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I was working nights in the town of my birth, so I was asleep when it happened. A friend came by, woke me, turned on the TV and said "Watch!"
I was working in Midtown very close to the Empire State Building. I knew something was going on when I saw the looks of worry on everyone's faces at my work place as I entered the place. A co worker quickly told me what was going on. I thought it was a plane accident, but then another co worker ran out of his office and exclaimed "Another plane hit the other tower!!!" And then he brought out this portable TV he had and we saw it with our own eyes. Gasping and other sounds of horror came out of my co workers mouths, with some already breaking out of tears. Some had family members working near the WTC and they immediately tried to call them, but couldn't get through. In fact for the rest of the day all the circuits was busy and it was extremely hard to reach people. I went into another office and prayed with a few co workers who had family members very near vicinity of WTC. We were beginning to wonder since we were so close to ESB, if it was the next target. We got an annoucement from the Building Management that they were advised by the NYPD to not let us out yet because it would cause too much chaos and they wanted an orderly evacuation. Another close coworker with a handicap daughter told me she had to leave. She could not remain here one more minute if we were in danger and she picked up her bag--gave me a hug and left. The anxiety was building up as more time elapsed before they finally let us out (after 10:30pm). By that time people already mobbed the busses and it was very hard to get around. A panick-stricken thought came to my head. My brother works for a financial firm in Midtown, BUT he visits the WTC at times. I tried call him to no avail. I was walking with two coworkers who wanted to stop at a church and light some candles, so I went with them. Not long after that I decided to walk to my brother's workplace downtown. As I was walking a man in front of me who looked shell-shocked just collapsed on the side walk. I ran to him and ask if he was okay and gave him a bottle of water I just bought from a newsstand. He took it and drank it. Some other people came along and tended to him, so I thought it was okay to leave him. I then tried to continue my trek, but at some point I had this strong feeling my brother wasn't at his workplace. So I prayed some more and then tried to go home. As mentioned, busses was thronged. Also, the entire subway system was shut down out of fear of another terrorist attack. I had no choice to walk all 15 miles home. I met a nice lady along the way and she became my walking buddy. We walked on bridges and highways until she reached her home. She wished me well and I had to walk the rest of the way myself. It was late afternoon before I was in the last few miles of my journey where I was spotted by a family member. They drove me home and he told me my brother was fine and staying with a friend in the city. That night as exhausted as I was I watched the horrifying scenes on the screen playing over and over again. I cried for days. It was the most heartbreaking day of my life (as it was for our nation as the world mourned with us). I heard of a few people who died that I casually knew. Such a cruel act to take so many people away from us that day. RIP 9/11 victims. We will never forget.I was in NYC, further uptown by the Empire State Building.
I am grateful nobody I know personally was harmed, however, it was a terrible day for anyone who was in the city, regardless of where you were.
/waves at my fellow New York'ers on the thread.
A co-worker's wife called the office when she found out. I thought she was joking. Turned on a radio in the office and heard what was happening. Her husband arrived soon after, he had walked to the office from his apartment so he already knew from being in the street.
Then we heard about the 2nd plane, went downstairs to look down Fifth Avenue (we had a clear view down 5th to the WTC) and saw....smoke, and no building. It was horrifying.
Spent the remainder of the day with him and our boss (who arrived in between all this) trying to figure out what to do. Leave the office? Try to head home? Could we get home? Or even cross-town? And worst, what if the Empire State Building was also a target?
To make a very very long story short, getting home to NJ was impossible. Couldn't get into the subway and busses were jam packed with people trying to escape the city.
Another friend of mine offered me her apartment for the night. She, had been downtown when it happened and literally ran out of the area before the dust cloud got to her. She was going to stay at her boyfriend's place instead, and she left the key with her doorman. I don't know what I would have done otherwise.
I remember going out to grab food, somewhere, because in spite of everything, NY is tough and some places were still open despite all this. the streets were pretty much empty, it was a bizarre experience. Went to work the next morning as usual, but did go home back to NJ early.
I remember that story fondly, the dog's name was Roselle. It's a truly heroic act that tugs at your heartstrings:I also recall the story of a guide dog who lead his owner down all those flights of stairs safely.
