story6503.xml

story6503.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I was at work at 7 WTC on 9/11/01. My office window directly faced the two towers. I was on the phone when the first tower hit. I thought there was some sort of truck accident. Then, from the corner of my eye I saw tons of papers and debris falling from my office window. Still on the phone, I looked up and saw a huge whole in one of the towers.

I started screaming someone call 911. I got of the phone and tried to call 911 myself. I wasn?t able to get through to 911 because the line was busy. By that time, a few people had gathered in my office to find out what the problem was. It was all happening so fast.

About 10 minutes later, I realized that people were falling (or in some cases) jumping out the windows of the towers. At first they looked like part of the debris. Then I realized that those were people. The people where so light falling out the windows, they looked like raggedy Ann dolls. I was so close to them I wanted to catch them, help them somehow. I realized that all the people flying out the window were men. I could see the color of their pants, shirts and ties. It was horrible.

I was crying hysterically. No one in the office knew what to do. There were no announcements of any kind. Then? the second tower hits. I didn?t see the plane go in, I saw a burst of flames come out the other end. That?s when I knew to leave the building.

I (and coworkers) get on the elevator and there is a huge crowd in the lobby of 7 WTC. People had left their pocketbooks and wallets because we all assumed we where coming back that day or the next. We had no idea that this was a terrorist attack. We sill thought it was an accident. While outside, I could still see people falling to their deaths. You could see people hanging from the window, contemplating jumping or maybe praying before they fell to their deaths. I will never forget those images.

I walked uptown to catch a train home. Everyone (stores, cabs) had the radio up to the max and that?s when I found out it was a terrorist attack. As I?m walking uptown, the first tower collapsed. I could see the smoke cloud behind me. I finally made it uptown and that time they had just closed Penn Station and there were no trains leaving or coming in. I waited at the nearest TGIF restaurant and went home once the trains started running again. While on the train, someone was listening to the radio and announced that 7 WTC had collapsed as well. I was flabbergasted. I was numb. I was shocked. So much changed for me that day. I will never ever forget those tragic events. They are part of me and make up who I am today.