story2975.xml
Title
story2975.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-11
911DA Story: Story
My husband and I usually get a ride to work. That day, we took the subway together. As he kissed me goodbye at his station, I thought how lucky I am,
I love him so much. I remember praying that everyone in that subway car should have a wonderful day.
I was so happy. It was a beautiful day. I always have my camera with me, amatuer photographer and I wanted to take picture on Lispenard Street. When I got out of the subway on Canal Street
I heard this loud noise, but thought nothing of it. I'm a typical New Yorker. When I got to the corner, people were running to stand there. I asked this
young man what had happened and he turned to me with these large eyes and said in
disbelief that a plane had crashed into the Twin Towers. I started shooting. I ran to the next corner and starting shooting again, as I looked through
my view finder, the second tower exploded. We were north of the buildings and didn't know it was the second plane. I knew I had to call my husband. I found a payphone
and I told him I would call him when I got to my office (about 6 blocks from the Trade Center). Once I hung up, I started photographing the people around me. One man
said to me that this was no accident. Two co workers approached me and said that
our building (388 Greenwich Street) had been evacuated. We started to make our way uptown and I tried several payphones without success to reach my husband again. We walked to my
co-workers apartment on Bleecker street where I called my mom and sister. Back out on the street I started
to walk uptown on 6th Avenue. A woman bus driver on 14th Street was screaming to everyone to get on her bus. We all climbed on and she barreled up 6th. We stopped once at 23rd street
to block traffic to let another bus load passengers. A Coca Cola truck stopped to pick up a young lady in a suit with a briefcase and no shoes. They just lifted her up and put her in the truck.
We were on 23rd street. Then the first tower fell. Everyone started screaming and crying. I never felt so vunerable. I don't remember the rest of the bus ride to 46 Street but I do remember passengers sharing cell phone (they didn't work),
passing out tissues and consoling each other. When I got to my husband building, the US Trust Building on 47th Street, I could barely speak. I made the security guard Tom,. call him to tell him I was on my way
up. When I reached him, I jsut started crying. Once I calmed down, I started calling everyone I knew to let them know we were safe and to see if they were. We walked uptown to our apartment on 83 Street and York Avenue many hours later.
We walked through Central Park, passed the sail boat pond where there were children playing and ducks swimming. It was as if nothing happened. The city was deathly quite except for the sound of the
fighter jets flying above our heads. All of my family and friends are safe. I thank God everyday. Be well. Be strong. God Bless America.
Barbara & Hans Kobelt
New York City
I love him so much. I remember praying that everyone in that subway car should have a wonderful day.
I was so happy. It was a beautiful day. I always have my camera with me, amatuer photographer and I wanted to take picture on Lispenard Street. When I got out of the subway on Canal Street
I heard this loud noise, but thought nothing of it. I'm a typical New Yorker. When I got to the corner, people were running to stand there. I asked this
young man what had happened and he turned to me with these large eyes and said in
disbelief that a plane had crashed into the Twin Towers. I started shooting. I ran to the next corner and starting shooting again, as I looked through
my view finder, the second tower exploded. We were north of the buildings and didn't know it was the second plane. I knew I had to call my husband. I found a payphone
and I told him I would call him when I got to my office (about 6 blocks from the Trade Center). Once I hung up, I started photographing the people around me. One man
said to me that this was no accident. Two co workers approached me and said that
our building (388 Greenwich Street) had been evacuated. We started to make our way uptown and I tried several payphones without success to reach my husband again. We walked to my
co-workers apartment on Bleecker street where I called my mom and sister. Back out on the street I started
to walk uptown on 6th Avenue. A woman bus driver on 14th Street was screaming to everyone to get on her bus. We all climbed on and she barreled up 6th. We stopped once at 23rd street
to block traffic to let another bus load passengers. A Coca Cola truck stopped to pick up a young lady in a suit with a briefcase and no shoes. They just lifted her up and put her in the truck.
We were on 23rd street. Then the first tower fell. Everyone started screaming and crying. I never felt so vunerable. I don't remember the rest of the bus ride to 46 Street but I do remember passengers sharing cell phone (they didn't work),
passing out tissues and consoling each other. When I got to my husband building, the US Trust Building on 47th Street, I could barely speak. I made the security guard Tom,. call him to tell him I was on my way
up. When I reached him, I jsut started crying. Once I calmed down, I started calling everyone I knew to let them know we were safe and to see if they were. We walked uptown to our apartment on 83 Street and York Avenue many hours later.
We walked through Central Park, passed the sail boat pond where there were children playing and ducks swimming. It was as if nothing happened. The city was deathly quite except for the sound of the
fighter jets flying above our heads. All of my family and friends are safe. I thank God everyday. Be well. Be strong. God Bless America.
Barbara & Hans Kobelt
New York City
Collection
Citation
“story2975.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 14, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/7521.