Picture taken from Joe.My.God blog
Charles Fitzgerald
Guest Blogger, QueerGam
The day was gorgeous, a lovely September morning, I was enjoying my coffee and coffee rolls from the Dunkin next door. I was at ground zero working on Wall Street located a few blocks away from the world trade center buildings. I was sitting at my desk in my office and heard a rumble...kind of like a heavy truck hitting a pothole and shaking the building. Then my co-workers told me there was an explosion at the World Trade Center.
I stood up and saw paper flying everywhere. I did not know what happened, but it could not be good. I went over to the window...and saw the side of the WTC on fire. I thought it was just an explosion/fire. Then word came in from the news agencies that a small twin-engine plane crashed. All I could do was think of the people who worked above the impact site because there was no way for them to escape. I kept looking at the North Tower and saw debris flying around and objects falling from the building.
I looked a little closer and realized the objects were people. I was watching as people were jumping from the top floors to their deaths. The last thing I remembered was seeing someone wearing a bright red shirt jump from the top floors. He did not know why I did this, but I didn't take his eyes off this person. I followed the bodies as they were free falling to the point of impact and all I could see was a mist of pinkish red where the body landed. I had never felt such horror as I did at that very moment. What could have that person been thinking or experiencing that the best choice was to jump.
I couldn't look anymore...I walked away from the window...then boom...the second explosion. I thought the windows in my building were going to blow in. Initially I had thought it was an explosion that was fed from the initial crash. I then realized that a second plane crashed into the south tower. I knew then it was time to get out of the office. I called my friends and roomates and family trying to tell them I was all right and was leaving the office. I made it to the lobby of my building, and then everyone started screaming and running back into the building.
I didn't know what was happening, people were being stampeded, everyone was screaming, crying and in a panic now. The next thing...the outside turned gray, then dark gray then black. I couldn't see anything. I was scared now...it's very hard to put into words what I felt but imagine a clear blue sky, sunny day and you look out the window and you see blackness and nothing else. People ran into the lobby collapsing; not being able to breathe.
I started shaking and crying.... as the smoke started to clear he looked out and it looked like nuclear winter, something that Hollywood would produce. The scariest part was I couldn’t get through to anyone. I had no way of communicating with my loved ones. All the cell phone towers were on the WTC and the other towers that were left were all busy with the amount of cell phone calls being made. Finally, 10 minutes later, I was able to get a cell phone signal and I called my roomate
“I am alive. I was trapped in my building and couldn't leave because of all the smoke and debris. About 5 minutes later, I made a decision to leave the building. I took off my shirt and covered my face and walked through about 5 inches of debris and soot on the street,” I remember telling my roomie
I continued to talk to him, telling him I couldn't see where I was walking.
“Just head north towards China Town...just just run...,” my roomie screamed.
I found a fence and ran in the direction towards City Hall so I would be safe. I continued to talk to my roomie and told him I couldn't breathe and I was scared. I made it a few blocks and I heard screaming. As I turned around, the south tower was collapsing!
I watched as the antennae tilted slightly forward and then falls straight down under where the floors used to be. I just stood there in shock and then I saw a dark smoke and debris quickly approaching me and eventually overtook me. I told my roomie what was happening and he just told me to run. At that moment, I lost the cell phone signal and all contact with anyone. I couldn't call anyone. I couldn’t see anything, couldn't breathe...it was terrible. I made it to Canal Street before I looked back and there was nothing there. No more twin towers; just smoke. I lost it, crying and watching the shock and horror on other peoples faces.
Finally, I made it home in Chelsea an hour later, my answering machine and cell phone was full of messages from friends and family calling to see if I was ok. My roomie and colleagues left several messages begging meto call them back...to make sure I was alive. With each message they left I heard the desperation in their voice and it hurt me that for a moment my family and friends thought I was dead. Eventually I was able to contact everyone.
The phone system was a wreck. I only got sporadic service so I was able to send email out thru my cable connection and told whoever received my email to let others know I was ok, at least physically. Mentally is another story. I suffered nightmares, guilt, night sweats he couldn't concentrate and constant crying at odd moments.
Weeks later I went back to work and witness the destruction left behind. The air had a strange smell and there was dust and smoke everywhere. Fires were still burning and all I could see was the skeletal remains of the WTC. To make matters worse I was laid off from work due to the WTC and the economy. What else couldpossibly go wrong? But I'm just thankful I'm alive...As they say, time heals all wounds. With each day, the events of 9/11 don't hurt as much. The 7th, like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or the 6th anniversary, is tough but I am thankful for being alive.
