story1826.xml

story1826.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-06

I heard about the attack as i was driving across the Tappan Zee Bridge in bumper to bumper traffic, on my way to work. In the distance, i saw the pillars of black,thick smoke coming from the buildings. I had on the radio my favorite pop station, who broke into the song that was playing to start reporting what was going on. Only no one really knew what the story was..they had phone calls from people in the second tower who were watching the first tower aflame...I will always remember thinking later on if any of those people who took the time to chat on the radio made it out in time when the second tower was hit...

I got to work, and immediately put on the TV..i work in a nursing home as a therapist, but cancelled all my patients..I had my father and my boyfriend working that day in the city, and i knew that my cousin Debbie worked in the towers..I tried desperately to get through to all of them, with no luck...I remember talking to my mom, who had heard from my Dad, and yelling at her to tell him to get out as quick as possible.

As soon as i heard about potential bridge closings, I decided to leave work and get my child from school..I was afraid to be without her, and didn't know what would happen next. I remember driving in an almost trancelike state to her school, thinking about where we would go to be safe..and then suddenly realizing that no where was safe, and if we were to be attacked, home was where i wanted to be.

I got to the school with the other frantic parents to pick my child up..she was oblivious to what was happening, as any seven year old should be. I filled my car with gas, and went home, immediately turning on the tv to CNN, which would be my only channel over the next few days. I hudled with her on the couch, until i realized that the reports were un-nerving to her, and sent her to her room to play.

I was sure the people that I was concerned about were dead..

After spending a number of hours in this uncertain, fearful state, I did find out that all the people I was worried about were okay. My boyfriend had gotten out of the city in the afternoon, my father was one of the " walking people", who treked through the city's highways to get home, and that my cousin was late taking her bus to the city that day and saw the first hit as the bus was ready to go through the tunnel..that night, I drove to my botfriends house with my daughter, packing some things in case it would be difficult to return..I had no idea what awaited our country in the future.

I found out later on that a friend of mine was among the missing and eventually his body was found with that of my friends brother...

It was a day that i will never forget..and will make sure that my child never forgets either...