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Posted on 09/19/2001 6:54:39 PM PDT by Lady In Blue
| SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15 2001
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| Dear all, I survived yesterday's tragedy |
| E-mails from New York |
| All I have to say is that sometimes it pays to be fashionably late. By the Grace of God my alarm did not go off although it was correctly set and turned on. I therefore woke up late. That, along with the morning coffee I stopped to get and the subway train that was too full and I had to let pass all added up to place me standing on the street corner in front of the World Trade center yesterday morning at 8:45.
Waiting for the crosswalk sign to change so I could cross and go into my building (WTC Tower 2), I looked up to see an American Airlines Plane flying disturbingly close to the building, and before I knew it, right into the building. I think we all unfortunately know the horrifying details from there. At that time I ran into a department store (Century 21) to get away from the falling debris and called my mom to let her know I was okay. She was shocked, because it wasn’t even on the news yet. After the debris stopped falling I walked back outside to see what had happened, and quickly decided to get out of there. I started to walk away from the buildings as everyone else was emerging from surrounding buildings to see what was going on. I walked until I found a cab, and was in a cab waiting in the already messy traffic when the second plane hit. I only thought it was another explosion in the first building and it wasn’t until later I realized what I thought was an accident was a terrible act of terrorism. I have talked to my firm’s office in New Jersey and they are almost positive that all of the people I worked with are alright. I am also lucky that no one else that I personnally know was physically affected by what happened yesterday. I feel truly blessed, and am so thankful for all of the phone calls, emails, and prayers that all of you have sent my way. I am okay, but please continue your thoughts and prayers for the families of those who were not as fortunate as I was yesterday. I love you all and am very thankful for each of you. God Bless! From: Laurie Will, I’m okay. At least I’m alive. I was in the world trade center when the first plane hit. Were it not for a man that lifted me up in the chaos (I had fallen) I would have been trampled to death. It’s going to take a long time not to hear the screams. joe and siena were in hoboken and are good. i’m home now after wandering for 6 hours on foot. Love you, Dear ones: Thanks for your attempted call and message. Yesterday I would have said we were “okay”, but today I realize we are not. We were not physically injured, but our psyches have been shocked. The strangest thing is to walk around New York and perceive a stillness where there is usually bustle and energy. Life is going on, of course, but people are somber and seemed shell-shocked. The effect of friends havings witnessed the explosion, having had hands and feet rain down on their heads, and, most deeply personal for almost everyone, watching scores of people jump out of the windows, some holding hands, to their deaths. As of now, if Bush declared war (on whom would be the question), most of America would approve, There is sadness, but it is quickly replaced by anger. That, one might say, is the terrorists greates crime against humanity: to have awakened a tribal desire for vengence among a people who have put up with a lot. Americans feel this incident has really changed our hearts and minds. We shall see, but, as usual, Britain seems to be among the first to come to our defense. It is good to have friends with long memories. Our love to you and all your lads. Hold them tightly. Anita and David From: Siobhan Hey jales. i swore i replied to you yesterday. i had so many messages of concern, it was lovely. i was actually leaving my building when it all went down. saw the whole thing, was the biggest nightmare i've ever seen in my life. the first plane passed literally over my building then bang, just as i was leaving my apt. then i rushed to phone, and then ran downstairs. stood there in total disbelief then the second one hit and the rest you know. my street was life something out of a war zone. people rushing everywhere, screaming and crying. i actually got stuck there for the day, you can imagine what it ws like. it’s all been really surreal to be honest. i stayed out for the first night, at dan’s house, but went back home last night. the streets were like a no man’s land. Talk to you soon, sx Wyn, am sick to my stomach. Where is Kelly - Have been trying to call on cell phone. All local lines are inoperable here. Cannot call out of the office. We are in midtown. We have to stay here because they are literarlly shutting the city down.
