email278.xml

email278.xml

born-digital

email

unknown

yes

2002-08-19

Dear friends and family,
First let me tell you that I am alive and well, no
injuries or problems. I've spent the last 36 hours in
Harlem pretty much, trying to be ever vigilant.
Second, let me say that I am touched by the
e-mails and phone calls I got while at work. It's
really nice to know that people worry about you, when
you don't even sometimes worry about yourself.
When I said I wasn't hurt, that's partly true. My
heart hurts and I am mentally and physically
exhausted. September 11, was the most important day
of my young career and certainly the most memorable
day I've ever had in my life. I was sleeping on the
couches in the precinct when someone woke me up and
told me that a plane had hit the WTC. I was shocked,
but I knew that our guys would figure it out and that
we could fix anything. All that changed when I saw
the plane fly into the side of Tower #2. Then I knew,
just like the rest of the world what had happened. I
remember putting on the kevlar vest and getting the
riot helmet out of the bag and shaking while say the
Lord's prayer.
I was supposed to go to the election detail for
the primary elections in NYC, so they wouldn't take me
downtown. This was before the cancelled the election.
I remember talking to Montu and then the phone went
dead. I ran to the TV and saw the tower collapse. My
radio was full of people yelling, "It's coming down,
get out of there! Run for your lives!" Then the most
horrifying sound I've ever heard came out of my radio.
It was a female officer, crying and screaming for
help, like I've never heard anyone scream. She didn't
know where she was. You could hear the cops literally
begging her to tell them where she was. And her
screams got softer and softer and then they were gone.
Literally, 15,000 cops heard another officer die on
that radio.
We're working 12 hour tours and doys off are
cancelled. We're fighting each other to go down to
the scene. They only send 8 guys out of about 50, and
everyone volunteers. To do something, to do anything.
That feeling of helplessness, hearing your colleagues
calling for you and you not being able to do a damn
thing, makes you sick. Literally you ache. I'm
probably going down there hopefully tomorrow.
I have no inside gossip. Contrary to popular
belief, we get most of our intell. on this from the
news too. I just know I wish that day never happened
and I never had that radio. Some guys turned them
off...
But I am fine and there are lots of guys some who
I knew, and many who I didn't who aren't. They died
after running up into a building that some people were
jumping out of. They died heroes and they lived as
heroes. Many of my friends were shocked because we
all knew if we had been there, we would have done the
same thing and we know what would have happened. So
pray for everyone, especially the firefighters and the
cops and those who gave their lives so that others,
may live. I am proud to wear the same uniform that
they did.
Finally I just wanted to say that everyone talks
about WW2, displayed in Saving Private Ryan and Pearl
Harbor. About ordinary men in extraordinary
circumstances. The critics say we as a nation don't
have that anymore, and that's why these movies are so
popular. We do, it's just that we pay them 40,000 a
year and call them the New York City Fire and Police
Departments. And what they say about disasters
bringing out the best in people is true. Everyone is
here to help us. People are giving blood faster than
they can take it. People are meeting at Chelsea Piers
to wait for hours to see if they can help in the
search. As I was sitting in my patrol car on 125 St,
I was a blue fire truck on the corner and I walked up
to them and I saw the truck had Rhode Island plates.
I talked to them. They were from Pawtucket, RI. They
said that they heard there were firefighters trapped
and they got in their truck and drove 6 hours to save
them. Lights and sirens down I-95. And they were just
glad to help out. I thanked them and shook hands and
then went back to the car and cried, just like I am
now. That was the best thing I'll remember about
these past days.
God bless you all. I love you and miss you. The
Campbell clan motto is Ne Obliviscaris, which means
"Never Forgotten."
Thanks,
Graham

Sept 12, 2001

The New Beginning