Visited NYC 30 days before the tragedy. Family had dinner at Wild Blue, a part of the restaurant Windows of the World. Was seated next to a window and got great videos of inside the restaurant, the other tower and the Statue of Liberty. Watching the towers coming down was especially emotional for us as we had the chance to talk to many of the employees who worked there. We felt much more attached to the disaster.
originally posted Sep 2021
I was working for a multi specialty doctors office and off that day. Was talking to an online friend and the friend asked 3 times if i watched the news around 9:00 am eastern time by the 3rd time the friend told me to turn on the news right away and not ask questions. I turned it on as the second tower collapsed…called my best friend told her to call her brother asap and not ask questions and let me know he is OK. Note friends brother is fine and now living in PA.
originally posted Sep 2021
I was working like any other day. Suddenly (because I’m always on the lookout for news) CNN announces the collision of a plane with one of the twin towers at NY. It caused us sadness for people who had undoubtedly lost their lives. Suddenly when the reporter gave the news with one of the smoking towers in the background, we saw live how another plane hit the second tower.
It paralyzed me, I had no doubt that it was a terrorist attack, I felt part of the aggrieved because I understood that it was an attack not only with the USA but with the entire system where freedoms prevail as the main flag. That motivated me to write a letter to the White House (by internet), despite being Peruvian, living far from your country and understanding that it was an offense to all free countries.
We do not hesitate to privilege the defense of freedom and we sympathize with all the people who were directly affected by that attack.
originally posted Sep 2021
September 11, 2001 is a day, as a New Yorker, I will never forget. The question has often been asked “where were you when the towers were hit?” Well, I was driving along a Long Island, NY beach road on a beautiful, sunny day, headed to work at a federal courthouse. The day quickly turned into a day no one will ever forget. Upon arriving at work, it wasn’t long before the Pentagon was hit, which lead to our building being evacuated. The U.S. was under attack. My drive home was terrifying, as I constantly looked to the sky for planes dropping bombs. The ensuing days, weeks, months and yes – years, were some of the saddest I have ever experienced.
Loss and grief was everywhere, with NYC bearing the brunt of this indescribable pain. Loved ones walked the streets searching for their missing family, posters were taped to every building, and firehouses were meeting places for the hero survivors of comrades/family lost, and for the public to all come together to grieve; for us to thank those heroes who were trained to go into a building as everyone else was leaving. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani asked us to go to restaurants, stay at hotels, to show the rest of the world we were strong and safe. Honestly, it didn’t feel safe, but it was our obligation to get our city back on its feet.
We all knew someone who either perished on 9/11; someone who survived the attack; someone who worked tirelessly searching for survivors, without a single thought of the danger they were encountering as they breathed in toxic air; or, sadly, someone who perished as the years went on, as a result of this exposure. They are still dying because of it, to this very day.
I cried every day for at least a year, as I watched what seemed like never-ending funeral processions, lives trying to be put back together and praying we would never go through anything like it again. Every year, as the date approaches, no matter that I now live 3,000 miles from my hometown, my heart is right back there, my memories become fresh and my emotions are raw. 20 years – I will never forget.
originally posted Sep 2021