| Where were you that fateful day in September? |
September
15th, 7:00am EST/Victor Vermillion wrote: |
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 7:08 PM Subject: September 11, 2001..... Dear Bill, Thank you and Anne for your concern about my son's well-being, who was with Salomon Smith Barney in NY training to be an investment banker. He trained at the WTC and had just moved out. He heard the first plane hit, went outside and saw the second circle at about 2000' feet lowering to 1000, rev up the engines and plow in. He witnessed people jumping to their deaths, some were in flames. He returned to his office to get his things and leave and had one co worker ask if he had done some transaction that AM. He had to announce that Wall Street was under terrorist attack. He said the secretaries were all quickly following him out but the others were slow to react until the PA system announced for all to leave. He woke us very early..still dark here..to let us know he was OK and what had happened. One of the young women in his office wears her missing brother's photo on her blouse every day. He knows some who didn't get out and says the people with whom he works have been on the street for twenty years and are busy with memorial services. Both of my daughters know people who got out of the towers, but my older daughter knows someone who did not. My son is very funny, voted "Life of the Party" his senior year and his humor was always a point of discussion when I had to go for NUMEROUS parent conferences over the years. He hasn't said anything funny since Sep. 11 except that he wants to come back to California and be a farmer. But, I think he means it. He also said he hates to admit it, but he still had the country boy's thrill of seeing the WTC every day and of working there. Now, he has to pass a security check to enter the area..for his office..and passes smoldering fires and smells the thick air. We know that we are the lucky ones to have him alive. Thank you for your concern and prayers. Suzie |
From: Rees, David Boy-what a month. I was talking to a trader on the 60th floor of Trade Center #2 when the first plane hit #1. We had some 25 floors in Trade Center #2 with 3,700 people working there. Since it was 8:43am not everyone was in the building so that was a break. It is amazing Morgan Stanley only lost six people. One is too many -- but when I saw that building fall my heart sank. All I could think of is all those friends I had in that building -- it was really emotional. I can't describe the frustration and anger. That evening my brother called to check on me as he knew I was often there for various meetings -- turns out his oldest son -- an oil industry consultant from Dallas -- was giving a talk on the 41st floor if Trade Center #1 when it was hit. He started out -- but stopped to call his office in Dallas as his cell phone would not work -- he still was not sure what was going on. He made it to the bottom floor when Trade Center #2 started falling and escaped through the subway under the complex before #1 fell. One of my friends -- a trader working on the 60th floor -- called me on his cell phone from the street after both buildings had fallen -- why he called me I don't know except he wanted someone to know he was alive I suppose. The real hero at Morgan was our head of security -- a 62 year old Englishman who fought in South Africa with the British and later with the U.S. in Vietnam -- he had all our people start out immediately after the first plane hit the other building -- the Trade Center personnel were telling the to stay, that everything was under control and he went through floors 75 down to 50 with a bullhorn telling our folks not to listen and to get out. The second plane evidently hit our upper floors but he had gotten them out. Finally he went back to check and make sure everyone was out and was killed. In a world without heroes he was a real one. I actually cried when I heard all of this -- what a man! - Dave |
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2001 03:54:41 -0700 From: Ann Spaulding Wilberding Steve and I finally returned to NYC this am at 1;30! We were in Tunisia actually at the Phoenician ruin at Utica when a south African friend also on the British Museum trip got a cell phone call from her daughter about the WTC etc. We hurried back to the bus and found the TV on tuned to CNN. We were on a fascinating trip but you can guess how eagerly we awaited time to get on CNN - not available in several places. Each of our co-participants came to us quietly to offer condolences - we were the only Americans there. We were met with great kindness everywhere. There was a corporate anger at the arrogance and cowardise of binLaden and a very atoneness we had with all people we met- even the Muslims of Tunis. We felt protected and coseted by all. You can't imagine how strong that feeling was. Last night as the plane droaned across the Atlantic- 20 hours of 2 flights and delays and bump offs - I sat facing backwards looking at the engines of the 747 and a terrible threat it was-menacing in the full moon-cold, sharp shining outlines of the metal. I am glad to have landed but am very worried how I will feel in NYC today as we go in for the day and to give a party for school chums to celebrate our daughter's engagement. I give my life to God everytime I step on a plane. Last night was the first time I really felt afraid in all these years. Fortunately, we drive back to Fl. and I have no plans to fly again until the new year. xoxoxoStevie |
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2001 11:38:26 -0500 From: "Lynn and Sharon Austin" Dear fellow classmates. I was in Lakeland, Florida, attending to my mother for much of September. It was difficult being away from my own home (Dallas) and family during such a horrendous crisis. Thanks to the terrorists, when I was finally ready to return to Dallas, I had to rent a car and drive. That proved to be a blessing in disguise, however. As I spent two days driving from Lakeland to Dallas I passed through many cities, small towns, crossroads and open spaces. Everywhere I went I saw Americans united as never before in recent years. Flags and other symbols of national pride and unity were displayed all along the way. I actually enjoyed seeing and reading the highway billboards! Churches large and small posted wonderful messages. When I arrived home I felt uplifted and very glad to be an American! We are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful country……….God Bless America! Let us all remember each other and our families in the days to come. |
