story1217.xml
Title
story1217.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-08-19
911DA Story: Story
I was traveling in Bulgaria with my wife and daughter when it happened. Actually, it was about 4pm Bulgarian time when my wife's friend telephoned her to tell me to turn on CNN International to see what was happening in New York City.
I turned on the TV and was stunned. I am a soldier in the U.S. Army and here I am sitting 7 hours away and completely helpless. I could not imagine how much more helpless the people actually on the ground felt. For the remainder of the evening people reached out to console me either by telephone or a visit. The Bulgarians were stunned as a nation. Over the next several days on the street trying to enjoy what was left of a vacation, complete strangers who recognized me as an American stopped to express their anger and sympathy. Many shared stories that they had family in New York and still have not heard if they were okay or not.
I left for the United States on the 16th of September. I had to travel through Prague and through Newark to get to Colorado. Needless to say, it was a nightmare with the long lines and uncertainties of what aircraft was going where. Upon arrival to Newark, we did see the smoke from ground zero as we landed. It's a site I won't forget.
I turned on the TV and was stunned. I am a soldier in the U.S. Army and here I am sitting 7 hours away and completely helpless. I could not imagine how much more helpless the people actually on the ground felt. For the remainder of the evening people reached out to console me either by telephone or a visit. The Bulgarians were stunned as a nation. Over the next several days on the street trying to enjoy what was left of a vacation, complete strangers who recognized me as an American stopped to express their anger and sympathy. Many shared stories that they had family in New York and still have not heard if they were okay or not.
I left for the United States on the 16th of September. I had to travel through Prague and through Newark to get to Colorado. Needless to say, it was a nightmare with the long lines and uncertainties of what aircraft was going where. Upon arrival to Newark, we did see the smoke from ground zero as we landed. It's a site I won't forget.
Collection
Citation
“story1217.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 25, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/9148.