story2110.xml
Title
story2110.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-10
911DA Story: Story
REFLECTIONS ON A ?SECOND CHANCE?
Tuesday morning started out like most days in my marketing career. I had several projects going at the same time and started my day by checking my email at 6:00 AM. I was so wrapped up in answering email and formulating my thoughts for our presentation at 10:00 AM at the Pentagon, that I did not turn on the news as I usually did each morning. Also, uncharacteristically, I did not turn on WTOP news radio on my way to the office at 7:00 AM, as I had several calls to place that morning while making the half hour drive to DI.
I arrived at the office at 7:30 AM to accomplish a few tasks before Tom Asefi, CIO for GAITS, Inc., our teaming partner, picked me up at 8:45 AM for our 10:00 AM appointment. I remember passing by Dr. Wright's office before leaving DI and seeing Dr. Wright and Russell looking at the television with somber faces. I thought it was rather strange, as I had never seen the TV on in Dr. Wright's office before that day. Now I realize that they were viewing the horrific news of the World Trade Center Twin Towers devastation.
Tom called to say that, as usual, the traffic was horrendous on 395 and he was running a little late. As we were driving towards the Pentagon, Tom was the first to inform me about the atrocious news regarding the tragedy at the World Trade Center. We actually did not realize that it was a terrorist act, and we were preoccupied with discussing the potential business the two companies would eventually pursue. Little did we know the catastrophe that was to take place just eight minutes after we drove by the heliport at the Pentagon. We also had no idea at the time that this disaster would create an extraordinary bond between us that will last a lifetime. Tom is a young father of a beautiful five-month-old baby girl, and he proved that age does not make a difference when it comes to maturity in a terrifying & dangerous situation. It was his calm, caring & strong demeanor that permeated and helped to calm my fears during this frightening experience. Tom's wife also willingly assisted me when she called on his cell phone to confirm his safety. When we informed her that no calls could "go out" on cell phones, she immediately offered to place long distance calls to my family in Colorado and to DI's corporate office to assure them that I was safe.
We drove by the Pentagon heliport at approximately 9:30 AM. At 9:35 AM we were in the River Entrance at the Pentagon & I was on the telephone waiting for confirmation of an escort to our appointment with the Army. At that moment, hundreds of people started running through the turnstiles loudly expressing their feelings that there might have been a bomb that exploded, and the Pentagon was on fire! Tom and I immediately exited with the throng of individuals rushing from the Pentagon. At first, as everyone was standing on the lawn just outside the Pentagon, the realization set in that none of the cell phones were working! I remember the military supervisors taking a count of individuals in their department and deciphering who was missing. At one point, Tom and I decided to try and go back to retrieve his car, which we promptly realized was not feasible. At that point, reality jolted us --- As we started back towards the Pentagon, we witnessed security and medical personnel carrying seriously and fatally wounded individuals on stretchers. It was shockingly apparent that the situation emerging from the Pentagon was much worse that anyone had expected. I remember feeling the hair stand up on the back of my neck and feeling sick to my stomach at the same time, when a policeman in a squad car drove by and announced through a loud speaker that another plane was possibly "coming in" with a potential bomb on board. The load speaker blared: ?KEEP GOING TOWARDS THE RIVER --- AWAY FROM THE PENTAGON!!?
The Pentagon Daycare Center was located near the River Entrance, and supervisors were trying desperately to get the children down behind a large stone wall so they would be protected in case there was another plane with a bomb on board!! Surprisingly enough, no one panicked, and I contribute this to the excellent training of our armed forces. Everyone was moving in an orderly manner, and I attribute that to the fact that the majority of the individuals were military and seemed to me to "have a solid handle" on the situation. I realize that I was in shock because of what I had witnessed, but I also know that because all military personnel were portraying a calmness and strength, it transferred positively to the civilians in the huge crowd of people. My prayers each night now include thanks for our phenomenal men & women in our armed forces!!!
Tom and I walked with the throng of people all the way to the George Washington Parkway, and I remember one fellow saying, "Why aren't any of the cars stopping to pick us up? I told him that many people listen to music as opposed to news, and most likely, many were unaware of the tragic events at the Pentagon. Finally, one car stopped and Tom, being the gentleman that he is, insisted that the two women we were walking with and I take this ride, and he would catch the next one. As I got into the car, I noticed that the woman's arm was dirty and attempted to brush it off. We realized that it was soot, and then she showed me the back of her hair where it was burned almost to her scalp!! These two women were sitting at their desks when the plane hit the Pentagon and as they turned in their chairs, they were looking at a wall of fire!! The only identification they possessed were their ID tags on a chain around their necks. They had to run for their lives and left their purses, along with everything else in their office. I was with them about 45 minutes and we never exchanged names, which is so unlike my personality. I tried in vain to convince them that we should rent a car, being there were no cabs available, no phone service, and no one at the hotel knew where we could get a ride. I was able to find one cabbie who was going off duty, and he very kindly offered to take me back to my office. I told the two women that I would retrieve my car, and if possible, come back & pick them up. Getting back to their respective homes was going to be difficult, as one lived in Richmond, VA, & the other in Olney, MD!! When I returned to the hotel, I was saddened when I was unable to find them and realized that I will never know their names.
