story1150.xml

story1150.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

Following is the email I sent to my family and friends around the world on September 30th, which expalins how I faced the 9/11.

To all my loving family & friends,

I know you have already heard and seen what has happened on September 11th in
NY. I thank you each and every one of you for your concern and loving
thoughts of us since that unforgettable, unthinkable tragedy. I was very
unfortunate to witness it, but lucky to be still alive and able to write this
letter to you. After all I thought I owe you let you know my story with
details. Thank you very much again to all of you. I'll send all of you this
email at once and try to send each one a separate email as and when time
allows.

Usually I take 8 AM ferry from Staten Island to Manhattan which reach there
by 8.30AM. Most of the time I walk to office from ferry terminal during
summer. If I walk from the ferry terminal in Manhattan to my office (48th
floor 1 WTC, north tower) it takes about 10-15 minutes. If I take subway it
takes only 5-7 minutes. So I always reach office between 8.45 to 9.00 am. It
was September 11th=911 (we dial 911 when there is an emergency) Tuesday. As
usual I reached Manhattan by 8.30. First I thought to take subway to reach
office earlier that day since I didn't go to work on previous day. I had a
second thought and walked to office since it was a sunny day. I reached the
ground floor lobby by 8.46AM. I was waiting for an elevator to go to 48th
floor. All of sudden I heard a big sound which came from opposite corner of
where I was waiting. My first thought it was an elevator crash. Within
seconds came a huge force of smoke & dust with a severe heat. It came with a
such a force. I came to know later that one of my coworkers who also was
waiting for elevator thrown few yards away by that force. I was running
towards a Citibank (in the lobby of WTC) passing some counters in the lobby.
I remember kneeling by the counters while running. That must have helped me
from throwing away by that force.
I waited in the citibank for few minutes with few others. I was trying to
call from Dhammika from there which was no success since telephone lines were
jammed. Still I had no clue exactly what had happened. I thought it was a
bomb. I was covered with dust and ashes. Some body's coffee was all over my
cloths. Later I realized that my hair and ear got burned with that heat came
down. That was 1st attack on 1 WTC. Then I came out of 1 WTC. I saw glasses
were broken on ground floor. Those were few inches thick. I can't believe how
it happened since the attack was on above 80th floor. I saw a guy lying on
the ground who had burned all over. He was waiting for an ambulance. He must
have been on the opposite side of where I was standing. Because there was no
time for anyone to come down from upper floors. I was lucky I was waiting for
the elevator on the other end. I was lucky I walked to office that day. Other
wise I would have come earlier. I was luckiy I didn't get an elevator sooner.
Who knows? I could have stucked in an elevelor If I was on one.

I walked about few yards (on west side highway) towards the ferry. Mean time
I saw 1 WTC top floor are on fire. People were just watching. Then I heard a
huge noise of an airplane. It was like right above on my head. I didn't have
time to lift my head to see it. That was the 2nd plane attack on 2 WTC.
People realized then that this is not an accident and it is an attack. Most
of them started to run. Still I remember some were looking at the burning
buildings. However I didn't wait. I was trying to call Dhammika from every
pay phone near by. I tried with several cell phones form strangers. But I
couldn't. Finally I came to ferry terminal and was able to call dhammika. It
was around 9.15AM. Dhammika has gone to drop Sachi to school. I left a
message at our answering machine. WTC can be seen various parts of NY.
Dhammika has seen WTC burning from Sachi's school. Some people have seen the
2nd attack from there too. She knows that I am at office by then. However she
had managed to come home. She has forgotten to take baby from car. She had
tried to call my office. Obviously she couldn't. Then she tried to call a
friend (Tanya) who works in down town and had a cell phone. But she couldn't
get her either. Still she hasn't checked the messages. Finally she noticed
and played the messages. 1st 2 were from friends calling and asking Dhammika
to contact me. They were afraid to give all the details. The 3rd was my
message. So she was relived. Later I called again and was able to talk to
her. I was going to take 10 AM ferry to Staten Island and Dhammika was going
to pick me up from ferry.

While I was waiting to ferry 2 WTC collapsed. Everyone was in a shock. Some
were crying. I don't think anyone ever thought that WTC would collapse like
that. It was a chaos in the ferry. All were taking out life jackets and ready
for some disaster. I was like numbed. I saw some were crying and shaking with
fear. Once ferry moved few yards on the river I saw the 1 WTC collapsing. It
was such a sad scene. I don't have proper words to explain my feelings. I was
thinking about the people who I am working with. I have been working in that
building for last 5 years. Then whole down town area started to cover with
smoke and dust. I saw people vanished in the thick smoke who were on the
land. At the same time ferry also covered with smoke and dust. It started to
clear once ferry rode away from Manhattan. Finally I came to Staten Island.
There were no buses running from ferry terminal in SI. No cars were allowed
come to terminal either. However Dhammika had come to the terminal been
waiting for me. I had taken a wrong exit and didn't see her. I think I was in
a shock and didn't know that I took a wrong exit. I thought Dhammika couldn't
come and walked all the way (about 1-2 miles) to home. Dhammika was really
worried thinking that I may have gone back to see the burning building since
she didn't see me came by that ferry. Finally when she came home I was
waiting outside. Then only she calmed down.

Since then we were getting phone calls from so many people. It rang nonstop
for few days. Most of them had to try for a long time to get the connection.
I was really touched by everyone's concern. It's a nice feeling to know that
other people really care about you. I thank again each and every one of you
for your concern.

Now I have recovered from the shock. But the sad feeling won't go away
easily. Our office started in a temporary location in New Jersey. I never
knew that it would be such a happy moment see my coworkers on the first day
when we met each other at office. All were hugging each other. Luckily no one
from my bank were missing or dead. Some were injured. But nothing major.
Sadly a lot of people were missing at the other bank, (Fuji) with our bank
merged.

Still I take ferry everyday to go to work. Everyday I see down town Manhattan
from Ferry. It used to be a beautiful scene from ferry. Specially in the
night. Now without the two giants buildings it seems so empty. I still can't
beleive how can a human being be so crual and hate another human being and
create such a tradegy. I hope and pray who ever leads or participates in such
acts to realize that no one would ever win any thing by hate or war.

It became a long letter. Let's all of us pray for peace and never ever to
come accross such a disater. There are about 7000 lives lost without any
reason. I could have easily been among them.

Take care.

With love.

Vipula/aiya/malli/putha