From: Will We thought you would want to hear from us asap to be reassured that we are fine, which we are. You may also be thinking of Will’s cousin Paul, who worked in WTC2 — to our great relief he got out of the building before it collapsed... Paul arrived with his colleague Doreen and they told the story of the unfolding of events in the WTC. He said they heard the explosion of the first plane hitting WTC1 and an announcement was made that Building 1 had been hit but their building was fine and to stay where they were. He worked on the 60th floor and had been there for the last terrorist bombing. He immediately made the decision to ignore the announcement and to leave, taking Doreen with him. They reached the 44th floor when the second plane hit their building — they were thrown sideways by the force of the impact. They walked the 60 flights of stairs to the ground and left the area, walking all the way up to our place on 93rd Street (it took them more than two hours to get here).
Woke up at about 8am this morning due to the jetlag and ibiza flu I’ve been having, had the news on the telly and Stuart heard a huge bang. I ran to the window and saw the 1st tower of the world trade center on fire with a huge gash in the side of the building, I grabbed my video camera as we have an amazing view of the towers from our bedroom window, we’re only about three quarters of a mile away here. What I saw after that I can not honestly find the words to tell you. Never in a million years did I think I would ever witness something like this. I saw the second tower being hit by an American Airlines plane. There was a huge explosion, fire engines everywhere. Everything was smoldering and black smoke filled the air. Fortunately the wind was going away from us. By 10am we had our neigbours over, everyone freaking out. When the towers collapsed my heart just went, those poor people down there I just can’t imagine. People were running past our house, coming from downtown with smoke masks over there faces, some crying and in shock. So now Manhatten has been completely sealed off, the streets are without cars, just people everywhere. I feel like I’m in the apocalypse. I mean is this it????? I’m gonna go now guys, love you all very much. Love Lou X From: Christopher I can’t begin to describe to you what we saw. Both towers were blackened and on fire. There were thick clouds of black smoke pouring from both towers. There was also a stream of glistening shards of aluminium, which covers the face of the towers, floating into the sky. The rays of the sun were reflected from those shards and the effect was one of metallic confetti. The face of the towers had been sheared open. The aluminium skin had been peeled back like a banana for many for many floors and there were gaping holes in the towers. I don’t know what was more unreal — seeing the Twin Towers burning with my own eyes or seeig it on television. I’ll never forget what I saw. I’ll never forget what I felt.
From: Sarah Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 19:45:54 +0000 Hi babes, I'm here, I'm fine, if a little shaken up. It's a total nightmare here — just got back to my apartment which has taken me pretty much all day. I've actually been very lucky as I caught the later train into the city delaying my arrival at the world trade center by ½ an hour (that’s the subway stop I usually got off at). So I didn't make it into the city — but watched the towers tumble from the train. Very scary. Will be in touch. thanks for your concern. Hope all is well with you. All my love Sarah x x x From: Sara Thank you, Everyone, for your concerns. The family is all okay. what a horror — as it unfolded, I'm sure all of us was incredulous — thinking it a clip from one of the many movies whose trailers we saw at the theatre and which we KNEW we didn't need to see.... or which we did see and become inured to the reality of such a horror.... So many prayers for those on the planes and those victims of the horrors of yesterday and today and tomorrow.... Well, for me, our home was filled with those who couldn't fly out — airports closed. We, 8 of us, sat watching the events unfold — yes, mesmerized.... happy to be safe yet ...., humble approaching embarrased to be safe.... Well, forgive me, those who cannot understand English so well — Yes, this is all an outrage — but not the first.... New Yorkers are the best — we rally — we love — we help and help and while “in your face” — obnoxious — this is the place to hit — we bounce back just as fast as we can.... this one is particularly deadly so we’re in a state of shock but.. we are of so many cultures — all here because we think we can “make it” whatever that means.... We all stand together in this.... we humm Frank Sinatra and our eyes engage others with that glimmer of hope.... and we DO understand the bigger picture of hate... and we do manage to live together, now with tolerance, perhaps someday, with civility and respect.... This will give us even more strength in that direction.... I hope. Lots of love, and grateful for your concerns, Love, Sara For a while yesterday is was reported that the USA Today building had been hit. Steve said he had never ran so fast in his life to get to a phone to call me. I was fine but scared since the Pentagon get hit out side our window. I was surprised that when I met Steve at home we both broke down into tears. Our lives, our Country, our “Safety” in the Big America and especially our Freedom was crashed into. These things are not just what we stand for they are integral to our psyche — our breathing. Walking home was hard — people didn’t look at each other. I feel so sad, because our country is different now. And it was a lovely way of life here. Now it is blanketed in doubt.
