story9927.xml

story9927.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-09-11

...I got up at about 6:30 am on September 11, 2001. My brother had the Living Room TV on-and he almost never has the set on that early. Our Mother was getting ready for work. I went into the Living Room; my brother said, "The World Trade Center's been hit!" I looked at the TV screen-I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Mom and I had visited New Jersey (AND New York as well) in June 2001, only three months earlier. The next word out of my mouth was "Nicole", a young lady whose parents and family I had met on Staten Island (I knew her Uncle and her Cousin). Nicole worked at the WTC. After taking Mom to work, I proceeded to try to contact her family in NY-it took me all of four hours because the lines were so completely jammed. I went to work, feeling terribly for the people who died-THEY were going to work, going home, going in or out of town-you name it...Finally, I was able to reach Nicole's Mom! Nicole was alive! The family was OK-her Dad was stuck in Brooklyn for five hours, but everyone was present and accounted for. Even though Nicole didn't go to work herself, she witnessed the plane hitting the Tower. Upon learning of this, I felt heartsick-for Nicole, for the victims, for everyone. I prayed for everyone and asked God to help us help one another in the difficult times ahead.