nmah5503.xml

nmah5503.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-04-21

I worked in a waterfront building on Exchange Place in Jersey City, directly across from where the World Trade Center. On the morning of September 11, 2001, a co-worker rushed to the window yelling that the WTC was on fire. I looked out the window directly at the hole where the plane had gone into the first tower and went into shock; I knew without doubt that my sister, who was employed by Cantor Fitzgerald, was trapped somewhere above the hell I was looking into. I immediately and desperately tried to contact her with no success. In between attempting to reach her on her office and cell phones, I called my parents in central NJ, who were unaware at that time of what was happening. I asked my mother if she'd heard from my sister and she asked me why; it was then that I told her to turn on the news. I began to cry and told my mother I'd call her back. After many more unsuccessful attempts to reach my sister, I called my parents back and told my mom to have someone go immediately to get my sister's son from school - my sister was a single parent with a 16 year old in high school - I didn't want him to hear it on the news or from someone else before we could get him home. While still on the phone with my mom, I watched from my window as the second plane crashed and exploded into WTC2, my parents saw it live on the news. I began to cry harder, knowing that many, many lives were lost. My building immediately began to evacuate at the direction of the authorities, and my co-workers attempted to get me to leave. I finally left the building, but went back in, as everything outside in the street was choas. I sat in my office in shock, watching the towers burn while answering telephone calls from crying spouses trying to reach their husbands - who were at the time my co-workers - informing them that everyone was all right and had been evacuated from the building. Upon calling my parents back again, I learned that my my eldest brother's son was in the second tower. He was a construction supervisor who did not work in the WTC, he happened to be there that morning to look at a job his company was doing. He was on the phone with my sister-in-law and brother when the second plane hit and the phone went dead. I eventually collected my belongings and left the building again, searching for my other nephew who worked with me and a co-worker/friend. After finding them a few streets away, we returned to my office building on the river to get my car so that we could go home to be with my family. Upon exiting the building, there was a great rush of people running toward the river; I yelled out my car window to someone and asked what was going on; he told me that the building had collapsed. After driving a few streets and getting on the NJ Turnpike, we could see that one of the buildings had collapsed and was gone. The three of us drove on in shock; eventually the other building came down and added to our hell. I drove the rest of the way home not even remembering going from point A to point B. The following days and weeks became more of a living hell, as we waited for word of my sister and nephew. My nephew's remains were recovered and buried in April 2002, no trace of my sister has ever been found.

Having worked in the financial industry for most of my career, I knew quite a number of the people who died in the WTC. Many of those I didn't know were relatives and friends of others I know. I also have a very close friend who survived from the 99th floor of WTC2; she evacuated when she heard and saw the damage from the 1st plane, and was one street away when the second one hit. She was lucky, over 200 people in her company perished.

My life has changed drastically; my family still lives with the devastation of losing our two loved ones in such a horrific way. I now work in a building one street away from where I was in 9/01, my office window still overlooks the site of the WTC disaster. I carry the images of the fires and explosions with me every day, they can never be erased from my memory. The thought of what my sister, nephew and all the others must have gone through, based on what I'd seen, will continue to haunt me throughout my life.

I remember how everyone came together, how no one was a stranger; I grew up in New York and we're a notorious breed - for the most part everyone minds their own business - but on this day and in the weeks and months that followed, people went out of their way to be helpful and caring. The outpouring of sympathy from the nation for the victims, not only in NY - but in DC and on the planes - was tremendous. I wish the citizens of our country would continue to act toward each other as they acted then. While I haven't come away from September 11 untouched, I have learned a tremendous lesson - that is to recognize what's important to you in life, and don't ever let a day go by without telling the people who are important to you just how much they mean to you - you may never get a second chance.

Yes, I did fly the American flag. I am prouder than ever of that symbol of our freedom.