All of this hits close to me. The terror, fear, unknown of what to do and how to do it that day. And it didn't go away - I spent the whole next year in a shear panic while commuting fearing anyone who wore a backpack.I was working in Midtown very close to the Empire State Building. I knew something was going on when I saw the looks of worry on everyone's faces at my work place as I entered the place. A co worker quickly told me what was going on. I thought it was a plane accident, but then another co worker ran out of his office and exclaimed "Another plane hit the other tower!!!" And then he brought out this portable TV he had and we saw it with our own eyes. Gasping and other sounds of horror came out of my co workers mouths, with some already breaking out of tears. Some had family members working near the WTC and they immediately tried to call them, but couldn't get through. In fact for the rest of the day all the circuits was busy and it was extremely hard to reach people. I went into another office and prayed with a few co workers who had family members very near vicinity of WTC. We were beginning to wonder since we were so close to ESB, if it was the next target. We got an annoucement from the Building Management that they were advised by the NYPD to not let us out yet because it would cause too much chaos and they wanted an orderly evacuation. Another close coworker with a handicap daughter told me she had to leave. She could not remain here one more minute if we were in danger and she picked up her bag--gave me a hug and left. The anxiety was building up as more time elapsed before they finally let us out (after 10:30pm). By that time people already mobbed the busses and it was very hard to get around. A panick-stricken thought came to my head. My brother works for a financial firm in Midtown, BUT he visits the WTC at times. I tried call him to no avail. I was walking with two coworkers who wanted to stop at a church and light some candles, so I went with them. Not long after that I decided to walk to my brother's workplace downtown. As I was walking a man in front of me who looked shell-shocked just collapsed on the side walk. I ran to him and ask if he was okay and gave him a bottle of water I just bought from a newsstand. He took it and drank it. Some other people came along and tended to him, so I thought it was okay to leave him. I then tried to continue my trek, but at some point I had this strong feeling my brother wasn't at his workplace. So I prayed some more and then tried to go home. As mentioned, busses was thronged. Also, the entire subway system was shut down out of fear of another terrorist attack. I had no choice to walk all 15 miles home. I met a nice lady along the way and she became my walking buddy. We walked on bridges and highways until she reached her home. She wished me well and I had to walk the rest of the way myself. It was late afternoon before I was in the last few miles of my journey where I was spotted by a family member. They drove me home and he told me my brother was fine and staying with a friend in the city. That night as exhausted as I was I watched the horrifying scenes on the screen playing over and over again. I cried for days. It was the most heartbreaking day of my life (as it was for our nation as the world mourned with us). I heard of a few people who died that I casually knew. Such a cruel act to take so many people away from us that day. RIP 9/11 victims. We will never forget.
One more thing and this one chills me to the bone. I was called for an interview in WTC the year before. The people who were interviewing me liked my resume and work experience and really wanted to met me. I went up the elevator to the top floor, but as I was going up I had a terrible feeling. I just could not place why I was feeling so unnerved. I didn't like the idea of how high up in the building this company was located, but outside of that bias, there was no justifiable reason for feeling so unnerved. A bad feeling that jusy wouldn't go away. Well, I deliberately threw off the interview and was kicking myself for being "such a wasteful idiot". I was upset with myself for quite awhile and kept asking what is wrong with me? On September 11th, I knew why I had those feelings. That company was Cantor Fitzgerald and everyone who worked there and was present that day perished! Even to this day, I am shaken to the core. I could have been another victim of 9/11. It still can't get my head around it.