I was on 6th ave and 12 st and saw the second tower collapse, and ended up walking home across the Manhattan Bridge a few hours later. There was a teenager in Washington Square Park with a boom box. About a hundred people were listening to the news. And one point he turned to me and said he wanted to leave but knew he’d be jumped on if he did. Jacob is home from school today and I think we'll be baking cookies later. I don't feel that any of this is over. See you-- Leonard Things are ok here at least for me. I have friends in the WTC area and they are OK. Two of my buddies were actually on the 75th floor of WTC building one, but they made it out ok. The city is locked up tighter than a drum and I have no idea when I can get back to work. Aircfraft carriers are coming into NYC tomorrow and F-16's are flying cover. Its like a bad movie here. The City is devastated, people are coverd in ash,its bad. NYC is on high alert and there are no flights in or out of NYC. Be well, JonSubject: hell Must say the whole thing has been traumatic. not only do i have a friend who works there (can’t contact them) but i sat and watched at least 20 people jump out of the WTC from the top floors because they were being burned alive. i stayed as long as i dared, but when the first tower collapsed and a huge mushroom cloud engulfed the financial centre i’m afraid to say that i legged it as fast as i could. i’m not going anywhere near the financial district again, too dangerous. Chris.
Thank you for your email. I have just returned from the supermarket — everyone is calmly stocking up. All the ATMs (cash machines) are empty, shops closed. National Guard deploying. Manhattan being an island with all the bridges and tunnels closed off is under seige or so it feels. It is so surreal and it is just unbelievable absolutely unbelievable to look downtown and not see the massive Twin Towers. Max Hi, I’m OK. It’s been in an exhausting day and emotionally I’m completely shot. I left this morning at 8:30 a just got home at 11 PM. I was on a subway under the trade center when it was first hit. I got out one stop later at Canal St. and Thompson St. Workers and people standing there with their mouths open said a plane just hit the trade center. It was unbelievable. I walked up Thompson completely in shock, bought a plastic camera and took some pictures. Then I went to The Mercer Kitchen to meet a client for breakfast, but he hadn’t gotten there yet so I was outside watching the tower burn then saw the second tower explode.
From: Diane Subject: NYC Dear Jamie, First thing we saw was the two towers on fire, with masses of black smoke. That was horrible enough. Back in 1993 we’d seen the bombing of the same building from the same windows, so we’d been through this before, but no one ever imagined that the building would or could actually fall down. And then one of them did. Everyone shrieked or gasped or cried “Oh my God!” as it dawned on us how many people must have still been in that building, and as we realized that the skyline was now changed forever, that we would from here on in only see one tower, not two. Then the second one gave way. Afterwards there were just billowing clouds of smoke, and sirens. We were all glued to the TV in our conference room; no one could do anything but stare at the TV, and cry.
