lc_story20.xml

lc_story20.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-03-10

Here's my account, including the bulletin sent via AP. Please feel free to edit as I am terrible at editing my own copy. thanks

BC-Trade Center-Crash, 9th Ld, a0556,0101
BULLETIN
Two planes crash into World Trade Center in apparent terrorist attack; tower collapses to the ground
Eds: UPDATES with tower collaping, witness seeing bodies. No pickup.
AP Photos NY191-193
By JERRY SCHWARTZ
AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) - In a horrific sequence of destruction, two planes crashed into the World Trade Center and one of the towers collapsed Tuesday morning in what the President Bush said was an apparent terrorist attack. A witness said he saw bodies falling from the 110-story towers and people jumping out.
MORE
AP-ES-09-11-01 1011EDT
My account:
My phone began ringing around 9 this morning. I was thinking "who in the world is calling me when they know that I am still asleep."
Then sometime between 9:30 and 10 I hear this tremendous boom. I thought the balcony had collapsed. Then I figured the giant oak tree outside must have fallen and hit the roof. I mostly jumped down 17 steps to the door and outside in my boxer shorts. The tree was there and so was the balcony.
Later during the day I learned the boom I heard was sonic booms from military jets or either propane tanks exploding at the Pentagon following the jet attack.
I returned to my condo completely confused by the noise I had just heard. I listened to messages left on my answering machine. First messages from Lee Gall from Michigan: "Hey Mike just calling to make sure you're ok."
I did not understand what he meant. I was fine. Second message from Don Wiewel: "Hey you better get your ass outta bed and get to work." Two planes have crashed.
I thought it was nothing big because Don is a total nut case most of the time.
I turned on the TV. There it was. The World Trade Center on fire. Then it collapsed. I completely lost it. Crying hysterically. Then my friend Jeffrey Clincy called and I lost it again. He offered to come over to comfort me. I told him "I gotta get to work."
The phone rings again. It was my friend John Batchelor from Philly calling. I completely lost it again. "Why is this happening? I don't understand what's going on," I lamented.
Got off the phone. Got into the shower. Cried some more.
Put some nice slacks on and a nice shirt. No tie. Even grabbed my gym bag and loaded it as if I was going to the gym. Packed my lunch that I put into containers last night. Got in the car and headed for work.
Walter Reed was backed up at my corner. There would be no getting to Route 50. I heard it was closed going east toward Rosslyn. I had already heard that 395 was closed.
Turned around and headed home. Cried some more at the traffic light while on the phone with my longtime friend Dan Bailey. It took me about an hour to go out and return home.
My heart was so broken. I got home and saw my neighbor in the courtyard. I lost it again. She sat down with me and hugged me like a long lost friend.
I went inside and changes clothes. I decided I needed to ride my bike into Rosslyn. I packed 2 bottles of water, shorts, a Polo shirt, socks, underwear and a belt.
There were so many people walking home from work before noon. I saw 2 couples on bikes watching the Pentagon burn from an overpass on 395. I told them I was going to work. They said "are you crazy?" I said, "no, I work for USA TODAY."
This bike ride that I do so often seemed to be the longest ride of my life. I was shirtless with my helmet and biker shorts on. As I approached Crystal City I saw more people walking home with briefcases, lunch boxes and the look of complete and utter shock.
I could sees the smoke billowing from the Pentagon. The jet fuel was reaching my nose as if I was on one of those little commuter planes...sitting right next to the engine.
A lady yelled at me "hey, you're going the wrong way." I said I have to, I work for USA TODAY. She said "OK, God speed."
Route 1 was a parking lot. I got to the Mt. Vernon bike trail and a cop told me it was closed. I turned around and headed for Route 110. It, too, was a sea of cars. People driving with glared eyes, old women clutching their wheels, the sidewalks filled with workers heading home. No one was running. Just walking like stone-faced zombies.
I politely let people know that I was coming through from behind on a bike. They all moved aside and let me by.
I went through three police stops and got told to "move that bike outta the way" by a fireman backing a fire truck up after he had taken the wrong exit for the Pentagon. The fireman and truck were my last hindrance on 110.
I called my roommate at this point to tell him I was close. He told me he was waiting outside the Gannett tower.
As I approached the Pentagon I noticed military personnel walking around in a slow daze. I assume they were trying to go home, but some just looked like they were going in circles to nowhere.
I had to stop for a moment because my legs could not pedal anymore and I was completely out of breath. So says the guy who's supposed to be in good shape.
At this point I had the entire road to myself. The first time I ever had ever seen 110 without vehicles. I was a one-man parade.
I reached the curve toward USA TODAY and faced a small hill that seemed like a mountain after my frantic ride. My backpack was soaking. There were many people standing around outside the buildings and many uniformed security personnel.
I reached the Gannett/USA TODAY towers. I'm sure I looked like a total wreck. After I calmed down a bit I approached the building and was stopped by security. One lady who knew me said "he's ok to come in." Another asked me where I worked and she said "bless your heart. You are just so upset because you care." I said yes and preceded inside.
I ran into William Dermody and, of course, I lost control again. He said he did not recognize me at first.
My supervisor Mark Pearson was happy to see me and told me to go take a shower if I wanted to. Geez, did I smell that bad? Probably.
My coworker Robin Turner was here ready to say a prayer for anyone who needed it and even had her holy oil available. We all needed it.
Carolyn Pesce rounded to corner toward the elevator and was there for a much needed hug.
Health/works, our corporate gym, was open, but there was not a soul to be seen. I took a peaceful shower. It helped.
My cell phone rings. I almost never get a call on my cell phone in the office. It's my friend Thierry calling from Germany. He said it took about 100 attempts to get through. What a wonderful feeling to have someone so concerned about you. Almost immediately he was disconnected, but he managed to get through later.
I later got a call from my longtime friend Martin Harder in Hamburg. He, his common-law wife and kids were deeply disturbed and had to call an old friend. How comforting.
After designing many pages many times and listening to many testimonies from colleagues, I went home at midnight. Fred Gaskins gave me and my bike a ride home in his sports utility. An eerie smokescreen poured from one side of the Pentagon and the smell of jet fuel continued to permeate the cool night air.
Earlier in the day, Fred told me he witnessed the jet from Dulles heading toward the Pentagon at lightning speed. The landing gear was not down. He said he knew what was happening.
Weary firemen sat upon the ground not far from the Pentagon as if they were waiting for the next round. Some were on their backs, but I'm sure they were not asleep.
I checked on my neighbors after I got home. Then came the really strong drink. I watched the day's events on CNN - this time with sound. The TVs are on 24-7 at work, but usually without sound unless a headset was used.
I climbed into bed at 3:10 a.m. I think I may have drifted off to sleep around 5:30 for an hour. I just could not put away the images, the tears, phone calls of concern, the kind words... the American tragedy.
Home is no longer the same place. This is now the place where I heard an awful explosion. The place where I first saw the Trade Center fall.
A part of me feels very selfish for whining about my day. After all, I am alive and healthy. I guess we all have to remember that those who die are at peace. Those of us who are left must worry about tomorrow.