September 11th
Filed under: RIP
Jumped in my ride and headed to the Miami Fusion training facility (which was really the Baltimore Orioles Spring Training facility) to meet up with the team to head to the airport as it was Tuesday and we were about to set off on a two game road trip that would start Wednedsay night in New York (against the then MetroStars) and end Saturday night at DC United (where our team hotel was across the street from the Pentagon).
We had three televisions in the locker room and as we stopped in to grab our gear for the bus ride to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport, our coach Ray Hudson made sure that everyone was aware of what had been happening…
At the point only one plane had hit the Towers, but a few of our teammates that day had some very strong connections to what was going on.
Carlos Llamosa had been a cleaner at the World Trade Center Towers after arriving from Colombia (and before playing for DC United and the US National Team) and was out to lunch when the first bombing occurred on February 26th, 1993, a lunch that in his honest opinion probably saved his life.
Jimmy Rooney’s brother was a firefighter that was on the seen and Jimmy had yet to be able to get a hold of him.
After the second plane hit the South Tower, we were all pretty aware that this wasn’t an accident and that something horrible had happened.
And at that point news came out that all flights were being grounded. Then the Pentagon building was hit and all were silent.
I guess what sticks with me most from that day is seeing people jumping from the burning buildings.. the collapse.. the helplessness watching your friends not being able to get a hold of their loved ones.. and watching our American / Palestinian teammate Shaker Asad questioned by our local Sports Media about his views and thoughts on the situation and the disgust I had that he was being put in that situation.
I’ll never forget the day, that moment when I first heard/saw/found out what happened. I was managing a restaurant back then and was the opening manager that day…
My alarm clock went off at about 6a, to Howard Stern on 97.1fm. I get out of the shower and can kindof hear what Howard is saying but I thought it was some sort of twisted bit that he was doing. About 45 seconds in I realize that dude was serious. So I iron my shirt quickly, turn on the TV, and see those images. The most mind boggling and horrific thing that I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. I was frozen on the couch.
In the immediate aftermath, for me, and everyone else I’m sure there was just a gumbo of emotions. Most of them really bad. I literally thought the world was about to end. Was this some Independence Day, the movie, type of ish? Were we next here in LA? What the f* is happening right now? But as the day went along and we watched the news programs, we got a better picture of what was going on.
Those moments have forever changed how I see the world. Its changed me as an individual and how I see the United States of America. Those moments and the days/weeks/months/years since, have changed how I see the world - and for better or worse these same moments have changed the worlds perception of America and me/us as Americans.
What I choose to remember and memorialize on this day, 8 years later, are the efforts of regular people, and the duty showed by officers and administrators and just the beauty of the human spirit to get through what will forever be known as the September 11th attacks
RIP really
Couldnt have said it better myself ISPS.
I was in highschool English when this horrific event happened. Still crazy that it seems so long ago, yet still hits so close to home. Take time out of your day to thank the public servants and armed forces members. I know I will.
Driving to work on Central Expressway in Dallas I got a call from a friend who mentioned one of the Towers was hit. I turned on the radio and heard more. Watched via grainy pictures on computer.
I remember my Sales Manager saying “this is a big tragedy but keep making cold calls…try to be understanding on the phone….but we need sales….”
Went to Circuit City at lunch and watched the Towers go down over and over across 50 tv’s…
The economy went to hell afterwards - my whole office was fired on December 23rd that year.
My train arrived to the basement of the north tower just after impact. I can still remember the noxious stench of burning jet fuel pouring into the basement. I had to piss, so I asked a police officer if I could use the restroom behind him. He replied “This aint no grease fire kid! Get the hell outta here!” Almost immediately after I came up the WTC escalators from the basement, there was an explosion. People starting screaming, “Bomb! Bomb! Bomb!” I tucked my backpack like a football and started barrelling toward the east exit.
After I escaped the building I looked up and saw a monster black cloud of smoke and debris. One of the images burned into my memory is that of millions and millions of pieces of paper fluttering all around me, in the sky and on the ground. Being quite anxious, i crossed the street and went into the park next to the Century 21 (clothing store). I made some small talk and tried to relax by joking with a construction dude that the pilot must have been the world’s worst.
Soon after I could hear a horrible cry getting louder and louder. I thought a missle was descending on my location. Close enough I thought, as the second plane slammed into the South tower. I saw a massive fire ball coming my way. I thought I was going to be burned alive.
I tucked my bag once again, and finished the 200 yard sprint to my office faster than Usain Bolt could ever hope to. At the office, girls crying, boys crying, bosses crying. They thought I was dead. Cut to 45 minutes later and the windows and floors started shaking. Who the fuck knew what was happening now, till we realized the towers were collapsing.
Our CEO was panicked, screaming incoherently to get out of the building (Bad Move)! When we got onto the street, the huge cloud of smoke was rolling our way. You could see people who were covered in the stuff running to get out of it/stay ahead of it. They looked like ghosts. Soon after we walked north to try and get out of the smoke. We stopped at a corner store for about 10 cartons of cigarettes, and whiskey to calm down. As we smoked and drank, we watched the second tower come down. Shell shocked we went to my friends apt in Chinatown to wait it out. 8 hours later I was able to get in contact with my girlfriend. We met up and caught a ferry home, which was the only means to get off the island.
Once on the ferry security asked all those below Housten St. to step to the forward of the boat. We were hearded to medical tents and whisked away by doctors in fucking haz mat suits. No one would answer questions, and were started to freak at the thought that this may have been a biological or chemical attack as well. Luckily they just wanted to wash us of asbestos. Through that whole episode, the girl never left me, and said she’d die if I died. Needless to say we’re married now.
There is more to tell, but what has not been told is the real truth about that day. Question everything.
Wow, Steve. That’s incredible.
I was in my office on the top floor of 6 WTC, the first plane hit right above our heads and the debris rained down on the roof. A co-worker and I evacuated immediately, ending up on west-side waterfront on the other side of the financial center. When we stopped to turn around that was our first view of the damage. It was from that vantage point that we saw the second plane. We wasted no more time and beat it out of there heading North to my agency’s regional office in the West Village. Later I walked home to Brooklyn over the Manhattan Bridge. Only to find my bf missing. Several tense hours later, he came home covered in dust having gone to the site to look for me. (His very romantic gesture was unfortunately not enough to make up for the fact that he turned out to be an immature douche-bag the rest of the time…)
Anyhoo, I returned to the site several days later, as the federal agency I work for had a role in the recovery effort, and worked there every day for the next nine months. Best survivor-guilt therapy ever.
On that day I saw the very worst in humanity and then during those next nine months was treated to some of the very best examples bravery, perseverance, and kindness that humanity has to offer.
RIP to those who perished, and Thank You to those who helped.
Wow Steve that was a great story, but then i read the last line. “There is more to tell, but what has not been told is the real truth about that day. Question everything.” If you are trying to get at that 9/11 “truther” bullshit, then you need some serious help.