September 11 Story

[weatherwunder]

I was asked to share this story with everyone.

I was at a conference in Boston earlier this month, and had dinner with a woman who was on the 30th floor of the WTC when the attacks occurred.

She works for a large insurance company, as do I. She had just called home to talk to her daughter, when her tower was hit. It swayed about 8 feet (her estimate), then everything shook. In just a few moments, it all settled down, then after a couple of minutes began to shake again.

The people in her office began evacuating right away. The dust and smoke in the stairwells made it difficult to navigate, but everyone but 5 people in her office got out. Those five and went back up for some reason, and we will never know why.

Since the attack, she is afraid of heights, and still has problems sleeping at night. At the conference center where we stayed, she was actually given a room on the 30th floor. She explained the situation to the conference center, and they moved her to a room on the 5th floor.

When she flys now, and she must quite a bit for her job, she asks for aisle seats, and asks the person next to her if it would be okay to close the window.

She stills goes to a therapist to try to work through some of the scars that have been left on her since September 11.

Friends, this is one strong woman, who I developed a great deal of respect for. Hearing about the attacks is nothing until you have met someone who has been affected by it all. We have all been affected in some manner, but to meet someone who was there is a experience all its own.

I have chills down my spine as I write this. I have her phone number, I think I will give her a call and just check in.

-Jeff

[Miss Mary]

Thanks Jeff for that very moving story. I'm so glad you shared that with us today. I will say a few prayers for her and hope in time she can heal, as much as possible in a situation like this. I was not surprised she's in therapy. I hope and pray that helps her. I know I'd be in therapy for years to come if I had survived TWC or the Pentagon attacks that day. If you can say anything comforting to her, please let her know although some time has passed, we will never forget Sept. 11.

[wx247]

Thanks for sharing that story. I can't even imagine what she must be going through. And you are correct... she is one strong woman.

[Rainband]

I cannot even begin to imagine what she went through and continues to go through today!!! I will pray that she continues to be strong as she deals with the physciological affects of that tragic experience..Thanks for sharing that!!

[therock1811]

I too cannot imagine the horror this lady went through, she is one strong woman.

[ColdFront77]

Wow, what a story... thanks for sharing weatherwunder.

She asked you to spread this story about here, including here at Storm2K?

[ColdFront77]

Nevermind, Jeff... I read the other thread. I know the answer to my question now. Thanks.

[azskyman]

When it is happening...you don't think of it as being horrific. You just do what you have to do to protect yourself...to get to a place of safety.

Only after you realize the peril you were in does the magnitude of every action put great fear into you. I'm sure her reaction is a normal one...even after 18 months.

There are many people who were no where near NYC who have not, will not, and could not ever fly again. I know some right here in Phoenix.

She is indeed a strong woman.

[southerngale]

Thanks for sharing weatherwunder. I can't even imagine what she's going through still today. Several times I've been in a building with a large open window several floors up and I just look out at the big beautiful sky and imagine the horror of seeing an airplane come towards me. I don't plan to do this, I just look out and see it. I guess I'm trying in some way to relate to what those innocent people in the WTC and Pentagon went through. Of course none of us will never know what they felt in their last seconds but I pray for them and their families often. I will never forget...