My uncle Roger survived!

I got up at 10:00 AM for my 10:40 class. When I got there, a note on the door said that my teacher would not be in today, so I went to the schools library to check my e-mail.

After that, I ran into two friends and we decided to go get some lunch. On the way, we say someone who said something about a plane crash. I didnt think much of it. On our way back from lunch we saw some other people who had a few more rumors. Something about the World Trade Center... a bomb?... the Pentagon also?

It was all very vague and I didnt know what to think. When I got back to my dorm room I turned on the TV and every channel was showing the same thing. I saw footage of people running in the streets, smoke everywhere, and then I saw the video clip of the second plane flying right into Tower #2. Apparently another plane had hit the Pentagon in Washington DC and a forth had crashed outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was horrible. I couldnt believe what I was seeing. It looked and sounded like something out of a movie.

While I was watching the TV my mom called me to say that my uncle, who works at the World Trade Center, was out and safe. He called her last night after he got home. The following is from an e-mail my mom sent me describing what my uncle Roger told her:

"Roger and his crew were in tower 1 on the 34th floor when the first plane hit. The building swayed about 3 feet which knocked over some on the men in his crew. But nothing serious, just a few cuts. They immediately dropped their tools and headed for the stairs not knowing what happened.

Roger made a quick sweep of the office space to make sure everyone had left and then he headed down the stairs to catch up with his crew. As they were headed down they heard the 2nd plane hit tower 2 and thought it was a bomb.

When they got near the bottom firemen where headed up, carrying heavy equipment which Roger was impressed by. He felt these firemen may not have made it out. When he got out to the plaza in the middle there were bodies all over the place but he and crew just kept on running.

Roger looked at his watch when he got out of the building it was 9:30 so it took them about 40 minutes to get out. On the way down the stairs they met up with a man who said he was on the 64th floor and saw the plane coming at him then it suddenly veered upward were it hit 20 floors up. The man was in his mid 60s and he stayed with Roger and his crew because he was having a little trouble getting down. I think Roger said he had a cane.

Anyway they all headed down Broadway several blocks before they stopped and went into a bar and started watching it on TV. When the towers came down at 10:30 they were far enough away to not get the dust and smoke on them. After several hours he made his way down to the ferry that crosses the Hudson river.

But before anyone could get on the ferry everyone had to be decontaminated. His shoes were hosed down by firemen and then he had to walk through an arch of water to get completely hosed off. When he got off in Dover police/emts were there they were at every stop to take his name and make sure he was OK. Annettes his wife sister was there to take him home. I cant imagine what he was feeling those first few hours.

So, theres a first hand account of what happened. Ive also heard stories from people who saw the second plane hit Tower 2, and others who actually saw people jumping out of the building to their death. Schools and businesses have been closed as well as every airport in the country. I dont know for how long. I heard one person say on the news that practically the whole country has shutdown, or at least was yesterday.

Our government seems to be confient that they will find who is responsible for this and punish them severely. This is slightly comforting, but also a very scary thought. This whole thing is far from over. Who knows how long it will go on for and what it will lead to. I pray that this doesnt lead to worse than what has already happened, but I fear that it may. But, for the time being, I wish everyone the best of luck and hope that we can all get out of this whole mess in one piece. Im sure I speak for many other Americans in what I have said."

Av Eli Litwin 13 sep 2001 17:09