story1197.xml

story1197.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

Since September 11, 2001 my life has changed in many ways. On the morning of September 11, 2001 I was on the front of the house with my younger daughter hugging me. My wife just dropped of our older daughter to school. So we proceeded like any ordinary day to the Path in Harrison. On the way to work I was thinking of the day before how some of the workers were laid off and how lucky I still had a job. I arrived at the world trade center and went to the front of the building facing the west side highway to have a smoke, like I do every morning. I heard a loud roar above me so I looked up and seen from the reflection of the buildings in front an explosion. The ground shock like an earth quake and first thing I thought was to run for cover. I first thought to hide in front of the widows, but decided to go into the building. So I ran in and as my last foot was in the entrance all the debree hit the ground. The windows exploded into the building and the elevator door blew open with fire. On impact I fell to the ground and everything went over and on top of me, it felt like a life time. I opened my eyes a few times and watched it as it happened. I remember being knocked out and dreaming of my daughters and wife like this was all a dream. After I woke up I got up and looked around and could not see much, just fire and dark smoke, but I noticed a bright light which looked like an exit. I ran out and hide behind the building next to it. Someone asked if I needed help and if I was ok. I told them I think so and I looked at myself and had blood all over me. I told him I need to the hospital. So he helped me to find more help. As I was walking I looked up and seen the big hole at the building were I worked. People just kept jumping; it felt like a bad dream the whole time I was looking for help. We found an officer and she tried to help me. We walked around till we found an ambulance. On the west side by the entrance was more people that were hurt so they kept us there till another explosion happened. I got up and ran for my life and went behind the buildings in front of me. There were all the ambulances and people to help us. We waited for sometime to see if there more injured people, but all there was so far was six of us. So they decided to send us first to the hospital and as we left the building started to disappear. Two world trade center started to fall and in my mind I was wishing the ambulance would just go faster. We then got the hospital and they helped us in, I was there till 12:00PM or so and they contacted my family to tell them I was ok. I was given some pain killers and had my arms cleaned from the burns. Then is when the pain started to kick in and I was in a faint state. I was told they had to release me because they are expecting more people. So I signed the release paper and began to walk around NYC. I wanted around NYC hiding from the sun because the sun just burned my skin more. I arrived by METLIFE building around 22nd Street and the people there offered to help me. I was given food and had one of there doctors see me. They removed some dead skin that I had on my left arm. I also showered and was given fresh cloth. They then let me speak with my wife on there phone. After a while I went to visit a friend of mine in NYC because I was told NYC was blocked off. I stayed there till 5:00PM and then tried to head home. I took the Path on 32nd Street and then arrived in Newark. I met up with my family and they took me to the hospital at Saint Barnabas. There they treated me the right way for my burns. I had second and third degree burns. I went back to the hospital for three weeks to be treated for them.