It's been 10 years come Sunday. I'm sure we have a lot of memories. I remember when Jon Stewart put his show back on the air he said, "There's only so long you can hide under your desk, sucking your thumb and crying." I remember I was home, trying to log onto my office server to check my orders. It couldn't get a connection and the last time that had happened there had been a disaster, so I turned on the TV news. The first plane had already hit and the second struck the other tower as I watched live. I sat sobbing in my chair when the first tower collapsed and then the second one did too. I remember thinking I should try to call my daughter who had just moved from NY to Philadelphia two weeks before with her fiance. I knew all of her friends still lived in NY and that he had worked in the Towers. But I didn't have the courage until that night. "Elizabeth," I asked her, "do you realize you probably saved Darren's life when you convinced him to go back to school and move to Pennsylvania?" "It's barely left my mind," she answered. He's now the father of their two children, my two beautiful grandchildren.
I was listening to two Chicago FBI agents being interviewed this morning on public radio. They talked about being sent to the crash scene in Pennsylvania and since the other crash sites were physically impenetrable, they became the lead for clues. They found the passport and check book of the terrorist pilot almost immediately, completely readable. And then they talked about picking up human remains. "We had to remain emotionally unattached. Too much depended upon us being clear headed. But after a few days we looked up at the ridge and the family members of those who had died were up there watching us. The entire site fell silent for a moment. After they left we found the area littered with momentos the families had left, pictures and letters, and we could hardly bear it. But we had to return to the site, the families deserved it and the country depended up it."
When I worked at Marsh & McClennan Insurance Brokers the group I belonged to was housed in the north tower of the Trade Center. The story of your daughter's husband is similar to one of my colleagues, Andrea Urena. Andrea worked in the north tower with the group there. She had a boyfriend that lived in Philly (she was from there) and even though she commuted she really wanted to work out of the Marsh Philly office. Her manager, Bob Kennedy (you will see his name below) gave her the ok to work in the Philly office and come into the trade center office once in awhile - this was a little over a month before 9/11. She was at work in the Philly office when the plane struck the north tower and she would have been at her desk in the Trade Center if not for Bob letting her work in Philly. She called me a few days after 9/11, still nearly speechless and distraught. She felt guilty because she wasn't there and I quietly pointed out to her we wouldn't be speaking if she were and her prescence there would have made no differnece - she would be gone. We went over the names of those we lost and also discussed who survived because of circumstances. One guy went down to the mall below the Trade Center to buy some cigars when the plane hit their tower. One lady stopped to vote on the way. Two other guys had to take thier kids to school as their wives were unable to so that morning so were late. One had traded days off with someone that died that day. A couple of people were on vacation and of course Andrea was in Philly and I was here in LA. I have to focus on those that were spared but I will never forget those we lost. My friends and colleagues at the Trade Center on 9/11 were: Charlie McCrann, an attorney and truly one of the best people I worked with. He made a movie back in the 70's called "Toxic Zombies" that I actually saw on TV once before I met him - it was pretty bad but fun to watch while drinking beer! Bob Kennedy, Andrea's manager and another great friend and colleague. Bob was looking forward to retiring in about 2 years. Gayle Greene, I didn't get to work with her too long before 9/11 but was always fun to talk to when I did. Dorothy Mauro - she's the one that traded days off with a surviving colleague. Nancy Mauro, Dorothy's sister. Nancy's husband worked for Marsh in their mid town office and saw the plane hit the tower she was in. Art Scullin; a very highly placed exec that made a point of seeing everyone he spoke to over the phone and learn a bit about them.
ReplyDeleteAnd Jenny Low Wong, a 25 year old practicing Bhuddist. Jenny had worked in the office for a little over a year and brought vitality, warmth, personality, intelligence and wit to the office. Marsh lost over 300 people that day. I cannot imagine the horror they went through; all I can do is recall how blessed I am to have known them. Vaya con dios to them all.
It's so hard to imagine. I worked closely, but always over the phone, with a woman in our Colorado office in 1999. I called her two days after the Columbine shootings and asked if she knew anybody affected. There was silence on the other end of the phone and then she said, "My ex husband teaches there. He had the students wedge their desks against the classroom door and then everyone lay on the floor as they heard the shots around the school. At one point someone tried to open their door and then they heard more shooting. My daughters and I sat in my apartment waiting to hear and he finally was free to use the phone at 9pm. His best friend, another teacher, was killed in the halls." I don't think I was ever flippant about a tragedy on the phone again.
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago one of my customers told me that her home office had been in the Twin Towers. Her secretary had flown out to meet everyone she had talked to on the phones and deliver some papers. Sept. 11 was the day she first stepped into the home office. My client had to call her secretary's mother that afternoon. "I've been waiting by the phone," the mother said, "please tell me you've heard from her and she's safe." But no.
Go with God Charlie, Bob, Gayle, Dorothy, Nancy, Art, Jenny, and the unknown secretary.
Life is precious. I love all you, ItsJakers.
I remember I was driving Michael to my mom's house before work when I heard the news on WXRT. I honestly thought it was some kind of joke. When I realized it wasn't and there was more horror happening in other locations, I pulled over and just sobbed. I didn't personally know anyone there but watching the footage of the plane hitting the tower over and over on TV that day made me physically ill. Every year on 9/11, I say a prayer to the thousands that lost their lives and I pray for some peace for their loved ones that still cannot cope. I also say a thank you to all of the courageous "unsung" heroes that did everything in their power to help save any lives they could find.
ReplyDelete