story2483.xml

story2483.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I was walking to work on Madison Ave and 49th Street and
saw a bunch of people looking at TV of the WTC north tower
in smoke and thought it was a movie. Arrived a Pisa Bros.
before 9am. Evrey one was in the bosses office and the second
plane hit, we saw it live on TV. Goose bumps on my arms
as I realized that my son Vincents office is right next door
I ran and called his office , voice mail, I called my daughter
in law, both Lawyers,she is on 45 ans Fifth new office, and
I am not sure what building she is in. I called my daughter
Jennifer, who was on the 73rd floor of the WTC on 26 Feb
1993, and escaped safely, and quit her job the next day.
She horrified was watching the event on her TV at UBS in
Stamford Ct. I tried to call Vincents cell but one number
was missing. Jennifer said Mom get out that building, I'll
call Vincent. I called my husband, who said the same thing
and also said that those towers are going to fall, I said
no no.Then left the 22nd floor of my building. Down stairs
I saw the Fire Marshall of our building, and realized I left
my cell phone up stairs and didn't know where my son was.
I went back and my private line was ringing, luckily it was
my daughter in law Morgan, histyrical, Vincent was down there
and she could not get through on the cell. I left and ran
down to 45th Street not even sure where her building was.
The street were full of people panic and you could see the
billows of smoke from the building. I found Morgan, who
still was unable to reach Vincent and was bouncing of the
wall. We were a lucky family as Morgan cell rang about
1050am and it was Vincent, who reached Chambers Street
and saw a jet engine on the street and all the panic
and he was lucky enough to get back in the subway and back
to New Jersey.I thanked God that Vincent was alright.
I needed to get home to be with my husband,even though
Vincent and Morgan wanted me to come to NJ. So I walked
across my New York (Born and raised here) and it looked
like a bad Bruce Willis movie. There were our guys now
in the sky in their fantom 16 jet, empty streets with
ambulances and there syrions ringing. I finally made it
to Grand Central Station and got on the second train
to Stamford Ct. Stunned and blank and the same time.
My husband hugged me when I got home.Then the tears
came later that night,loud and clear. There is not a day
that goes by that I dont think of that day, and I often
think how all the people who lost loved ones cope every day.
Today is the first anniversary, and the terrior and fear
sadness is still with us and shall never leave us.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
Nancy Brookes