Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

I'm not a "survivor" bc I wasnt in the bldg but I was only a couple of blocks away and watched the second plane hit from my office window. I'm not going to go into details bc I get too emotional about it but I can say I'll never forget the feeling of running for my life DH worked in the WTC until the Friday before (9/7/01).

RIP FF Michael Lynch & Chris Duffy

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

G-d bless everyone who was there, lost someone, and those who have survived.

I remember the morning so clearly. It was the 2nd day of my graduate school internship. I remember driving to my internship and the morning was gorgeous. I was listening to the radio and in such a good mood. When I walked into the building of my internship, my phone rang. My friend was hysterical crying asking if I had heard from another friend, as she worked in Tower 2 and it had just been hit. I told her no, stunned, and told her I would call her back. The security guard had the radio on and that is when I heard that the first plane had hit. I tried to call my friend but couldn't get through. Then it hit me that my father was down there. He worked on Broad St. but would sometimes get off the train a few stops ahead of his stop and walk down Broadway. I was frantic trying to get in touch with him for hours. I was so relieved when I finally got through to him and heard he was ok. He then reminded me that my sister's godmother, who is also like my godmother, worked in Tower 1 and he couldn't get through to her. She was always at work by 8:30 AM but was late that morning. She was stuck in traffic on the express bus in the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. She and other bus passengers actually had to help these poor autistic children who were stranded by the bus driver.

My father was able to catch one of the last trains out of the city. He was covered in soot and dust when he got home. 9/11 is really hard for him as he watched everything from his office window.

I have spent quite a few years working with 9/11 victims as a therapist. The things I have heard I will never forget. Last year DH and I volunteered as mental health counselors at Ground Zero. The pain that these families feel is still so palpable.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

I teach in a town that lost a huge number of people on 9/11. Many of the students I teach lost a parent that day. One of my students lived in the city and was in school on that day and almost lost her life when the towers collapsed. I get chills when I think of the horror these young children have already gone through and will continue to go through.
Our principal has asked that we not pay any special attention to the day tomorrow, per a request by the parents in the community.
It's going to be a sad sad day.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

I remember that day so clearly. I was at work and looking at pictures of Europe that someone had emailed me. I had just gotten back from a European tour 3 weeks prior. One of my friends walked into my office and told me that her FH has just called her and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I remember us thinking it must have been a small private plane - a horrible accident. I remember people in my office starting to make frantic phone calls to find relatives who were in the Towers. The relief was palpable as relatives phoned in, safe. I remember my friend, Roger desperately calling around to family members trying to get word of his cousin, Michael, who worked for Cantor. They never heard from Michael again
I remember having a momentary feeling of relief as I realized that DH (boyfriend at the time) was probably sleeping as he had gotten off work a few hours earlier - he's a paramedic in the city. I called his house and his roomate told me that he and his other roomate (also a medic) had already left and were on the way to the city. I could not get in touch with him on the phone.
I remember running to the one building on campus (I was working at a college) that had a tv and just tons of people standing in shocked silence as we watched the towers fall and starting to panic not knowing if DH was already in there.
I remember hearing about the attack on the Pentagon building and sitting with a friend from my office who's father is one of the highest ranked officers in the US Army and who's office is located there. We found out later that he was not on site that day and his wing was where the attack was - he lost his secretary, his assistant, almost his entire office.
At one point in the afternoon, I saw DH's cell number flash up on my cell and by the time I picked up, the connection was gone, but feeling relief that this was a sign he was alive. We finally spoke for a moment around 6 pm and I don't think I've ever heard such despair and devastation in his voice. He felt so helpless and frustrated - they had all gone in hoping to rescue people and that was not the case. He was right on site - had gotten a lot closer than many other rescuers. Five minutes after we hung up, 7 WTC went down and I remember bugging out, not knowing how close he was.
There is a spot in my town, looking over the water to the city, where you can see the whole skyline. I remember a lot of us standing there that evening, helpless, just watching the smoke.
I could not get in touch with DH at all the rest of the night - his phone just kept kicking into voice mail. I stayed up virtually the whole night watching CNN.
DH called at 5 am and I don't think I was ever so happy to hear the phone ring. He told me he was coming home, they were sending him home. I called my boss and asked her if it was ok to come in late to work and go see him and she, of course, agreed.
I remember him covered head to toe in ash and dust and I just sat and hugged him.
I remember the pain as we found out the people we knew who perished - an old friend from high school, numerous firefighters, a guy from our town who's wife gave birth to their first child 6 weeks later. I had nightmares for months after, every night, with the specific faces of the terrorists in them.

