story8948.xml

story8948.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-01-10

On September 11, 2001, I was at home in Hudson, Florida when I witnessed the attacks on The World Trade Center via television news. It was very real and very traumatic as I had worked on the 73rd floor of 2WTC for 6 years. I was the Floor Warden in charge of the Fire Safety Team on that floor. My Agency of the State of New York had been the first tenant on the 73rd floor in the year 1974. The building was still under construction at the entrances to the plaza, the plaza itself was not complete, upper floors in 2WTC were not yet complete. I had worked for another State Agency at 199 Church St, NY, NY for another 11 years or more. 199 Church St is about 6 blocks north of the WTC. In one way or another, I worked in, visited or saw the WTC for almost 20 years. It seemed impossible to believe that anyone could want to kill and injure so many people. It is a miracle that more were not killed. For all who criticize the buildings for collapsing, eventually, many of us realize that the fact that they stood up as long as they did saved countless lives. I did not have a dry eye for weeks. I still cannot believe it happened. I am not forgetting the deaths in the Pentagon and the deaths in Pennsylvania; it is just that the WTC is so much more personal. I have not returned to the site [Ground Zero] as I am not ready for it even now. May God bless the vitims who died as a result of the attacks, may God bless the survivors, may God bless America.