nmah113.xml

nmah113.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-05

I live on Staten Island, and don't go to the city that much, but on this day I had to go to the VA Hospital in Manhattan for a check up. I took the Staten Island Ferry at 8:00 in the morning. So around 8:25am I'm on the other side, that means Manhattan, and because I'm early I don't ruch into the subway station. So I smo0ke a cigarette and walk up towards the subway station at City Hall. I remember drinking my cup off coffee, looking up and telling myself, man this plane is fluing low. The next thing I saw was the plane hitting the first tower. And if this wasn't bad enough, the other plane hid. I made my way out of this area, running for the clouds of dust and debris.
I made my way up town, towards 9th Ave and 45th Street, I use to live in this area, and I thought it will be save, for watever is going on. Till today, what is almost 11 monthts after 9-11, I still don't know how I got there, it is a complete blackout for me. I lost good friends ofmine in this attack, and there is not one day in my life that I don't think about them, or all the other people that diede in this attack.

Yes,
How is it possible that this don't change your life. I live on Staten Island, when I have to go to the city, Manhattan, I will look away, I can not look at this big hole in the skyline of New York City. Because when I do, I start to cry, you live here, and you will feel the same. For us it is a daily remember, not just something we see on television.

The people, and I mean all the people, not only the people that got killed that day, but their families, the workers that dindn't stop till there was nothing to do any more.

Yes I fly the flag, all the time, also before September 11. Do I have different feelings about the flag? No, I'm a Dutch immigrant, who made a choice top live here, and this is my country now. I always have the American flag on my pole.