DH cannot talk about that day nor can he watch any coverage.
I watch all the coverage and will always continue to do so. Personally, I feel that my pain and tears in watching the coverage honors all of the victims of that day and is a tribute and remembrance to all the firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel who gave their lives that day.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

9/11 survivor here... 5 years later, it still feels like yesterday ........

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Gob Bless you all and your friends and relatives that you lost

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

My cousin died in the WTC - she was a Port Authority Captain and saved 100's of lives by blowing out a lobby window so people could get out. The towers fell while she and another officer were trying to get a handicapped person out. Her parents still have not gotten over it.

Rest in Peace - Kathy
<-------------------------
My friends(coworker) husband made it out by the skin of his teeth - he was supposed to be taking the Metro to Jersey and ended up going outside cuz someone told him a plane hit the tower. He was standing there when the second plane hit and just ran for his life. He had to walk back over the Brooklyn Bridge and found a ride back to Hicksville. When he got to our job he was covered in soot and dust and couldn't sleep for months. He said the worst was the people jumping out the windows.

What a sad, sad day

Message edited 9/11/2006 7:42:21 AM.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

I can't even read these at work-it's making me cry Praying for those families who lost members...

My friends father worked for the PA-n sadly, he was lost. My friend is not the same.

RIP Joseph Ammatuchio

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Posted by Gertyrae

My cousin died in the WTC - she was a Port Authority Captain and saved 100's of lives by blowing out a lobby window so people could get out. The towers fell while she and another officer were trying to get a handicapped person out. Her parents still have not gotten over it.

Rest in Peace - Kathy
<-------------------------
My friends(coworker) husband made it out by the skin of his teeth - he was supposed to be taking the Metro to Jersey and ended up going outside cuz someone told him a plane hit the tower. He was standing there when the second plane hit and just ran for his life. He had to walk back over the Brooklyn Bridge and found a ride back to Hicksville. When he got to our job he was covered in soot and dust and couldn't sleep for months. He said the worst was the people jumping out the windows.

What a sad, sad day

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

i remember that day like it was yesterday ..
i was at work and the 1st thing i do when i get here is turn on my radio.
when i turned it on they said a plane hit the wtc. i thought it was just an accident.. but then when they said another plane hit . my tummy hit the floor i knew something was not right. i called everyone i knew even if i knew they were not in the city but i called anyway .... the last person i called was my best friend and when she picked up at work she was screaming her brother worked in the wtc and they could not get in touch with him . she left work i left work and all of us went to her house .. waiting for that phone to ring all day and night or waiting for him to walk in the door was the longest thing ever .. we thought ok people are walking home cell phone are not working he will come .. HE NEVER DID .
everyone sat outside waiting holding phones in their hands . i think it hit me so bad because i was there with the family as they were waiting for him and there was nothing. days after i went there just to be with my friend and still sitting out side , with the phones thinking maybe he was in the hospital and they would call . but after a week or so everyone knew he was not coming back .. my friends mom still sat outside with the phone .. it is so hard just thining about that day .
but i tell you i will never ever 4get that day or the days after for the rest of my life.....

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

My dad lost his very best friend. He was a figher fighter. It was determined that the second building collapsed on him.
It was so sad, it still is.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

I worked in the World Financial Center at the back of WTC.

I was getting off an express coming from Brooklyn that day.

I was not feeling good that day so I ran late - If I was on time I would have been crossing right between the buildings (short cut to WFC) right when the first plane hit.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

My husband is a 9/11/01 survivor. I am crying already, just remembering that horrible day 5 years ago.

I was teaching in my 2nd grade classroom, 4 months pregnant with our first child. A child we had tried to conceive for over a year. A friend/ co-worker came into my classroom and told me to call my husband. Of course I was confused, but leaving my students with my friend, I went to the office and called his work #. No answer. I had no idea what was going on, until I overheard 2 paras talking...a plane had hit the Trade Center. Still not realizing the enormity of the situation, I called his office again and again. My mom called my school and I got on the phone with her. She was crying and told me she was coming with my brother to pick me up from work. That's when I broke down.
That's when I new something was very wrong.
I watched the coverage on a little TV in my principal's office.
That's when I thought my husband, my best friend, the father of our most wanted and unborn child...was dead.

My mother and brother picked me up, and we drove to my grandparent's house. My MIL called to tell me one of the towers collapsed. My grandpa, who was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, told me our country was in the starts of a war (very profound for his condition). I remember being almost catatonic. I remember thinking I was going to lose our baby the same day my husband died. The my MIL called again and said the second tower collapsed.