Charles Fitzgerald
Guest Blogger, QueerGam
The day was gorgeous, a lovely September morning, I was enjoying my coffee and coffee rolls from the Dunkin next door. I was at ground zero working on Wall Street located a few blocks away from the world trade center buildings. I was sitting at my desk in my office and heard a rumble...kind of like a heavy truck hitting a pothole and shaking the building. Then my co-workers told me there was an explosion at the World Trade Center.
I stood up and saw paper flying everywhere. I did not know what happened, but it could not be good. I went over to the window...and saw the side of the WTC on fire. I thought it was just an explosion/fire. Then word came in from the news agencies that a small twin-engine plane crashed. All I could do was think of the people who worked above the impact site because there was no way for them to escape. I kept looking at the North Tower and saw debris flying around and objects falling from the building.
I looked a little closer and realized the objects were people. I was watching as people were jumping from the top floors to their deaths. The last thing I remembered was seeing someone wearing a bright red shirt jump from the top floors. He did not know why I did this, but I didn't take his eyes off this person. I followed the bodies as they were free falling to the point of impact and all I could see was a mist of pinkish red where the body landed. I had never felt such horror as I did at that very moment. What could have that person been thinking or experiencing that the best choice was to jump.
I couldn't look anymore...I walked away from the window...then boom...the second explosion. I thought the windows in my building were going to blow in. Initially I had thought it was an explosion that was fed from the initial crash. I then realized that a second plane crashed into the south tower. I knew then it was time to get out of the office. I called my friends and roomates and family trying to tell them I was all right and was leaving the office. I made it to the lobby of my building, and then everyone started screaming and running back into the building.
I didn't know what was happening, people were being stampeded, everyone was screaming, crying and in a panic now. The next thing...the outside turned gray, then dark gray then black. I couldn't see anything. I was scared now...it's very hard to put into words what I felt but imagine a clear blue sky, sunny day and you look out the window and you see blackness and nothing else. People ran into the lobby collapsing; not being able to breathe.
I started shaking and crying.... as the smoke started to clear he looked out and it looked like nuclear winter, something that Hollywood would produce. The scariest part was I couldn’t get through to anyone. I had no way of communicating with my loved ones. All the cell phone towers were on the WTC and the other towers that were left were all busy with the amount of cell phone calls being made. Finally, 10 minutes later, I was able to get a cell phone signal and I called my roomate
“I am alive. I was trapped in my building and couldn't leave because of all the smoke and debris. About 5 minutes later, I made a decision to leave the building. I took off my shirt and covered my face and walked through about 5 inches of debris and soot on the street,” I remember telling my roomie
I continued to talk to him, telling him I couldn't see where I was walking.
“Just head north towards China Town...just just run...,” my roomie screamed.
I found a fence and ran in the direction towards City Hall so I would be safe. I continued to talk to my roomie and told him I couldn't breathe and I was scared. I made it a few blocks and I heard screaming. As I turned around, the south tower was collapsing!
I watched as the antennae tilted slightly forward and then falls straight down under where the floors used to be. I just stood there in shock and then I saw a dark smoke and debris quickly approaching me and eventually overtook me. I told my roomie what was happening and he just told me to run. At that moment, I lost the cell phone signal and all contact with anyone. I couldn't call anyone. I couldn’t see anything, couldn't breathe...it was terrible. I made it to Canal Street before I looked back and there was nothing there. No more twin towers; just smoke. I lost it, crying and watching the shock and horror on other peoples faces.
Finally, I made it home in Chelsea an hour later, my answering machine and cell phone was full of messages from friends and family calling to see if I was ok. My roomie and colleagues left several messages begging meto call them back...to make sure I was alive. With each message they left I heard the desperation in their voice and it hurt me that for a moment my family and friends thought I was dead. Eventually I was able to contact everyone.
The phone system was a wreck. I only got sporadic service so I was able to send email out thru my cable connection and told whoever received my email to let others know I was ok, at least physically. Mentally is another story. I suffered nightmares, guilt, night sweats he couldn't concentrate and constant crying at odd moments.
Weeks later I went back to work and witness the destruction left behind. The air had a strange smell and there was dust and smoke everywhere. Fires were still burning and all I could see was the skeletal remains of the WTC. To make matters worse I was laid off from work due to the WTC and the economy. What else couldpossibly go wrong? But I'm just thankful I'm alive...As they say, time heals all wounds. With each day, the events of 9/11 don't hurt as much. The 7th, like the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or the 6th anniversary, is tough but I am thankful for being alive.
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