story11773.xml

story11773.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2005-08-26

Breast Cancer saved my life. If I hadn't been having a radiation treatment at NYU Medical Center, I would have been walking through the World Trade Center at 8:30 AM on September 11th. I live one block north of the Trade Center in Tribeca, and I worked in the World Financial Center across the West Side Highway from the Trade Center. There was a series of escalators and pedestian bridges between my apartment and my office - all part of the World Trade Center complex and a short cut to get to work. My cat was rescued by the ASPCA on Friday, 9/14, but I couldn't return for 3 weeks, and then only to get some clothes. We were evacuated for 8 weeks and when we returned it very surreal. Construction workers, police and firemen everywhere, all the time. Jet fighters overhead day and night. Tourists still ask if we have a public bathroom in our apartment building and re-construction is slowly taking place but the memories are still fresh and painful. Friends and family outside NY can't really imagine what it was like to have such an event take place in my backyard. This is my World War II - an event in my life that changes everything, forever.