[Maceman]

We knew both of these beautiful, classy women. One had been my wife's boss years ago, and the other was a close family friend.

I'm wondering how many other Freepers were personally touched by this outrage. Sad to say, but I suspect a lot of us were and just don't know it yet. We didn't find out about these two vivacious ladies -- and that poor little child -- until my mother-in-law read it in this morning's Boston Globe and called us.

I can't bear to think of them suffering and dying in this inhuman way.

God rest their souls. God help us all.

[MadIvan]

My mother was on holiday in New York when this occured. I had a frantic time trying to get a hold of her - the phones simply would not work. She finally managed to get through to me via e-mail and told me she was all right.

Regards, Ivan

[2banana]

My next door neighbor (and I mean right next door) worked on the 100th floor and is unaccounted for. By this time he is probably dead. Has three children including a 3 year old daughter that my daughter plays with.

A pilot of the plane that went into the south tower lived right down the street.

I am praying for the many I know who work in the Pentagon.

There are over 200 firemen dead, 100 policemen dead and estimates of at least 5000 office workers dead...

The world has not seen an angry America for 60 years. We are a very peaceful and charitable people. Now the world will see an angry America. There will be dark days ahead and war is coming...

2banana

PS. We went to church last night. It was very crowded. Many loses in our town...

[aruanan]

A friend from school was scheduled to work at Morgan Stanley in NYC for a year starting in August. I still don't know what's become of him.

[fporretto]

I lost three friends yesterday. Two of them worked in One World Trade, and were probably killed within minutes of the initial impact. The other worked in Two World Trade, and couldn't evacuate the building before it collapsed.

All day yesterday, my home was filled with shrieking, weeping women. Women who didn't know whether their husbands and sons would ever come home. Women who were so rent with terror and grief that they couldn't speak coherently. Women so devastated by the events that they couldn't even pray.

I sit here holding a letter that arrived in yesterday's mail. It's from a company I very much wanted to work for, that resided in One World Trade. They offered me a job in senior management and suggested a start date of October 1.

Yasser Arafat proclaimed himself "completely shocked" by the attack. He must die.

The Taliban hegemons of Afghanistan decreed that their client Osama bin Laden could not possibly have orchestrated the deed, and in any case is no longer in Afghanistan. They must die.

Palestinians celebrated the terrorist strike along the whole length of the West Bank yesterday. Merchants threw candy and pastries to passers-by. Militiamen fired their rifles into the air to express their glee. They must die.

An Iraqi national interviewed on camera smilingly pronounced that America had reaped what she deserved, and wished it could have been worse. He must die.

May their streets run red with their blood. May the wails of their widows and orphans challenge the dome of the sky and shake the walls of heaven. May their gutter language and their barbarous culture be erased from the planet by the righteous wrath of Americans in arms. May even God turn His face away from them. May their names be remembered only in Hell.

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit the Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com

[grellis]

Too close for my comfort. My brother in law is a venture capitalist with an office in Manhattan's financial district. I'm thanking God that his office happens to be about a dozen blocks north of where the WTC...used to be. I wonder when the absurdity of that phrase will feel like reality: where the World Trade Center used to be.

[Silly]

My boss and I know someone who is missing (I won't give out names). We identified a company we work who has offices in the WTC. I called the company's hotline which they gave out on their Web page. One guy we know is okay; he didn't make it to work that day. The second man, a Senior Vice President with the firm, has not been heard from.

Luckily we work in midtown, and are unharmed, but everyone is shook up.

[EllaMinnow]

No personal connections. My heart is crying for all who do.

I just saw a partial casualty list that included David Angell, the producer of "Frazier", and his wife.

Also Berry Berenson, the beautiful sister of the actress Marisa Berenson. Berry Berenson was married to Tony Perkins, and had several children.

[Ol' Sox]

Last night at prayer service, I learned that 11 men from my church, the fathers of 17 children, are unaccounted for and are presumed dead. I knew 3 of them pretty well, serving on committees and going on retreats together.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am having a very difficult time praying in a manner that would be considered "loving my enemies". I'm more in a "heap burning coals on their heads" kind of mood.

[BlueCrab]

My Prayers are with you and your friends.

