was not feeling anything at that point.

 

The ferry turned toward the clock in Jersey City that marks the Colgate building – the area known as 'Exchange Place' for both business people and Jersey Path Train commuters. It looked like we weren’t going to Weehawken after all. As we were preparing to dock, the Captain announced that a plane had struck the Pentagon as well.

 

We debarked and were told by police to walk up to Montgomery and Washington, where we would be met by other public transportation that could take us further. I had been dialing Elle on my cell phone the entire time I was on the ferry (to no avail), and continued trying to reach her as I was walking up the street.

 

Soon I was startled by a noise and turned around to see the second tower collapse directly in front of me. I saw the huge antenna fall from over 1,000 feet directly to the ground, and felt the shock through my feet, like an earthquake. A woman about ten feet away fell to the ground and began wailing. I just continued to walk and try to dial my girlfriend.

 

I’ll try and send more later.

 

Kevin

 

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[Jonmalibuss]

Wow man I can't even imagine what that must of been like. Please continue to share with us!

[TBSS]

Below is a link to some photos from my walk to work on Monday morning, September 17, 2001. I was on contract with the City of New York at the time and had to walk from the Wall Street area to City Hall for the next few months.

 

Fires in the 2000-3000 degree range burned until December 17th, and many times I would get to work and be ill from inhaling what was burning - concrete, steel, plastic, chemicals, and of course, human flesh.

 

The military presence was overwhelming....you had to have ID with specific addresses on them to get anywhere in the area. Humvees, automatic weapons, attack dogs - it was a war zone for sure. You will see a lot of this in the pictures.

 

Some photos are not that exciting...many times I wanted to capture a building that had significance to me, expressions on people's faces, or the fact that people were in shock. In some cases, I have no idea why I took a photo, but I posted them all anyway.

 

In the case of the Park Place photos, I was taking a photo of what wasn't there anymore, that used to be - the Towers.

 

Yahoo resizes pictures so the resolution is not that great. If you want to see a larger version of any photo, let me know which one and I will post the original.

 

Photos - 9/17/01

[04CHASE]

wow that must have been an experience of your life. i cant imagine !

 

r.i.p. the 9/11 victims!!

[ThePDB]

I (as well as just about everyone on earth) still remember exactly what I was doing when I heard the news. At the time I was working for my dads construction company. I heard the news of the first tower being struck on our way to a kitchen remodel job. The house we were working at that day was a good friend of ours and she had the tv and radio on all day. I remember getting home from work and turning on the news... in total shock of what just happened. Having been to New York before- seeing it now without the towers is just an uneasy feeling, a constant reminder of what happened. I don't think I could ever live or work in NY because of it. My Uncle is and was at the time a pilot for United and was grounded in Chicago that tue morning. My heart goes out to all the familes who's lives changed after 9/11.

[Z06 DREAMING]

That's hard looking through those pictures. I had a small assignment with a few other Marines in NYC after the terrorist attacks. We all were so stunned and in shock as we gazed over ground zero. I can only imagine what terror and hell it was like for those of you who were there on the tragic day.

 

We will never forget. God bless America.