story6857.xml

story6857.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I work for United Airlines in San Fransisco. I, at the time, was a Ramp Service supervisor. I just happened to be off that day. I remeber waking up that morning and flipping the T.V. on to the news. I sat there staring at the T.V. wondering why they were showing old footage of the World Trade Center boming from a few years earlier. Then I realized that it wasn't old footage and that two planes had flown into the towers. I couldn't believe it. A few minutes later my telephone rang. It was work. They wanted me to come into work immediatly. It took me a while to get there, but when I did it was a very strange atmosphere. I was cryng, everyone around me was crying and there was something huge missing from San Fransisco International Airport.....there were no airplanes taking off or landing...It was very strange. In the days that followed, it was so difficult to go to work and hear nothing, no jet engines.....It was a difficult time for all of us. Days later the first United airplane landed at SFO and I was there to meet the flight. As the plane taxied to the gate the co-pilot oped his side window and put out and American flag and began waving it. I cried so much, but it was wonderful to see that plane at SFO. I went up the jetway and greeted the passengers as the got off the airplane, some cried, aome said thank you and other just didn't know what to do or say. I hope in my lifetime I never have to experience anything like that again.