Remembrance, Never Forget 9/11/01 Heroes

Four years ago this day, the world as we knew it changed. I will never forget that day. Many people have stories about what happened that day, as do I, but it's taken me this long to be able to write it. I have spoken to many of my friends about what happened to me that day, but never actually wrote it.
Well here it goes.

WARNING: This is a very detailed graphic depiction of the occurance of that day.

I work across the street from the World Trade Center in an office building high-rise. I usually got in early to work to get some personal things done. I was at my desk, listening to music, working on a program, when I heard a deep boom. My desk lamp browned out for a second. I knew it was an explosion, my boss jumped out of his office and we were like, "what the fuck was that?" we went to the window on the other side of the office where the sound came from. What we saw was papers and debris falling, I knew it was from the tower since we couldn't see where it was coming from since the tower was so tall. We both grabbed our stuff to leave the office, my boss was going to take the elevator, but I told him he's insane and to take the stairs. We dashed down the stairs about 10 floors, then we got slowed down by other people leaving the building too. It took us 15 minutes to get to the lobby.

When we got out the door there was a crowd of people staring at the tower, and police were telling them to move back and clear out. I had to push to get through the crowd, I didn't want any debris falling on me. I heard people saying that a plane hit the tower. I got out in front of City Hall Park, about 4 blocks from the tower. I turned around and saw a giant black hole with smoke and fire coming out of the north side near the top of the north tower. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I tried to use my cell phone to call my girlfriend to tell her that I'm okay, but all I got was a dead line. Then I see some of my fellow employees and they pointed out that people were jumping from the building. I saw one person jump, I couldn't watch, I turned away, my heart sank. I looked at everyone else looking at what was happening. I told them they should get the hell out of here to make it easier for police and fire departments. No one moved. I told them to call me if were going back to the office today, but that I was going to start walking north away from everything.

An employee from my company who I never met before, said he lives up on Houston St. I asked him if we could go there, and he agreed. I said let's leave now, and pushed and pulled him to get moving. He was in a daze just like everyone else. Once he started moving it was okay, we walked steadily and quickly. We walked about 1/2 a block our backs to the tower, then a sudden explosion. I felt the heat of it on the back of my neck, I turned around to see a giant almost blinding fireball, I covered my face with my hand I felt the heat on my arm. People started to panic and run. It's too late to run. I just told my new found friend to keep moving and not to run. I didn't know where the second explosion came from, but I knew it came from direction of the towers.

We walked about 30 blocks and everytime we looked back we could see the towers and the trail of black smoke and people on the streets just staring. When we arrived at his apt, his roommate was watching CNN, we tried to make phone calls from his land line, but half the time his line was dead. I got through to my girlfriend and told her that I'm okay and that I would probably stay with a friend in the city if I couldn't get home since we knew the subways were shutdown. We watched the towers collapse on tv. I felt sick to my stomach.

About an hour later I needed to get outside and try to go home. I couldn't stay at a stranger's apt even though I worked with him. I asked for a pair of shorts and began my trek north to Columbia University where I graduated from and had a friend that still was there.

I walked asking people if they knew if the buses to NJ were running, they said all bridges and tunnels in and out of Manhattan were closed to vehicles. I got up to the Manhattan Bridge to see crowds of people walking across. I saw buses running, but they were packed like sardines and some people were hanging off the buses. I kept walking. I guess it took about 3 hours to reach the school. I found my friend, I asked to stay at his place. We watched the news on TV in the student center where they setup some sleeping accomadations for alumni and employees stuck in the city. I sleep in my friend's room on a couch, but only slept because of exhaustion.

I woke up about 6am, the subways were running so headed for the George Washington Bridge hoping to walk across since normally it was allowed. When I got there, the cops there told me that it was closed for pedestrians and in bound traffic, meaning no buses. I could have hitchhiked for a ride across, but it's not the safest area and the cop was keeping an eye on me. So I headed to the ferry, I heard people were getting home that way. Once I got there it was still pretty crowded and took the ferry across and had my gf pick me up.

I won't forget that day. I don't think anyone else will. Never forget those firefighters and police officers that gave their lives trying to save people from the buildings. Remember that next time you see a cop or firefighter, and if you want to make them feel better, go up to them and thank them for doing what they do to protect our lives.

Never forget the heroic men and women of the New York City Fire and Police Departments of 9/11/01. Never forget the heroic men and women you know, and thank them if they affected your lives.