home > september 11, 2001
chris, 9-13-01
I was opening good ol' DB 103. (I am the Day Manager in Plainview now) I was listening to WBAB just like I always do when all of a sudden they cut off the music. I almost dropped my coffee on the floor when they announced the 1st plane hit. I completely blanked out from what I was supposed to be doing, for the next 20-30 minutes, life stood still. When I snapped out of it, I saw that I had 7-9 cars on line waiting for my dumb ass. But no one honked. Everyone was in the same state of mind I was in. Amazed, disgusted, raging mad, horrified, sadness, you name it, it came all at once. Then the Pentagon and Pittsburg. I spent the next day at least glued to 1010 WINS or the news. I still feel the same now as I did that morning. Except now I feel my rage and hate growing exponentially by every passing hour. I just want to enlist for the chance to kill and punish the groups responsible and those who protect and support them. But I realize that by the time I'd have a chance that this will be over.Those fucking diaperheads can't match up with us on a military scale. Despite my angst ridden history, I was never a big fan of war. But I now realize that it is in fact necessary. My heart breaks with every replay, every story of a person who was in contact with a relative at the time of impact, and with a new body count number. The first customer I served today was a NYC officer who found what was left of his brother late last night. I almost broke down in tears as he did right in front of me. This man was a complete stranger, yet I felt his pain as if we were brothers ourselves.
In a different aspect of all this. I now have a renewed faith in the common man, my country and what it stands for, and how truly great New Yorkers really are. There has been no riots, looters, angry mobs or anything negative which would be the normal "rude New Yorkers" attitude. There are 1000's of regular people like us giving blood, money, transportation, medical attention, emotional support, and that includes people from NJ and Mass. Everyone and their uncle's brothers father's college roommate are trying 1000% to help each other. That outpouring of hope, faith, and support is so heartwarming, I almost cry seeing it done. I pray and cry to myself for all those that were lost in this mindless event as well as for their families. The idea of a normal day has been forever changed in my eyes. Have a great day by helping someone who is hurting have a better one.
Please ask for people to call the red cross to see how they can help. They are in need of type O and Rh- blood. I'm going this weekend I have type O.
angelica, 9-14-01
...i think you really summed up what a lot of people are feeling - especially regarding your thoughts on president bush: "i thought i wanted someone like me to be president, but someone like me wouldn't be able to do what needs to be done." its funny... because after i read it, i heard the president practically repeat your exact words while making an address... he stopped while he was talking, appeared to get choked up and said, in what really seemed to be unrehearsed words: "i'm a loving guy.... (another pause)... but i'm also a person that knows what he needs to do..." i think its so important now that we are all united and together... and it really makes me hopeful to see people, like you and so many others, who may have previously been cynical about our current leaders, really stop and think about whats really important, and offer support. anyway, i'm glad to hear that everyone is okay on your end... i talked to shannon, and her cousin was in the world trade center but got out and is ok! ann and everyone down in dc are okay too. the scary thing is though, is just about everyone KNOWS someone who was affected... two girls i work with have relatives on the flights out of boston, and one of my cousin's best friends from high school was also on a flight from boston, as was a kid that grew up in my neighborhood when i lived in saugus...
barry, 9-14-01
THE UNTHINKABLE
BECAME A REALITY
HOW COULD THIS POSSIBLY HAPPEN TO THE U.S.
HOW CAN PEOPLE DO THIS TO OTHERS- I CAN'T IMAGINE.
HOW MANY TIMES I CRIED WHEN SEEING THE HORRIFYING DOCUMENTATION OF WHAT
DAMAGE TO LIFE HAS BEEN DONE.
I FIND IT HARD TO KEEP FOCUSED-AT TIMES.
I HOPE SOME OF THE PRAYERS I SAID WILL BE ANSWERED.
I THANK G-D FOR MY FAMILY,FRIENDS &OPPORTUNITIES LIVING IN THE U.S.
NO ONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THIS AWAY FROM US.
THIS CAN NEVER BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
sheli, 9-14-01 (a nurse in NYC)
i am sending your words to all my friends in israel. it is so bizarre to have them all desperately calling ME instead of vice versa. i am having flashbacks to the mash unit in israel, tho' mt. sinai only got 12 wounded out of the 1,000 - can you believe there are only 1,000 out of maybe 40,000 people in the buildings??? thank g-d your dad and danny elefant were miraculously not there that day... the hospital was on lockdown all week, 12-hr shifts so this is the first i am looking at email. we just did what we could to triage out everybody stable, hoping that more wounded would need the beds, but they never came. we did fill in for the ones who couldn't come in to work, couldn't get to manhattan from the boros or stayed with their families. everyone knows someone, or knows someone who knows someone. the phones and computers are iffy still. i love you. going to sleep with a valium for 2 days at least.
letter to a friend in the military, from a firefighter's point of view
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