story5977.xml

story5977.xml

born-digital

story

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2002-09-12

I had heard about the attack at the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001 at the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment. I was settling in to meditate at the Chapel at the Center in San Jose, CA that early morning when Reverand Dave Sunday made the announcement to those few of us that attended that morning's prayer session. And so, I was stricken with a sense of grief, yet, disbelief of the report that a plane had hit one of the towers at the World Trade Center (before hearing that another attacked the other tower). I had recently returned from a trip to see my mother who lives in the Bronx the previous month, and had taken photographs of the Twin Towers while there. Someone brought a television to work to watch what was occuring, and I was in such a sense of shock and concern at work. This was the City of which I was born. I found out later from a friend back in the Bronx, that someone I had grown up with was one of the Firefighters that was among the missing that week. And had vaguely remembered the fellow.
Another friend whom I remembered well (Phil McCardle) was also one of the only fire-fighters that made it back alive from the hellish nightmare that occured the day that the Towers collapsed. I don't know how or to what capacity he was involved in rescue efforts at the scene, but I just knew that if anyone would or could survive such an ordeal it would be Phil McCardle. There was a feeling of saddness, and yet a sense of pride of the heroes of September 11, 2001. For these were the people of a free nation, and it was some of the values I had grew up with in a Great City of our nation. I will never forget this event that occured for it has made such an impact on me. I pay tribute just as many Americans do on this anniversary of the aftermath of 911. God Bless America.