story4280.xml
Title
story4280.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-11
911DA Story: Story
I was on my way to work listening to WTOP an all news radio station when the breaking news reported a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. Within 10 minutes I had parked my car and grabbed a key to a room (I work in a hotel) so that I could watch the TV. For some reason, my inner voice said that this is something very important. I turned on the TV and the Today Show was on. I immediately called my daughter to tell her what I was seeing on the TV Screen - while we were talking the second plane hit and I just started screaming into the phone - we are under attack, oh my God! We hung up and I watched in horror for a few more minutes.
I called my sister in law that works at the Pentagon and told her what I was seeing and for some reason started saying "Get Out - Pick up your purse and get out". We were to remark later that evening about what I had said. She asked me "How did you know" and I just said something inside of me wanted to warn you!
I went back to the hotel lobby and tried to absorb the scenes I had seen on the TV and relate the info to my workmates. I think people thought I was crazy!
It was much after that, while sitting at my desk, I heard a loud noise and felt the ground shake. I jumped up and ran with my room key to watch the TV again. News came quickly, it was the Pentagon that had been hit. I somehow got back to my office and started listening to the radio. But it was all too much - my mind and soul were suddenly overloaded with fear, terror and wonder at what was next. I shut my office door, turned off the radio and tried to calm my sould - it was too much for a human to take in.
By 12:00noon my daughter and I had spoken several times. At 1pm my neice called me to say that she could not get her mom on the phone or her cell phone - she was shaky and scared and weeping. I had to choose my words very carefully, be positive, give her hope, say it was too early to expect to hear from her. She was safe somewhere. After all wasn't her office at the Pentagon in the new wing - structurally strong - we would hear soon!
The hardest things that day, through the evening, on the hour throughout the night was to hear my neices voice, now sick with fear, sobbing with what we all would find out too soon to be true - the new wing, the lovely smile, the 17 years in the same office working for Navy OPS, gone in an instant. A soul taken with so many others, senseless.
On Sepember 11, 2001 a new life started for me and my family - a beloved member was gone and we will never be the same. My soul weeps for the death and destruction that I witnessed - my 58 years had not prepared me for the overwhelming fear I felt and the on-going sadness that I am left with.
God Bless Us Each and All!
I called my sister in law that works at the Pentagon and told her what I was seeing and for some reason started saying "Get Out - Pick up your purse and get out". We were to remark later that evening about what I had said. She asked me "How did you know" and I just said something inside of me wanted to warn you!
I went back to the hotel lobby and tried to absorb the scenes I had seen on the TV and relate the info to my workmates. I think people thought I was crazy!
It was much after that, while sitting at my desk, I heard a loud noise and felt the ground shake. I jumped up and ran with my room key to watch the TV again. News came quickly, it was the Pentagon that had been hit. I somehow got back to my office and started listening to the radio. But it was all too much - my mind and soul were suddenly overloaded with fear, terror and wonder at what was next. I shut my office door, turned off the radio and tried to calm my sould - it was too much for a human to take in.
By 12:00noon my daughter and I had spoken several times. At 1pm my neice called me to say that she could not get her mom on the phone or her cell phone - she was shaky and scared and weeping. I had to choose my words very carefully, be positive, give her hope, say it was too early to expect to hear from her. She was safe somewhere. After all wasn't her office at the Pentagon in the new wing - structurally strong - we would hear soon!
The hardest things that day, through the evening, on the hour throughout the night was to hear my neices voice, now sick with fear, sobbing with what we all would find out too soon to be true - the new wing, the lovely smile, the 17 years in the same office working for Navy OPS, gone in an instant. A soul taken with so many others, senseless.
On Sepember 11, 2001 a new life started for me and my family - a beloved member was gone and we will never be the same. My soul weeps for the death and destruction that I witnessed - my 58 years had not prepared me for the overwhelming fear I felt and the on-going sadness that I am left with.
God Bless Us Each and All!
Collection
Citation
“story4280.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed May 19, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/7068.