story5405.xml

story5405.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

The day started off as any other, beautiful and clear. I was on my way to the hospital to receive a shot with one of my coworkers. We heard something on the radio, but could not make out what it was. As we kept listening, all we could make out was that there was a plane crash. When we arrived at the hospital, the truth became apparent; we were under attack. I called my boyfriend who was just getting off his night shift (he is a Port Authority officer). He had no idea what had happened until I called him and told him to turn on his television. Within moments, he was called down to Ground Zero and then I didn't hear from him for another 2 days due to cell phone towers being down. On the other hand, his father took the Path train into the World Trade Center. He worked for the Bank of New York right next to the site. After many frantic phone calls to their home, it was finally known that he was alright, running from the site and having seen the first plane hit.
He returned home in New Jersey at 4 a.m. the following morning.
The months that followed in the feverish attempt to rescue and eventually recover victims took an even greater toll. The stories told to me are heart wrenching and at times graphic as to what was seen. One night, I met him at 12 a.m. on the West Side Highway sometime in November while he was working. He was flush and fatigued, with a sound of emptiness in his voice I had never heard before. At this point I knew he would be forever changed. A state trooper told me to be easy on him, for the most seasoned veteran in law enforcement has not even seen a fraction of the devestation that occurred there. He would come home at night smelling of smoke and covered in dust, completely exhausted only to go out a few short hours later; just enough time to warm up and clear his mind for a few moments.
Today, my boyfriend is forever a changed man having seen what he saw and had done, yet still continues to work and move on. His only wish: he could have helped to save more lives. He would receive frantic phone calls from friends asking "have you seen.....?" One night out of the blue he said "Do you know what it is like to bury 25 of your closest friends?" This was his breaking point of the man I know and love, this was the point he could no longer hold everything in.
He does not speak of those days that followed anymore, things in a way are better left unsaid. He does not believe so, but to me, he is a hero. How else do you explain it. People use the word consistently, but that is what these ladies and gentlemen are, sheer heroes. I am extremely grateful that he came home to me every night. I am blessed, I just wish all could be so lucky. He will never be over this day and the ones that followed, but he can move on and live life to the fullest.
He was a 24 year old rookie police officer at the time, now a forever changed 25 year old, one who I am utterly proud of and grateful to have in my life.

Christine