It was close to noon when I finally returned to the DI office. The lights were out and there was no one to be seen, as everyone had been dismissed. I remember starting to break down as I was walking down the dark hall. I could feed my body starting to shake & my tears were starting to fall for the first time. In my heart and mind, I was silently hoping & praying that one of my ?DI? family members would still be in the office. I felt an indescribable sense of relief, (and my tears were flowing freely) when I finally found Simone, & Nikea in Simone's office. Nikea immediately brought me a cup of water to help calm my nerves. I was also able to make contact with my children in California and tell them that I was safe. Because of the traffic gridlock, it took me 1? hours for the normal half hour ride to my home in McLean, VA. Once home, I began to realize just how blessed I had been.
Since September 11, not a day has gone by that I have not relived the huge billow of acrid black smoke rising from the middle of the Pentagon and the planes hitting the WTC in my mind. I awake almost every night with a fear that I cannot describe, and until now, I have not talked much about my fears and experiences from that day. Because I was not physically hurt, I downplayed my fears, even to myself. When Simone called and requested that I write down my thoughts about what happened to me on that horrendous day, for our DI newsletter, I sincerely thought about declining. Then I realized that writing this piece might very well help me with my fears and emotions about this appalling experience. I intend to continue to write about my thoughts, fears & other emotions that have surfaced in order to bring some type of "resolution" to this episode and permit me to continue with my life, as we all must do. My fears and psychological injuries are real, but certainly are nothing compared to the enormous grief felt by those who lost their loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with them daily, as I light a candle every morning & every evening, without fail, for world peace.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, & GOD BLESS TOM ASEFI, FOR HIS SUPPORT ON THE MOST FRIGHTENING DAY IN MY LIFE!
Tuesday morning started out like most days in my marketing career. I had several projects going at the same time and started my day by checking my email at 6:00 AM. I was so wrapped up in answering email and formulating my thoughts for our presentation at 10:00 AM at the Pentagon, that I did not turn on the news as I usually did each morning. Also, uncharacteristically, I did not turn on WTOP news radio on my way to the office at 7:00 AM, as I had several calls to place that morning while making the half hour drive to DI.
I arrived at the office at 7:30 AM to accomplish a few tasks before Tom Asefi, CIO for GAITS, Inc., our teaming partner, picked me up at 8:45 AM for our 10:00 AM appointment. I remember passing by Dr. Wright's office before leaving DI and seeing Dr. Wright and Russell looking at the television with somber faces. I thought it was rather strange, as I had never seen the TV on in Dr. Wright's office before that day. Now I realize that they were viewing the horrific news of the World Trade Center Twin Towers devastation.
Tom called to say that, as usual, the traffic was horrendous on 395 and he was running a little late. As we were driving towards the Pentagon, Tom was the first to inform me about the atrocious news regarding the tragedy at the World Trade Center. We actually did not realize that it was a terrorist act, and we were preoccupied with discussing the potential business the two companies would eventually pursue. Little did we know the catastrophe that was to take place just eight minutes after we drove by the heliport at the Pentagon. We also had no idea at the time that this disaster would create an extraordinary bond between us that will last a lifetime. Tom is a young father of a beautiful five-month-old baby girl, and he proved that age does not make a difference when it comes to maturity in a terrifying & dangerous situation. It was his calm, caring & strong demeanor that permeated and helped to calm my fears during this frightening experience. Tom's wife also willingly assisted me when she called on his cell phone to confirm his safety. When we informed her that no calls could "go out" on cell phones, she immediately offered to place long distance calls to my family in Colorado and to DI's corporate office to assure them that I was safe.
