story1692.xml

story1692.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-03

I was at work. A coworkers mother called to tell her a plane hit the WTC. Being from NJ and as a kid watching those towers go up I was very consumed with what was going on. Luckily my friend had a small TV so I rushed up to her office and watched in total disbelief.

Then the second plane crashed into the other tower and I thought I was seeing a replay of the first, then it hit me, I wasn't. I thought I was going to get sick right then and there. I couldn't believe it! I felt like my home was being destroyed.

I kept watching and couldn't take my eyes off of the TV. At some point I remember leaving her office and going back to mine, calling my husband as he was in shock too. We couldn't believe it.

As the morning slowly rolled in to afternoon, and it hit us that we had many friends and family that worked in NYC. I started calling people to see where they were and if they were safe. Luckily they were. Having heard a rumor that another plane was heading for California, I called my mother, who lives in California along with the rest of my family, to make sure they new what was going on.

My father-in-law was stuck in NYC for three or four nights, he worked for ConEd, and helped with electrical hook-ups. The worst part of that was we couldn't get in touch with him for a couple of hours that day. My cousin was walking towards the disaster while it happened and realized what was going on and started walking the other way to get to the ferry home.

Then the Pentagon...oh God not another. I have a friend who works at the main post office in DC. Trying to call her, and not getting through. Finally she picked up. As she did the alarm went off for them all to evacuate and go home.

Then the last plane. My heart went out to all of those people....

That night just watching it all over again with tears streaming down my face, my husband and 15-year-old son getting very angry....

Comimg into work the next day and so many emails. People I work with over the internet and over the phone, I have never seen them, concerned with "my people" as some called them. One women was so overcome with emotion for me, and all the people who perished, just started crying. I had to calm her down. I felt so much emotion from these people. I hope that the families that had their lives ripped apart in seconds that day felt the kind of emotion I did, and hopefully more!

I still cry at the most strangest of moments. All of a sudden, while driving mostly, the image will come back and I will cry right then and there.

A part of me died that day, trust for people mostly. Now I have a feeling what it felt like when the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor....