lc_story148.xml

lc_story148.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-12-20

9/11 I boarded a Delta fligt to Orlando FLA out of Boston's Logan airport. The flight left at 8 am. I remember the beuatiful morning and flew over NYC at about 8:30. I can recall the clear view I had out my window of Manhattan and took note of the statue of Liberty. At about 10:30 the captain announced that they had received notice that there was a security break in the air traffic control system and we had been instructed to land immedialtey. He had no further info but assured us that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft we were in. We landed immediatley in Charlston, SC. Nobody on the plane had any idea what had happened and most people including myself were complaining about the inconvenience of the delay. It was about 11 am when I finally entered the terminal where we were instructed to wait in a roped off area, still unaware of the events. The people at the Delta terminal had told us not to plan on getting out that day and we should find a hotel. I tried several times to call my wife to tell her where I was and ask what was going on. People were speculating and there were stories going around that a plane had hit the WTC. Nobody from that Delta flight had any concept of the magnitude of the events. Cell phone lines were busy and it was difficult to make a call but after about 15 minutes I finally got through. My wife, Michelle, was histerical when I reached her. She knew that I left Boston at 8am and had not heard from me until almost noon. She told me what had happened and I listened but still had no concept of what was going on. My next call was to my boss and he suggested that I rent a car and drive to his home in Charlotte, NC. I proceeded to the hertz counter and the line for cars was huge. People in line were talking about sharing cars and making drives as far as California. the airport in Charlston was filled with people but there was an unusual silence. Now it was setting in and at 1pm I had still not seen any first hand coverage of the events. When I finally got my rental car I decided that I would drive home to Boston. I spent the next 20 hours alone in a car. My drive took me through small towns in the south east, Wahsington, DC, Philadelphia, NY where again I could see the skyline and the cloud of smoke. I knew that I needed to get back to my family.

The morning sunshine.
The sence of unity and brotherhood.