story1124.xml

story1124.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

I am compelled to tell this story. This cannot be forgotten.

Every day, I took the PATH train to the base of the World Trade Center, under the towers, though 5 WTC and then past 7WTC. This morning, I got an early start. As I passed by the base entrance of 7WTC, which is a barricaded truck entrance, I noticed the dozen policemen that had recently started to guard this entrance. In the last two weeks, the guard entrance grew from three men to 12-15 armed men. Serious looking men. The following Thursday, for the first time, I saw a K-9 unit with a German Shepherd walking through the inside of a moving truck. Over the last three years, I have walked past this spot over 1200 times and I have never seen this.

I passed by the shoeshine place, and decided that I did not need a 10-minute shoeshine. I wanted to get in for the afternoon budget meeting. Walking to work, I heard a plane go right overhead and a loud crash. I kept walking.

Once inside my *safe* office, there was much discussion about the view. Out the window, from a very close distance, you could clearly see a smoldering fire at the WTC and an airplane sticking out of it, somewhere near the upper middle. Someone thought it was a 737. We knew this was restricted airspace and assumed it was some kind of major pilot error.

We could not see the South tower from our vantagepoint. I called my boss's boss, and asked him if we should implement disaster recovery procedures. He said he knew about the situation and to keep everyone calm.
I called Donna, my wife.

She put me on speakerphone. "It looks like a plane hit the
WTC. We are leaving soon."
"Get out of there!", she said.
"Do you know what is happening?", I asked.
"No."
"I am in a safe spot and we are just leaving". I hung up.

My Dad called.

"Dad, what is happening?!"
"Mike, I don't know from here, I don't have a TV."
"I am conferencing in Kathy." I conferenced her in.
"Kathy, this is Mike and Dad, what do you see on TV?"
"Looks like a plane hit the WTC."
"I can see that from here, do you see anything else?"
"This is it for now."
"I have to get out of here. Love you guys. Bye."

My mother called. I quickly told her I was leaving.

I decided to let everyone go home. I said to my team, "Look, the whole city is going to wake up and evacuate. Beat the rush and get home. Try to log in
from home. Stay away from the WTC. Go North. Work from home, if you can."

At this point, someone yelled out, "Oh my God! A second plane hit."

I could not verify this from our vantagepoint. Everyone ran to the window. All hell broke loose. A friend was visibly upset. He had just arrived. We called a group meeting.

My friend said, "I saw debris coming down from the building. I realized that there were bodies falling from the building. I can't believe it, but people are jumping out of the building. They hit like water balloons."

Everyone ran out the building. The 3 of us went to my office for a moment and talked to our boss. I quickly dialed him.
"Where are you? Go home."
Our boss, tersely replied, "What? Why should I do that?"
"There are planes sticking out of the WTC. I think we are under terrorist attack. I talked to your boss, and I think we should all leave. Where are you?"

He replied, "I am walking from West 4th. Meet you in front of the umbrella."

Apparently he was on the Subway when this happened and he got off at West 4th street. He had no idea what was happening. If he stayed on, his next stop was Chambers Street/WTC. I think this stop was destroyed. The time
was about 9:20ish.

Well, I never saw him there. I waited out front and walked over to the West Side highway to see what was happening. A procession of Special Operations Trucks passed us at 80+ MPH, speeding to the scene. Many ambulances and police cars passed. Later I would learn that most of these heroes would die.

A lone motorcycle rider with a Hells Angels Jacket ripped down the highway toward the building. No doubt that he would try to make a difference. I could just imagine him running up the stairs, pulling out the helpless.

We were standing less than a mile from the base of the twin towers. We all thought it was over, that the people there would be evacuated. Maybe the roof was a safe spot. Why can't helicopters land there to pick up people we all wondered.

We were grouped together, looking at the flames, when the building erupted, spewing smoke and concrete and steel. Smoke spewed forth, like from the gates of Hell itself.

Glass shards flew everywhere from behind the tower.

A big plume of smoke and debris expanded.

In slow motion, I saw this big wave of doom fall toward the people below. All I could think was that I was standing there witnessing the mass murder of everyone under this heavy wall of death.

It was the most hopeless feeling I have ever felt.

Men and women were wailing and screaming.
A young child started to throw up.
A woman in front of me lost her bladder.
An old man fell down, sobbing.

A big wave, seemingly taller than the tallest building, grew and started to expand toward us. At this point, everyone started to run.

Nobody was really sure what was happening. The smoke and dust hid the missing tower from us.

I said to my comrades, "There was no reason for me to be here. Good-bye"....

Walking past Chelsea Piers, someone handed me a glass of water. I thought that I should stay here and help these people give out water. But I looked and saw that they were well staffed.

Only later I would learn that this would become the triage center, where the majority of the victims would be housed. My only regret is that I did not stay to help for this triage, somehow. But, in retrospect, who would know
this?

The phone service was not available until after many attempts. I finally got through to my wife, Donna. "Where are you, Mike?"

"I am far away and heading out. I have to go. Please tell everyone that I am OK, in a safe place."

I did not stop until I had gone many city blocks. Being on the West Side highway, I still had a clear view of the one building left. Wait a minute.

At this moment, I realized that there was only one building left. How could anyone do this? I stood there with my mouth open, unbelievably looking at the spectacle.

Someone handed me a cigarette.

I started to turn and someone let out a big, "Oh no!!!!". Turning back, I saw a huge fireball, expanding from the remaining building.

Focusing on this 5 story long girder (60 feet long/10 feet wide), I saw it slowly swing out, like in slow motion. I saw the antennae coming down and I knew that the whole building was collapsing. I sobbed with the group. I
could hear people screaming, crying, yelling in anger.

You could not take your eyes from the falling debris and the growing realization that many more were going to die.

Right in front of your eyes.

And there was nothing, nothing in this world that could prevent it from happening.

All of the people who rushed in to help, the Special Operations, the cops, ambulances, the motorcyclist, the people leaving the building. All below would all be crushed.

In disbelief, I turned and left the city. There was nothing we could do.