nmah5662.xml
Title
nmah5662.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2003-09-08
NMAH Story: Story
I came all the way from Sydney Australia to celebrate my 30th birthday in New York City. A city I dreamt to visit and experience since the age of 15. It took me 15 years to get there. Why? Because I was affraid of flying. I summed up all of my courage and was set to celebrate my 30th in my dream city, Manhatten, NY.
I arrived in New York at JFK international airport on September 10th at 6:30pm with my partner (whom had visited NYC 3 times) . We took a yellow taxi into the city. Crossing over the Queensboro Bridge into Manhatten I saw the Twin Towers in the distance. I was so excited. I knew I had finally made it to New York City. In my excitement I pleaded with my partner to give me the video camera. Much to my surprize my partner turned to me and said, "We're here for two weeks. You can take footage tomorrow when it's daylight." With disappointment I gazed into the distance and marvelled at their beauty as they twinkled amoungst the NYC skyline, standing strong and mighty.
The following morning I awoke to the sounds of sirens, thinking it was just a typical day in NYC. Boy, was I wrong. My dream holiday, favourite landmark and 30th birthday had turned into a living nightmare. I saw nothing of what I wanted to see and exprience.
I arrived in New York at JFK international airport on September 10th at 6:30pm with my partner (whom had visited NYC 3 times) . We took a yellow taxi into the city. Crossing over the Queensboro Bridge into Manhatten I saw the Twin Towers in the distance. I was so excited. I knew I had finally made it to New York City. In my excitement I pleaded with my partner to give me the video camera. Much to my surprize my partner turned to me and said, "We're here for two weeks. You can take footage tomorrow when it's daylight." With disappointment I gazed into the distance and marvelled at their beauty as they twinkled amoungst the NYC skyline, standing strong and mighty.
The following morning I awoke to the sounds of sirens, thinking it was just a typical day in NYC. Boy, was I wrong. My dream holiday, favourite landmark and 30th birthday had turned into a living nightmare. I saw nothing of what I wanted to see and exprience.
NMAH Story: Life Changed
On returning home to Sydney Australia, I was very weak, under weight and had insomnia. I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress. I was unable to express what I felt and experienced to anyone. I avoided the city and became anti-social. I wasn't coping with my job and became extremely angry with the world. In June 2002 I had enough of life and gave up all hope in living and left my job. I kept to myself and avoid outside contact. For the first time in my life I had turned to drugs and alcohol and was on a downhill spiral fast. In May 2003 I crashed and suffered a nervous breakdown. The trauma of September 11 had a huge impact on my life and has left me with a mental illness.
NMAH Story: Remembered
The victims, families of the victims, witnesses and all the children in the world.
NMAH Story: Flag
Citation
“nmah5662.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed November 23, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/44862.