Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: I was on the telephone with a parent when I saw the rest of our staff gathered around our television set. When I finished my call, I went to where everyone was standing and was told that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Most, if not all of us, thought it was an accident but within a few minutes the second plane went into the second building and we all know the we were under attack. After the initial shock, my thoughts quickly centered on my daughter Michele who works two blocks from where the planes hit. I called her office and was told she had not arrived. I tried to remain calm but I began praying and hoping that she was okay. Was she hit by the falling pieces of the plane or the building? I called my youngest daughter who worked on the 45th floor of the first building until a year and one-half ago when she took a position in mid-town. Christine couldn't reach Michele either. I called Michele's office a second time and was told she had just arrived. She was in tears as she spoke to me of what she had seen, especially the people falling or jumping out of the upper floors. As I was trying to comfort her, she said that there was a tremendous noise and that a third plane was hitting the buildings. This, of course, was the first building collapsing. At this point she asked me what should she do. I was afraid to tell her to leave her office and run to the Brooklyn Bridge to try to get to our home in Queens because I was afraid the second building would collapse on her. I also didn't want to advise her to stay in her office for fear that her 4 or 5 story building might crumble from the impact of the second building falling. Somehow I know it was going down as well. I suggested that she try to remain calm, go outside and try to get some direction from a policeman or fireman. I asked that she call me back to let me know what she was doing. It was about 30-40 minutes before I heard from her. She was fine. She had gone outside where some firemen were ushering people back into the basement of her building. They knew or sensed that the second building was going down and wanted to protect people in the best way they knew how. Michele said that the basement was rumbling as the building fell, but that it was able to withstand the shock. She said she was going to try to make it to the Bridge but might not be able to call me for a while. Meanwhile back at our school I tried going into the halls and comforting some of the students who were upset. One of my seniors was visibly concerned because his mom had dropped him off before 8 a.m. on her way to a meeting at the trade center. He couldn't reach her on her cell phone. The parents of many of our students came to pick them up, but many also remained and talked with their friends while watching the events in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania on television. I announced to as many as I could reach that I was available if any one wanted to talk or use my telephone to reach a loved one All the while, however, I kept thinking of Michele. Was she okay? When would she get home? When would I hear from her? Christine told me she was going to walk over the 59th Street Bridge. My middle daughter Diane is a nurse at a hospital in Queens. I couldn't contact her but knew that she would be on call for the injured. Every time I thought about the dead and injured, especially the heroic firemen, tears came to my eyes. I was supposed to be strong and comforting and be helping others. I tried but was also shocked and frightened about the safety of my family and fellow New Yorkers. I left school about one-half hour early and had to take the Tappan Zee Bridge because all the other bridges were closed for emergency vehicles. It took me about three and one- half hours, about one and one-half hours on the bridge alone to get home. Even though they are in their twenties, I always hug and kiss my daughters when coming or going but I never hugged them the way I did that night. The next morning I got up hoping that this had all been a bad dream, but it wasn't. We all went to church and prayed and cried a little more. I pray each day for the victims on the plane, in the building and on the ground and for the heroic firefighters, policemen and emergency workers who lost their lives trying to help them. I pray for their families and friends . God bless you and America. We will never forget you, especially the 19 firemen from my local firehouse in Maspeth, Queens, New York City who lost their lives. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story14.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-01-29 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 151.198.212.254 Annotation Annotations to this item. Firefighters Patriotism Struggle to get home Students/Teachers Telephones and Cell Phones Television Coverage NY:3