We drove by the Pentagon heliport at approximately 9:30 AM. At 9:35 AM we were in the River Entrance at the Pentagon & I was on the telephone waiting for confirmation of an escort to our appointment with the Army. At that moment, hundreds of people started running through the turnstiles loudly expressing their feelings that there might have been a bomb that exploded, and the Pentagon was on fire! Tom and I immediately exited with the throng of individuals rushing from the Pentagon. At first, as everyone was standing on the lawn just outside the Pentagon, the realization set in that none of the cell phones were working! I remember the military supervisors taking a count of individuals in their department and deciphering who was missing. At one point, Tom and I decided to try and go back to retrieve his car, which we promptly realized was not feasible. At that point, reality jolted us --- As we started back towards the Pentagon, we witnessed security and medical personnel carrying seriously and fatally wounded individuals on stretchers. It was shockingly apparent that the situation emerging from the Pentagon was much worse that anyone had expected. I remember feeling the hair stand up on the back of my neck and feeling sick to my stomach at the same time, when a policeman in a squad car drove by and announced through a loud speaker that another plane was possibly "coming in" with a potential bomb on board. The load speaker blared: ?KEEP GOING TOWARDS THE RIVER --- AWAY FROM THE PENTAGON!!?
The Pentagon Daycare Center was located near the River Entrance, and supervisors were trying desperately to get the children down behind a large stone wall so they would be protected in case there was another plane with a bomb on board!! Surprisingly enough, no one panicked, and I contribute this to the excellent training of our armed forces. Everyone was moving in an orderly manner, and I attribute that to the fact that the majority of the individuals were military and seemed to me to "have a solid handle" on the situation. I realize that I was in shock because of what I had witnessed, but I also know that because all military personnel were portraying a calmness and strength, it transferred positively to the civilians in the huge crowd of people. My prayers each night now include thanks for our phenomenal men & women in our armed forces!!!
Tom and I walked with the throng of people all the way to the George Washington Parkway, and I remember one fellow saying, "Why aren't any of the cars stopping to pick us up? I told him that many people listen to music as opposed to news, and most likely, many were unaware of the tragic events at the Pentagon. Finally, one car stopped and Tom, being the gentleman that he is, insisted that the two women we were walking with and I take this ride, and he would catch the next one. As I got into the car, I noticed that the woman's arm was dirty and attempted to brush it off. We realized that it was soot, and then she showed me the back of her hair where it was burned almost to her scalp!! These two women were sitting at their desks when the plane hit the Pentagon and as they turned in their chairs, they were looking at a wall of fire!! The only identification they possessed were their ID tags on a chain around their necks. They had to run for their lives and left their purses, along with everything else in their office. I was with them about 45 minutes and we never exchanged names, which is so unlike my personality. I tried in vain to convince them that we should rent a car, being there were no cabs available, no phone service, and no one at the hotel knew where we could get a ride. I was able to find one cabbie who was going off duty, and he very kindly offered to take me back to my office. I told the two women that I would retrieve my car, and if possible, come back & pick them up. Getting back to their respective homes was going to be difficult, as one lived in Richmond, VA, & the other in Olney, MD!! When I returned to the hotel, I was saddened when I was unable to find them and realized that I will never know their names.
It was close to noon when I finally returned to the DI office. The lights were out and there was no one to be seen, as everyone had been dismissed. I remember starting to break down as I was walking down the dark hall. I could feed my body starting to shake & my tears were starting to fall for the first time. In my heart and mind, I was silently hoping & praying that one of my ?DI? family members would still be in the office. I felt an indescribable sense of relief, (and my tears were flowing freely) when I finally found Simone, & Nikea in Simone's office. Nikea immediately brought me a cup of water to help calm my nerves. I was also able to make contact with my children in California and tell them that I was safe. Because of the traffic gridlock, it took me 1? hours for the normal half hour ride to my home in McLean, VA. Once home, I began to realize just how blessed I had been.
Since September 11, not a day has gone by that I have not relived the huge billow of acrid black smoke rising from the middle of the Pentagon and the planes hitting the WTC in my mind. I awake almost every night with a fear that I cannot describe, and until now, I have not talked much about my fears and experiences from that day. Because I was not physically hurt, I downplayed my fears, even to myself. When Simone called and requested that I write down my thoughts about what happened to me on that horrendous day, for our DI newsletter, I sincerely thought about declining. Then I realized that writing this piece might very well help me with my fears and emotions about this appalling experience. I intend to continue to write about my thoughts, fears & other emotions that have surfaced in order to bring some type of "resolution" to this episode and permit me to continue with my life, as we all must do. My fears and psychological injuries are real, but certainly are nothing compared to the enormous grief felt by those who lost their loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with them daily, as I light a candle every morning & every evening, without fail, for world peace.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU, & GOD BLESS TOM ASEFI, FOR HIS SUPPORT ON THE MOST FRIGHTENING DAY IN MY LIFE!
Collection
Citation
“story2110.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 9, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/12913.