I was spared, I was lucky - Firsthand tale

[moofomoo]

I know I haven't been coming to this board long, but I thought I should share a firsthand commentary about what you all saw and heard about Tuesday's events.

First off did you notice (I didn't go through all the posts to read what you all said because I couldn't get through half without crying) that the date Sept. 11 is also "9-1-1" (9/11) that this tragedy struck? There is news they had been planning this for quite a while, and there are many behind it. Hopefully they have leads, and we'll know what the next move is soon. Secondly, all 4 planes that were hijacked were en route from the east coast to the west coast, so that when they went down, the explosions were far greater than one from say Newark to Chicago. Anyway that's statistics for you. Now to the nitty gritty.

I live in Queens, but had to be in Manhattan early in the morning, and had a choice between the "A" train going one way and the "E" train going the other. Either train would have taken me to my destination, but had I taken the A train, it's likely I wouldn't be typing this to you right now. Also, my friends are visiting from California and we were supposed to go up to the top of the World Trade Center that day as well. We were delayed because of getting tickets to a show for later, and they caught it on tape in front of the Good Morning America window. They saw the first plane smash into the side, and rushed to find/tell me about it. When I found out I was distraught. (I know people who worked there and worried for their safety.) Then after getting the tickets, we heard the first tower fell, and looked down Broadway to see the smoke. Going back to their hotel in Midtown, COMPLETELY in tears, we watched the news.

What I heard and saw next was unlike anything anyone will ever hear or see again. The smoke billowed, and I watched the remaining "twin" tower start to buckle and lean a little. From the angles I was shown, people were trying to get out of the windows to breathe, and when the building at last began to collapse, I screamed at the television and watched it almost as though it was in slow motion...I saw people jumping out the windows and trying to escape for their lives, only to fall to their deaths.

To hear about it is one thing, to see it from across the country on tv another...but to watch it on TV and be able to look out your window and SEE IT HAPPEN AS IT IS ON YOUR SCREEN...is a very heart wrenching experience. No words can describe it.

As everyone has been saying...the two aircrafts that went into the Twin Towers were American Airlines flights headed to California. Want to hear another something that hit me close to home? My friends were due to go back to California on **American Airlines** Thursday, but after everything-they've cancelled and scheduled to go by train. Yes I'm lucky in many ways-with the exception of knowing people who may not have gotten out-but the emotional scars will stay with me forever.

Why did I tell you this? War is bound to happen. It is not a joke, nor should anything about the recent events be taken lightly. Thousands of people lost their lives, and even as Tower 7 of the World Trade Center fell EMPTY...it most likely landed on rubble that had alive people underneath that may not be living anymore. Many firefighters and police officers lost their lives already, and more are unaccounted for. If you pray, I ask for your prayers for the friends/family of those still missing, those trapped and living, and people like me who saw it happen and will never be the same again. Blood donations are being accepted and welcomed at your local blood bank, and this city (NYC) as well as Washington D.C. and our whole country as a nation will rise again from this tragedy slowly but victorious.

Sorry if I said anything out of line here, but I figured you would like a firsthand account. Plus, if anyone wondered about my physical well-being, now you know.

I noticed people offering their AIM names for talking. Well, I'm here too if need be, but not much recently as my friends are still here til Sunday and I'm trying to show them New York isn't all bad. Feel free to message me at "Villain Lair" on AIM/AOL, because even if I'm not there, my away message is, and I *DO* get all messages.

Thanks for your time. (Sign my name to those, by the way)

**Gracie** 22, NYC, completely devestated

[Ags2000]

Thank you for sharing this with us. I'm having a hard enough time from seeing it live on tv, I can only imagine what it was like seeing it first hand.

D

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September 11, 2001
A day that will never be forgotten because WE will not let it be forgotten.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the friends and families involved in these horrendous acts against humanity. They will NEVER be forgotten. We will NOT let the terrorists cause terror all across our great nation. We will continue, and we WILL survive.

To those that lost their lives September 11, 2001: Vaya con Dios!

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im me anytime at DannieB2OOO

[Penny Lane]

Thank you! Words cannot express...........No, nothing out of line there! It must have been devastating for you!Our thoughts are with you and others who are suffering !Take care!

[dawsongirl]

I'll bet it took a lot of courage to write that, but I (and I'm sure others) are glad you did. Stay safe.