From: Tiffany When I reached Cortland station, more commonly known as The World Trade Center, the conductor made an announcement that rarely elicits much concern from a long-time New Yorker: “There has been an explosion...please do not exit at this station." I jumped trains at the next stop, returning to the WTC. At 9:10am the second plane had struck. The doors opened into a scene of chaos as the overhead announcements repeated: "STAY ON YOUR TRAIN...DO NOT EXIT AT THIS STATION...THERE HAS BEEN AN EXPLOSION!!" I raced to a train bound for South Ferry, two stops from the WTC at the tip of Manhattan. I ran to the top of Battery Park where the avenue allowed a perfect view of the twin towers. Spectators watched, stunned, as the towers burned. We were 10 minutes walk from the towers, a safe distance given the worst appeared to be over. Then the first tower fell...an image forever burned on my memory. A black cloud, like the explosion of Mt St Helens, barrelled down the concrete canyon. We ran with nowhere to go as we were already standing at the edge of the island. I couldn’t breathe, so I dipped my suit jacket into a birdbath and held it to my mouth. People shrieked, “It’s burning!! Don’t breathe...it’s chemical warfare!!” People tried to break into the nearby restaurants for shelter.
Dear friends, Tonight I find myself stuck in L.A. with an incredible range of emotions over what has happened on the island where I work and live in New York City. My wife and I spent the first hours of the day trying to contact our daughter at school in New York and our friend JoAnn who works near the World Trade Center. I called JoAnn at her office. As someone picked up, the first tower imploded, and the person answering the phone screamed and ran out, leaving me no clue as to whether or not she or JoAnn would live. It was a sick, horrible, frightening day.
Just the sight of refrigerated lorries, the sound of fighter jets overhead at night, not being able to buy a newspaper in Midtown, the huge supermarkets out of basic supplies, the constant bomb scares etc. And of course, the email and phone accounts from first hand people that got out. And the awful feelings knowing someone who did not. Regards, Susan You’d have had trouble walking by, as we did tonight. Dad lost it and, but for J&G being with us, I’d have lost it too. Doors are open, no engines inside. Firefighters, just a few, milling about. A police barricade or two and, on the sidewalk side of the barrier, just some groups of young woman, hugging one another. But the undoing is (like P. Diana) the mounds and mounds of piled up flowers — so many, so many. As we short cut through Lincoln Center, there was a loosely assembled group of young people (the core of which were, as Jane thought, practised singers) — maybe 30 to 40, singing George M. Cohan songs. Incroyable really. Images of New York. Mom. P.S. J&G took us to din at Sapphire. Delicious. We had fun. And for minutes at a time, we forget.
My wife and I woke to the sound of the ringing phone just before seven in the morning on the eleventh of September. It was my mother. “Turn on the TV,” she said. “They’ve blown up the World Trade Centers.” For most of the day, I sat glued to the set, transfixed. Everything was just surreal — the crashing of the planes, the burning of the Pentagon, the collapse of the towers. Eventually I staggered across the street to my local news stand. The Korean couple who owned it — naturalized citizens of the US, been here, maybe, ten years — stared at their small black and white TV set, tears running freely. “Why?” the wife asked me. “Why would someone do this to America?” I didn’t have an answer to give her.
I saw a plane flying around the World Trade Center. “Oh good,” I thought, “they have the Air Force around.” All of a sudden, the plane crashed into the second tower. My brain screamed, “Oh my God!” but my mouth kept silent. That entire afternoon and evening I was in one spot: on the couch in front of the TV. I saw so many terrible things. As I waited for the president’s speech, I felt like a child. A child who had no opinion and would trust what the parent said. For me, that parent was the president. I had no idea what to do or how to act. I would listen to the president and his ideas would be my ideas. The speech definitely gave me peace. The fact that many people around the world were donating blood gave me peace. At first, I had lost my faith in the good of mankind. All the works of kindness restored that faith. I know that if the horrible is possible, so is the wonderful. I know that we can get through this. Jennifer |
| Copyright 2001 Times Newspapers Ltd. This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard terms and conditions. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material from The Times, visit the Syndication website. |
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These folks were soooo fortunate. It's a good thing they ignored the warning to stay put. I can't imagine WHY anyone wouldn't want people to evacuate the building just to be on the safe side. Many more would be saved had this moron not announced that.
If he followed his own advice on that day, he lost more than his job.
This week, I watched the whole world weep at what happened. Every Nation on earth was touched in one way or another. There weren't just Americans working and visiting in that area and building, there were people from all over the globe.
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