story653.xml
Title
story653.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-05-19
911DA Story: Story
I heard about the attacks, after 9 a.m. Mass, at St. Francis of Assisi, here in Astoria, Queens, New York City. We're about 10 miles from the World Trade Center. About 9:25, Tilly, a woman about 70 years old, a regular at the weekday Mass, took the pulpit, very distraught, in tears, talking about a crash of some sort, and asked us to pray an "Our Father," "Hail Mary," and a third, shorter prayer. I was in the back of the church, heading out when this happened, and didn't quite hear what she was concerned about, but added my prayers to the 24 or so others there. Even the priests had left the altar and exited the church by then. I called my Dad on my mobile phone to get details as I walked to the polls, for it was primary day in New York City. I knew Dad would be informed as he and my Mom often have the TV on. He explained what was happening.
It was a very peaceful beautiful cool morning in Astoria, even after the attacks. The Only sign of trouble I heard other than Tilly's plea was the wail of sirens at 9:38 a.m. Later, an engine from FDNY Co. 61 hurtled past my local diner, alarm blaring, heading west on Ditmars.
Toward noon, I walked toward the 31st Street subway station, in hopes of getting a closer look, either from Manhattan or from the elevated tracks in the station. I had binoculars, and en route I realized that the binoculars would be useless, as the two towers had collapsed. There was essentially nothing to see from afar. I was also increasingly self-conscious about seeming a voyeur. I bought some lunch on the bustling thoroughfare, and sat on a bench and listened to a woman who said she had tickets to a Broadway show for later that day. The angry woman said to a friend while discussing the morning's horrific events, "I want to murder these people." She was referring to the many Arab that have come to live in Astoria. I wrote to some friends the next day via e-mail:
"Hi Lucila,
I'm OK here in Astoria. Never got a chance to get into Manhattan yesterday.
How'd everyone else make out?
Some of the oldtimers in the neighborhood were, sadly, blaming the many Muslims who've moved into the area. One woman, about 65, was particularly vocal, talking about "them." A wave of anti-Muslim hostility may well be one of the results of the attacks.
Ger"
It was a very peaceful beautiful cool morning in Astoria, even after the attacks. The Only sign of trouble I heard other than Tilly's plea was the wail of sirens at 9:38 a.m. Later, an engine from FDNY Co. 61 hurtled past my local diner, alarm blaring, heading west on Ditmars.
Toward noon, I walked toward the 31st Street subway station, in hopes of getting a closer look, either from Manhattan or from the elevated tracks in the station. I had binoculars, and en route I realized that the binoculars would be useless, as the two towers had collapsed. There was essentially nothing to see from afar. I was also increasingly self-conscious about seeming a voyeur. I bought some lunch on the bustling thoroughfare, and sat on a bench and listened to a woman who said she had tickets to a Broadway show for later that day. The angry woman said to a friend while discussing the morning's horrific events, "I want to murder these people." She was referring to the many Arab that have come to live in Astoria. I wrote to some friends the next day via e-mail:
"Hi Lucila,
I'm OK here in Astoria. Never got a chance to get into Manhattan yesterday.
How'd everyone else make out?
Some of the oldtimers in the neighborhood were, sadly, blaming the many Muslims who've moved into the area. One woman, about 65, was particularly vocal, talking about "them." A wave of anti-Muslim hostility may well be one of the results of the attacks.
Ger"
Collection
Citation
“story653.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 20, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/16841.