My cousin was working on the 103rd floor of the second tower when the first plane hit. His office immediately started to evacuate. My mother said a bunch of his fellow workers stopped at an observation deck around the 80th floor to look at the first plane, not knowing it was a terrorist act. My cousin opted to get the hell out of there. The second plane hit the area of the observation deck immediately after that. He lost many co-workers who had stopped. We have not been able to contact him, but a very thoughtful friend called us here in Baltimore and let us know that he got out and was OK. I'm still shaking as I'm writing this.

My prayers are with all the helpless victims and their families. Prayers for all FReepers who have been affected by this horrible atrocity.

GOD BLESS AMERCA...

[tet68]

Just got an E this morning from my good friend in Florida,that his wife lost her daughter on the flight that crashed out side of Pittsburg.

Like ripples in still water.

[ReaganGirl]

My story is nothing compared to those who lost loved ones.

I was holding a press conference on the Capitol Grounds when the plane hit the Pentagon. People started streaming out of the buildings....it was chaos.

I couldn't even get in the building to get my purse. It took my roughly four hours to get from the Hill to my home in Alexandria, VA.

Mercifully, my husband was also in VA yesterday. Normally he is in lower Manhattan on Tuesdays with clients. He does a lot of business with Morgan Stanley Dean Whitter and was very shaken by the collapse of the WTC where they were the largest tenant.

I thank God that as of now all my friends and loved ones are accounted for and will continue to pray for the familes who have been personally touched by this tragedy.

God Bless

[peteram]

I grew up in New York. I remember when those towers were being built. I remember going to the city (from Long Island) and seeing the towers growing higher and higher with each trip. I remember going up to the observation deck on many trips to NY - including right after it opened in 1976. I remember seeing fireworks BELOW me from 110 stories up on the 4th of July several years ago.

Although I now live in Florida, I always have New York in my heart. That's where I lived the for the first 19 years of my life. I will miss seeing those two columns in the skyline. They were architectural marvels.

Most imortantly - my heart and prayers and sympathy and feelings go out to all those who were touched directly and their families. (My cousin used to work for Morgan Stanley in the WTC up until a few years ago.)

This has left more than a scar on the American landscape - it left a huge hole in our hearts. And I, for one desire swift and certain retribution for this cowardly act upon innocent people.

Thanks for allowing me to emote.

- Pete

[LurkedLongEnough]

My heart goes out to all affected, and I pray for God's grace for those personally touched by the tragedy.

My next-door neighbor was already in his office in Battery Park (downtown Manhattan) when the attacks came. He wisely started driving out of the city towards home, and when he got to a bridge, he was stopped by NYPD and asked to drive as many walkers home as possible, which he did.

My spouse's company had last month just moved from a Wall Street location (a few blocks from the towers) to another location outside the city. No one knows if the old office is still there, but their major customers were Morgan Stanley, CFSB and others who all had offices in the WTC. I think that the enormous economic effects of this terrorist incident will eventually affect just about everyone in the tri-state region.

[jimfree]

My wife Ann was doing research in the Adams Building of the Library of Congress (two blocks over from the Capitol Building believed by some to be the target of the aircraft bravely defended by several passengers). Ann today is quite safe.

Leslie Whittington, a college professor and former colleague of Ann's, was flying out of Dulles with her husband and 3 and 8 year old daughters on the first leg of what was to be a trip to Australia for a sabbatical and visiting professorship. These four innocents died as their aircraft was used in the attack on the Pentagon.

I cry again as I write this.

Jim

[Fee]

Have a brother who is an Army Major working in the Pentagon on a six month stint with the Reserves. His tour ended on 31 Aug and he rested one week and started his 2 week annual training tour in the Pentagon on another assignment. When the plane hit, the section he worked in during his 6 month tour was destroyed. Our family was able to contact him 5:00PM in the evening after spending most of the day trying to contact his cell phone (he left it behind in his office during the evacuation). Two people he knew in that section were dead and many more were missing. He spent most of the night on stretcher bearer duty for the injured and dead. If the attack had occurred two weeks early, he may have been a casualty. THANK GOD BUT AT THE SAME TIME PRAYERS TO THE FAMILIES THAT WERE NOT SO FORTUNATE.

[Steven R. Schick]

"touched" just doesn't cut it in this case.