Of course throughout the whole morning, I tried my husband's cell a million times. Each message getting more frantic. We then left my grandparents, and went to my parent's house. I remember going up to my old bedroom, and collapsing onto my old bed and just dying inside. Then my brother SCREAMED from the basement...my husband's voice was on the answering machine!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a glimmer of hope, but we still didn't know when the message was left...and it was so static-filled, we couldn't make out what he said.

I remember staring at our wedding picture framed in my mom's bedroom. I remember my mom saying that she loved me.
I remember my dad coming home from work early.
I remember hearing my parents cry in their kitchen and saying that I would move in with them...or they would move in with me...if something did happen to my husband.

And then>>>>> the phone rang!!! It was my husband. He managed to escape Tower 2....68th floor...and he was alive.

I drove to Sutphin Blvd , where my husband managed to travel to, and was reunited with my soot-covered husband... to the applause of people on the street. We collapsed to the ground in relief.
We went to the doctor to have a sonogram...and THANK GOD the baby was alright as well.

My husband was sobbing and relayed the day's events...the things he saw were unimagineable. He is haunted to this day. As he was running, he saw one of the towers crash behind him.

I thank God everyday, for sparing my husband and protecting our unborn child.

I pray for those who lost their lives and for the loved ones they've left behind.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Posted by Libragal07

Posted by joenick

My husband is a 9/11/01 survivor. I am crying already, just remembering that horrible day 5 years ago.

I was teaching in my 2nd grade classroom, 4 months pregnant with our first child. A child we had tried to conceive for over a year. A friend/ co-worker came into my classroom and told me to call my husband. Of course I was confused, but leaving my students with my friend, I went to the office and called his work #. No answer. I had no idea what was going on, until I overheard 2 paras talking...a plane had hit the Trade Center. Still not realizing the enormity of the situation, I called his office again and again. My mom called my school and I got on the phone with her. She was crying and told me she was coming with my brother to pick me up from work. That's when I broke down.
That's when I new something was very wrong.
I watched the coverage on a little TV in my principal's office.
That's when I thought my husband, my best friend, the father of our most wanted and unborn child...was dead.

My mother and brother picked me up, and we drove to my grandparent's house. My MIL called to tell me one of the towers collapsed. My grandpa, who was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, told me our country was in the starts of a war (very profound for his condition). I remember being almost catatonic. I remember thinking I was going to lose our baby the same day my husband died. The my MIL called again and said the second tower collapsed.

Of course throughout the whole morning, I tried my husband's cell a million times. Each message getting more frantic. We then left my grandparents, and went to my parent's house. I remember going up to my old bedroom, and collapsing onto my old bed and just dying inside. Then my brother SCREAMED from the basement...my husband's voice was on the answering machine!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a glimmer of hope, but we still didn't know when the message was left...and it was so static-filled, we couldn't make out what he said.

I remember staring at our wedding picture framed in my mom's bedroom. I remember my mom saying that she loved me.
I remember my dad coming home from work early.
I remember hearing my parents cry in their kitchen and saying that I would move in with them...or they would move in with me...if something did happen to my husband.

And then>>>>> the phone rang!!! It was my husband. He managed to escape Tower 2....68th floor...and he was alive.

I drove to Sutphin Blvd , where my husband managed to travel to, and was reunited with my soot-covered husband... to the applause of people on the street. We collapsed to the ground in relief.
We went to the doctor to have a sonogram...and THANK GOD the baby was alright as well.

My husband was sobbing and relayed the day's events...the things he saw were unimagineable. He is haunted to this day. As he was running, he saw one of the towers crash behind him.

I thank God everyday, for sparing my husband and protecting our unborn child.

I pray for those who lost their lives and for the loved ones they've left behind.

omg your story just gave me chills and tears.. thank god i have my own office

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

DHs uncle & cousin were both survivors.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Joenick -

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Thank you everyone for your s. I know there are sooooo many that lost their loved ones and I feel really bad that I actually really do need those hugs...but sadly, I do.

My DH still works downtown...2 blocks from Ground Zero. It was so hard for me to say goodbye to him this morning.

I know the feelings from that day will never go away, but 5 years later, they haven't even faded a little.

God bless everyone that has sorrow in their hearts today.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here

The lump in my throat is as thick as I felt it on that day from reading these stories.

My heart goes out to all survivors, surviving families, and all the victims. I will never forget.

Re: with all the 9/11 posts it made me wonder.. any wtc survivors on here