We were about four hours into a nine-hour flight from Madrid, Spain, to Atlanta, when Captain Bob Craft calmly announced that we would be landing shortly for security reasons. He asked us to please remain calm and to do as he asked. "The plane is fine,'' he said. . . click on icon to continue . . . . . |
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Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 07:39:31 -0500 From: Charles.Fout A bit of interest . . . I was on my way back from a meeting in Texas and was sitting next to a woman in her 70's who was taking her grand-daughter to Disney. She was wearing a shirt with the American flag on it. We struck up a conversation and we got on the subject of 9/11. Her comment was, "I may be old but if one of them tried something while I am on board they will have this flag in their face". The feeling, I would say, all of the people I talk to on the trips are of the same sentiment, "Try it and the entire group of passengers will take you out". Charlie |
Subject: University of Central Florida September 11, 2001 Date: 05 Oct 2001 00:08:45 I was at my office in the Administration Building when not too long after 9:30 I got a phone call from Mary Phillips asking me if I had heard the news about the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. None of us in the office had heard a word so we all attempted to access the news via our computers and it was slow going, but I was the first to get a 'connect' to the CNN news report along with the streaming video. Shock was the emotion we all felt as co-workers sat around my desk. We watched the 2nd plane hit the 2nd building. Soon after, I called my mother-in-law, then 84 years old, as I was worried that if she was watching this on her television alone, she would be very upset. I asked her if she had the television on and she replied, "No, I just got in from the grocery store." So I told her to sit down and to turn on her television set to any channel, which she did. Needless to say she was overwhelmed but then a knock came at her door and a neighbor came over to her apartment to sit with her and watch the news reports. Our department here on campus got a call from University Public Relations with the message that all staffers and faculty should go home. The university was officially closed and classes were cancelled for the day. It was a very emotional day for all. |
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Subject: Oxford, England September 11, 2001 Date: Sun, 14 Oct 2001 00:06:44 -0400 When my daughter Chace graduated from Notre Dame, she worked as a housing supervisor in the Olympic village in Atlanta, but wanted a really big city, so after the Olympics ended, headed for NYC. She eventually got a wonderful job at Doubleday Books which she adored, but when her parents finally stopped paying her rent, could no longer afford - the publishing industry is notorious for its low pay. She hoped a masters degree in publishing would help her bottom line, so she went to Oxford, England to pursue this goal. Last winter, she became very ill and I went to Oxford to be with her in the hospital for a month -( an amazing story- navigating the English medical system was fascinating and the doctors and nurses were wonderful). She has recovered and in August complained she would never be able to get all of her stuff home alone. My husband suggested I go help her and we could have a fun traveling around England before returning home. On my way, in the Jacksonville airport, I saw Air Force One parked out the window, and then George and Jeb arrived and it took off. I arrived at Chace's flat in Oxford on 9/11 as the phone rang and John told us to turn on the TV. We experienced the whole horror of those days listening to the BBC, feeling very far away and wishing we could hear an American voice describing what was happening. Chace frantically e-mailed friends in NYC and Washington and learned of a college friend who did not make it out of the WTC and that friends of friends were missing, We were touched at the kind sympathy of those we encountered around England and wept at the FDR memorial in London's Grovesnor Square where thousands of flowers and heartfelt notes were mounded. We were especially impressed by Tony Blair's the prompt response to the crisis - the Brits have been bombed before! Getting on our flight back to the states took forever but no one complained! Chace could not fly to Washington as she had planned, but had no problem transferring her ticket to Florida. However, she is in Washington now and I just try not to think about threats to that area. She reminds me about the strange happenings in Florida when I sound worried about her. |
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9-11 took place in our backyard, almost physically and certainly emotionally, as we live approximately one hour from N.Y.C. Many from our township and surrounding areas were killed (Cantor-Fitzgerald employees) or hurt. Tragically, John and I lost our long time Navy friends, Dee and Bud Flagg, in the Pentagon crash. Each of our children personally knew someone that perished. As for my immediate family: 1.
John was at Teterboro airport, ready to take off with passengers, when
the first plane crashed into the North tower. He was grounded with all
other planes and watched the towers burn and collapse. He was not able
to get in touch with us and was extremely worried if we all were safe. 9/11 was a terrifying and depressing time for our family, and something we will never completely get over or stop thinking about…AND NEVER WANT TO HAPPEN AGAIN!  |