One of the girls I worked with lost her brother that day.... he was a network engineer for Cantor Fitzgerald.I'm so glad you had that premonition!I was working in Midtown very close to the Empire State Building. I knew something was going on when I saw the looks of worry on everyone's faces at my work place as I entered the place. A co worker quickly told me what was going on. I thought it was a plane accident, but then another co worker ran out of his office and exclaimed "Another plane hit the other tower!!!" And then he brought out this portable TV he had and we saw it with our own eyes. Gasping and other sounds of horror came out of my co workers mouths, with some already breaking out of tears. Some had family members working near the WTC and they immediately tried to call them, but couldn't get through. In fact for the rest of the day all the circuits was busy and it was extremely hard to reach people. I went into another office and prayed with a few co workers who had family members very near vicinity of WTC. We were beginning to wonder since we were so close to ESB, if it was the next target. We got an annoucement from the Building Management that they were advised by the NYPD to not let us out yet because it would cause too much chaos and they wanted an orderly evacuation. Another close coworker with a handicap daughter told me she had to leave. She could not remain here one more minute if we were in danger and she picked up her bag--gave me a hug and left. The anxiety was building up as more time elapsed before they finally let us out (after 10:30pm). By that time people already mobbed the busses and it was very hard to get around. A panick-stricken thought came to my head. My brother works for a financial firm in Midtown, BUT he visits the WTC at times. I tried call him to no avail. I was walking with two coworkers who wanted to stop at a church and light some candles, so I went with them. Not long after that I decided to walk to my brother's workplace downtown. As I was walking a man in front of me who looked shell-shocked just collapsed on the side walk. I ran to him and ask if he was okay and gave him a bottle of water I just bought from a newsstand. He took it and drank it. Some other people came along and tended to him, so I thought it was okay to leave him. I then tried to continue my trek, but at some point I had this strong feeling my brother wasn't at his workplace. So I prayed some more and then tried to go home. As mentioned, busses was thronged. Also, the entire subway system was shut down out of fear of another terrorist attack. I had no choice to walk all 15 miles home. I met a nice lady along the way and she became my walking buddy. We walked on bridges and highways until she reached her home. She wished me well and I had to walk the rest of the way myself. It was late afternoon before I was in the last few miles of my journey where I was spotted by a family member. They drove me home and he told me my brother was fine and staying with a friend in the city. That night as exhausted as I was I watched the horrifying scenes on the screen playing over and over again. I cried for days. It was the most heartbreaking day of my life (as it was for our nation as the world mourned with us). I heard of a few people who died that I casually knew. Such a cruel act to take so many people away from us that day. RIP 9/11 victims. We will never forget.
One more thing and this one chills me to the bone. I was called for an interview in WTC the year before. The people who were interviewing me liked my resume and work experience and really wanted to met me. I went up the elevator to the top floor, but as I was going up I had a terrible feeling. I just could not place why I was feeling so unnerved. I didn't like the idea of how high up in the building this company was located, but outside of that bias, there was no justifiable reason for feeling so unnerved. A bad feeling that jusy wouldn't go away. Well, I deliberately threw off the interview and was kicking myself for being "such a wasteful idiot". I was upset with myself for quite awhile and kept asking what is wrong with me? On September 11th, I knew why I had those feelings. That company was Cantor Fitzgerald and everyone who worked there and was present that day perished! Even to this day, I am shaken to the core. I could have been another victim of 9/11. It still can't get my head around it.
I remember the fear and how surreal it was post 9/11. When I travelled through Penn Station there were The National Guard everywhere armed to the tee and GSD guard dogs posted next to some of them. I remember the Memorial with pictures of those missing/deceased on the walls with candles all around. People were very somber and kind to one another. American flags were everywhere in my neighborhood, everyone hung there American flag. My brother had a huge one in the back of his SUV. Patriotism was at it's highest. I visited WTC after the clean up and I never I could fully describe what I felt standing there thinking about all those people who perished. I thought about my fate as well. I felt a special connection there, standing and mourning the victims.All of this hits close to me. The terror, fear, unknown of what to do and how to do it that day. And it didn't go away - I spent the whole next year in a shear panic while commuting fearing anyone who wore a backpack.
I used to live in Battery Park City, and had moved a few months before this happened back to NJ. I used to commute through WTC every day and most likely would have been heading uptown at the time the first plane hit. Another thing I'm grateful for - moving out before this happened.
I now work downtown, in the financial district (I'm on Broad Street). When I was being interviewed (12 years ago) it triggered those feelings but was able to talk myself out of the trepidation I felt about working in that area.
That was so terrible. I remember the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald on a news show crying over all his employees who perished. So sorry for that person who lost her brother. While I am grateful for the premonition, I really feel so sad over all who lost there lives that day, especially all those at Cantor Fitzgerald. I will never forget 9/11. The day our nation's .One of the girls I worked with lost her brother that day.... he was a network engineer for Cantor Fitzgerald.I'm so glad you had that premonition!
Thank you for this, it was an honor to be able to serve!thanks for serving our country i am grateful to you and all of you who served our country in times of peace and war