What it was like to jump from the World Trade Center on 09-11-01

VARIOUS ^ | 10-01-01 | Editorial Staff

[Age of Reason]

You might also research the General Slocum fire.

The Slocum was an excursion boat that about a hundred years ago, caught fire and sank with massive loss of life.

I'm pretty sure the Slocum disaster was the greatest disaster in New York City's history--prior to the WTC being destroyed.

By the way, the last survivor of the Triangle fire died last year, only a few weeks before the 90th anniversary of the fire.

And the last survivor of the Slocum fire was still alive the last I heard--though that was about five or so years ago, and that survivor may no longer be with us (I believe she was a young child at the time of the fire--whose mother held her over the ships side to save her from the flames).

[Grig]

Big difference between saying that and saying that I would have definitely been so brave and wonderful and all that b.s.

There is a big difference between what I'm saying and what you are hearing.

I think that God expects us to be active participants, not just lie there supine and wait for Him to rescue us.

Right, so if you jump, you are being an active participant in your own death. For me to do that is a VIOLATION AND REJECTION of my faith. You are so disconnected from what I'm actually saying your are arguing against things I have already argued against. I talked about taking ACTION to escape and/or survive as long as possible, not 'just lie there supine and wait for Him to rescue us'.

I did not demand anyone else to live up to MY faith, I did not put them down in any way for making a choice I can't see myself making or for not beliving what I belive. All that you have invented in your mind in an attempt to justify your anger.

There were other people who were there who chose not to jump, do you consider them to arrogant snots too? Can you see yourself plunging into the flames in the HOPE of finding a way out, knowing that even if you did find it you would be burned and scarred for life? Can you understand someone making THAT choice?

Your over emotional ranting bores me and can not justify spending any more time tying to get you to see what I have put in front of your face several time already. You seem to WANT to be angry at me no matter what so enjoy it if you can.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Right, so if you jump, you are being an active participant in your own death. For me to do that is a VIOLATION AND REJECTION of my faith. You are so disconnected from what I'm actually saying your are arguing against things I have already argued against. I talked about taking ACTION to escape and/or survive as long as possible, not 'just lie there supine and wait for Him to rescue us'.

*You* don't even know what you're saying anymore. Or are you backtracking from your previous denunciations of the poor people who felt they had no choice but jum?

I did not demand anyone else to live up to MY faith, I did not put them down in any way for making a choice I can't see myself making or for not beliving what I belive. All that you have invented in your mind in an attempt to justify your anger.

Oh please. You were just looking down on them for not doing as you claim you would have done. Yeah, you're real brave and cool, doing the Monday morning quarterbacking.

There were other people who were there who chose not to jump, do you consider them to arrogant snots too? Can you see yourself plunging into the flames in the HOPE of finding a way out, knowing that even if you did find it you would be burned and scarred for life? Can you understand someone making THAT choice?

No, I just consider them to be doomed souls who made their own choices. But now you're making even less sense than before.

Your over emotional ranting bores me and can not justify spending any more time tying to get you to see what I have put in front of your face several time already. You seem to WANT to be angry at me no matter what so enjoy it if you can.

And you're still an insensitive boor.

[cinFLA]

For the life of me I can't understand jumping out the window. I just couldn't bring myself to give up so completely, to be so without hope or faith that I would give up and take a plunge like that. I tried to put myself mental in their situation, but I would rather die fighting to get out than to jump.

Think of the intense pain suffered prior to the jump. When your skin is melting and all you want is relief from the pain.

[Silly]

This is an eerie thread, but I do believe we need to revisit the photos and videos of the attack and collapse of the WTC. This will help us maintain the resolve we need to continually support this very, very long and brutal war we are fighting.

Thanks for the thread.

[RnMomof7]

I am not rying to be morbid, but the thought of the terror that the trapped people must of felt just slams me. Every time I hear the Liberal News rant about the poor starving Taliban children I just think about what it must of been like to fall from one of these towers.

The thought of terror and broken bodies are not as warm and cuddly as pictures of the kids..

Thank you for the reminder..may we never forget!

[CheneyChick]

WOW. I have been avoiding even looking at this thread for the last day and a half because of the title. Now that I have seen the pictures and the intent of your post, I have a different take on your purpose. I had never been to the WTC and seeing those pictures and views for the first time was sobering to me. The sight of people jumping from that building has been haunting me every day since it happened. Truly, may God rest their souls and comfort their families who will always feel the pain in remembering the final moments of their loved ones time on this earth. I will never forget.....

[NYCVirago]

Right, so if you jump, you are being an active participant in your own death. For me to do that is a VIOLATION AND REJECTION of my faith.

What is the difference, theologically, between being trapped in a burning building to die, and jumping out the building? You seem to be insinuating that these people had another choice -- they had none! You can't consider the jumpers as having committed suicide. They were going to die anyway. There was no third option.

[tm22721]

If our government doesn't start taking the Arab threat seriously, there are private, well funded interests in this country who will take matters into their own hands, Charles Bronson style. And I mean a Russian nuke in Mecca, no warning, at Friday noon.

BUMP

[PLMerite]

I hadn't seen this picture. You can actually see the outline of the plane...chilling.

[Black Agnes]

Look in the upper right hand of that picture. In the windows. And, hanging out of the windows.

[SerpentDove]

bttt

[Grig]

What is the difference, theologically, between being trapped in a burning building to die, and jumping out the building?

A legitimate question. To me, choosing to jump to my death instead of looking for some way to live just a little bit longer would mean I would have to first surrender all faith in God and think that no matter what I did, God would do nothing to guide or help me. And abandoning God in the face of opposition does make a theological difference.

Abandoning God would be the only way I could become so without hope that jumping would become an option. I realize full well that those who did not jump are every bit as dead as those who did, but I would rather burn to death with my faith, than die quickly without it.

Now before someone decides to misread me again, I do not think that people who don't have faith in God are 'bad people' or anything like that. I am saying that a person who exercises faith in God will not do the same things as everyone else all the time.

[womanvet]

I had never seen the WTC. These pictures are something else.

I think that Americans should see them, and the destruction, and the aftermath, and the celebrations in Moslem countries, every single day. We must never again allow ourselves to believe the PC mantra about islam means peace.

These pictures tell us what Islam means.

I cannot imagine the horror for the people on the floors above the hits. My heart goes out to them and their families each time I see the pictures, and my resolve to see it punished grows.

That is why the perverts who would "forgive" do not want us to see the pictures -- not even pictures of before the attack.

[RoadKing]

If you want a visual of what we as a Nation should never forget, visit this powerful site. The pictures of those innocent victims and grieving family who lost their loved ones to the murder of the terrorist bastards of 9/11 are what should be burned permanently into each American's minds when things begin "getting back to normal". I am still in a RAGE over what happened and will NEVER forget!! Have some tissues handy when logging in. Be patient as it takes some time to load. http://www.politicsandprotest.org

[womanvet]

Indeed, there could have been a miracle, God could have made one of the jumpers to fly -- but He did not.

I imagine, if I were in such a situation, I would hope to fly, rather than know I was melting.

As a civilian paramedic, I was called too late to a wreck on US 1 near Key Largo. I watched helplessly as a man and his little girl burned inside. it is not something ever forgotten. Over the years, I have found ways to "joke" with fellow war survivors about stuffing guts back into wounded soldiers; I cannot joke about helplessly watching someone burn.

I would jump, too.

[jon1972]

"I just can't imagine jumping out of the window. I just couldn't bring myself to give up so completely".... When your standig in a window tortured by hot flames and unspeakable pain, you certainly have to get used to the idea of jumping