story10097.xml

story10097.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-09-15

I was on my apt sleeping when my husband wake me up with the television all loud and screaming his lungs out the towers went down. Next thing that he said is they going to call you for duty.He was right same day department of homeless services call me for duty. I work at 30 st and first avenue at bellevue shelter as an officer. when I arrive it was caos due to fact that ambulance was bringing the injured patients to NYU hospital. The entrance by the mortgage was under construction improvising to received the dead bodies from WTC. We reaceived ordesr by our captain to take over the traffic and help with search trucks or anything suspicius. By the way we are Peace officers that just beeing train for arrest and search. so fro us sverything was new but believe me we was acting in the middle of the crisis like we knew waht we was doing. let me tell you nobody was ready for what we see.the was so many people injured. But the major pain was seeing so many death bodies. all kind of trucks, fish trucks. ups,meats trucks any truck that have a refrigerator was good to help. Day by day it was the same view the black bags beeing drop by all kind of trucks. You know what impress me a lot we the womans cried for everything but when you see an officer or firefighter crying in fornt of those bags knowing that is one of them is impresing seeing those tears coming out free eventhough that they are training for this job. We have the major office at 33 beaver street.The day before of the tragedy my husband was discharged from Lincoln Hospital fro minor hearth attact. The 13 I was assigned to 33 Beaver st.I wait until I was there and at lunch time I told my husband he was petrified but I stay.The owner from the cafeteria in the corner from 33 Beaver st. Offer us food and coffe to keep us awake. we appreciated what she did for us. I was posted at the entrance of the bulding when I see the same lady running down the corner I asked her wahat is going on she told me is a escape of gas. I look up the street and all kind o workers included others officers running down to water street.I advice the others workers in the building and we all run to water street. I also call my Capt. Benjamin Rodriguez and he rush to pick up the officers. I was so scared but I knew that it was going to be another explosion I was going to died fast and no suffer.but I was lucky thank God nad went back to 30 St. to the traffic. Two hours later they send me back to 33 Beaver st. same post until 12:00 midnight. For many people it is over finding bodies but for me until they day that I become disable on march 3, 2002 I was seeing the bodies and the sound of the trade transporting them to the DNA side at NYU to find out who police offircer is this one, or who firefighter is this one, or who's son is without mami or who's mami is without a son or where is my daddy. Until this day I cry when I remenber all those dead bodies. To end the sory I was in the corner of 29 st. and first and I see this man come with his littlte son look like 5 years old and he asked me where they have the list for the people that are missing I give him directions how to get there and the little kid stated I am looking for my mami. It let me in shock. God Bless those people that went to earn the day salary and died at the WTC.