story1442.xml

story1442.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-24

I got off work at 0730 hrs. I work 13 Victor Tour 1, for NewYork Presbyterian Hospital. Usually my live-in boyfriend, Cesar Escobar, works until 0900 hrs on 19 William, from Battalion 17..Cesar was in refresher that day in Fort Totten. He called me soon after the 1st plane hit...he said "Baby, turn on the TV..a plane hit the WTC" He woke me up, I was foggy..I turned on the tv, and was talking to Cesar when the second plane hit. He was hearing it over the radio..asking me what the Hell was going on...I had no clue...I told him I had to call work..I had to go back in...Cesar told me he was being dispatched to a citybus to go to the "scene". We hung up and I left, I ran to the corner to get a cab to 168th and b'way. I got to Presby and had a "bus" bring me to 68th street..Cornell...Gosh, from there it is so blurry...I remember standing on the parking lot looking at 2 pillars of black smoke... I remember "losing it" because it had been 4 hours and I had not heard from Cesar...All I wanted to do was talk to my Mom and Dad in Canada..but I couldn't get thru...I was told by my supervisors, that they could not let me go down to the "scene"..I was hysterical...So, instead, I worked a transport unit..I brought 7 critically burned patients from Bellevue Hospital to Cornell...only 1 survived..Shortly after, my CSID ( critical stress incident debrief) asked me to help with coffee, food, etc...As mad as I was, it was the best thing he did for me...So I waited,,and waited..for Cesar to call me..anything..I finally got thru to my Mothers boss at about 11:30 pm. I was so glad to hear from someone my Mom knew, I didn't know her...but at that point she was my lifeline...At about midnite or so, I got in touch with my father...I got him on my cellphone at his house in Canada.. He had been sitting in front of the TV since the 1st plane hit...praying..for me..for Cesar..for all of us...I cried, and cried...I hadn't heard from Cesar yet...My father and I prayed together over the phone. We got disconnected, and I was never able to get my family again that day...So I waited...and waited..i had everyone looking for Cesar..giving his shield number to every cop, FF, medic who rolled into Cornell....At about 0930 hrs..24 hrs later..Cesar pulled his car into Cornells' parking lot looking for me!!! My love, my life...I ran out to the carport to meet him...we didn't say much..I just kissed him alot....We went home...I had leftovers from 09-10...we were in a daze..we ate steak and potatoes at 10:30 am....watchin TV in disbelief....Glad to be alive....In Memory...Mario Santoro...Keith Fairben...James Pappageorge....