[Max Whittaker]

Though it may not seem like it because of all the destruction, I'm sure God was with everybody that day. And a lot more lives WERE saved because of Him. I'm sure.

Thank you for telling us your story. I can see you are having a better time expressing yourself than I am. May God protect you.

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Help others before you help yourself.

Originally posted by Max Whittaker:
Though it may not seem like it because of all the destruction, I'm sure God was with everybody that day. And a lot more lives WERE saved because of Him. I'm sure.

Max, I am glad you said that. I am glad you can say this...it comforting to hear you remind us that God is there. I myself have a hard time accepting why so many horrible things happen to innocent ppl.

[nancysbiggestfan]

Originally posted by FOL & DS fan 4ever:
Max, I am glad you said that. I am glad you can say this...it comforting to hear you remind us that God is there.

I am glad that Max said that too. Lots of people right now, when they need Him most, think he doesnt care. He is the only one that can truely lift those great and heavy burdens. Now is when they, including the president, need to turn the God.

IMO, the President, is the one that needs to look to Him now the most. I mean all of the descisions he makes has an affect on our lives and others too, so he needs to make the right one. And not the on that HE thinks is right but the one that the Lord our Saviour KNOWS is right. If he trusts in Him at the difficult time, everything is going to turn out for the best. If he goes and bombs someone without praying to God and seeing if that is the right person to bomb and that is the right person, he could mess up EVERYTHING. If Bush got the wrong person the whole world is gonna turn against us.

Im sorry if i have offended anyone or if i said something that was out of line, you have my appologies.

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²Tiffany²

LYLAS or LYLAB
Peace Out!

Teddy: Hey, I'm making you an offer you can't refuse.

Jinny: Look, you know who I am, OK? You know who my family is. Why do you even wanna be with me at all?
Teddy: Because, I love you.
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Jinny: Basically, people are who people are. Your born, you die pretty much the same person. All the rest is just window dressing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[This message has been edited by nancysbiggestfan (edited 09-13-2001).]

[Penny Lane]

Originally posted by Max Whittaker:
Though it may not seem like it because of all the destruction, I'm sure God was with everybody that day. And a lot more l are having a better time expressing yourself than I am. May God protect you.

Amen!

[Max Whittaker]

Tiffany, everything you said was "in line" and true.

[moofomoo]

More sad news...even though I was hoping that I didn't know anyone in the rubble and wreckage, I caught a glimpse of a picture of the son of a co-worker on tv, and how he was above the blast. I'm not taking this as well as I thought. But thanks everyone for your encouragement.

God has a LOT to do with it, and He will see vengance is settled. I'm sure of it. Even through my tears now, I'm sure of it.

I'm going away for this weekend, I need to get out of the city. The stench of the smoke from "Ground Zero" has gotten to me, and if you were here you'd feel that way too. I almost flew out tomorrow, but the airports are RE-shut down, so I'm bussing it.

Take care all.

**Gracie**

[nancysbiggestfan]

Originally posted by Max Whittaker:
Tiffany, everything you said was "in line" and true.

Thanks, Max.



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²Tiffany²

LYLAS or LYLAB
Peace Out!

Teddy: Hey, I'm making you an offer you can't refuse.

Jinny: Look, you know who I am, OK? You know who my family is. Why do you even wanna be with me at all?
Teddy: Because, I love you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jinny: Basically, people are who people are. Your born, you die pretty much the same person. All the rest is just window dressing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[a NaNcY FaNaTiC]

Wow, that was really powerful. Did you get out of NY like you wanted? I hope you can begin to heal over time, and I'm not suggesting that your hurts will ever completely go away, but I know you can get through this terrible time. My prayers are with you.

~ God Bless ~

[JMPolniaczek15]

Wow! Close call! I'm so glad your life was spared - you just were'nt meant to be there that day.

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"You're old, you're ugly, you live with it!" - Jo
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"Why would you want to be popular? You have to smile and talk to peple and all that stuff!" - Jo
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Rose: So, Jerry, ever dressed up like a horse?
Jerry: No, but thank you for asking!
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"Get back here, you deceitful little Sicilian gecko!" - Dorothy Zbornak
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"I've got PMS and I've got a gun - any questions?" - Jinny Extead