(OPGOV GLOBAL) — September 11, 2001. On this 25th anniversary, the nation has come together to honor the fallen, support loved ones, and remember those still struggling.
If you were to ask anyone old enough to remember 9/11 where they were that morning and what they were doing, chances are they would not need a moment to think.
Photo Credit: Getty Images / The skyline of Manhattan before September 1, 2001.
OpGov.News had the opportunity to ask residents about their experiences during the attacks on the country. These are their stories.
Sometimes, the story starts close to home.
My father, Joe Nigro, worked in Lower Manhattan, one block away from the Twin Towers, at McRoberts Protective Agency located at 17 Battery Place. On September 11, he was sent to Queens to work at Elmhurst Hospital on an infant security system. Nigro explained that his company had customers at the World Trade Center and that he would occasionally be sent there for a job.
While Nigro was working on the security system, he received a call from one of his coworkers, Danny Stanley, who was in Florida at the time, saying a plane had crashed into one of the towers. This would be the last call Nigro would receive for the rest of the day.
After the call, Nigro went to look out the window and saw smoke coming from the WTC.
While watching smoke rise from the first tower, Nigro saw the second plane hit the second tower.
“There were tons of people standing there in awe just watching the smoke come from the tower,” Nigro said. “While everybody saw the second plane hit on TV, I watched it hit live.”
After the second plane hit, Nigro explained that everyone then understood that the country was “under attack,” which led to the hospital being shut down. However, my father could not get out of Queens because all the bridges were closed.
“My friend Mike Barone was working in Queens, so I met up with him, and he had a place for us to go while we waited to be able to get back to Staten Island,” Nigro said.
My dad was unable to leave Queens until about 11 p.m., then he was able to get over the bridge into Staten Island.
Christopher of Brick shared that he was in college at the time and noticed the waves looked good, so he decided to go surfing. Christopher explained that while he was surfing, he could “see the smoke from Manasquan.”
After that, Christopher went home and was “glued to the TV.” Christopher also shared that he lived in Hoboken for college, and people would go to the waterfront to look across the Hudson River.
“They looked like statues frozen in time. That smoke went on for months,” Christopher said.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Debra of Jackson was walking around her neighborhood with her then 4-year-old daughter when she heard one of her neighbors yell, “A plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.” She then heard of the second plane striking the towers and ran back home and went straight to her phone.
Debra’s husband was on the way to New York City for work, but ultimately, the bus that her husband was on turned around and went back home. She then turned on the TV and realized the country was under attack and that she couldn’t reach her husband.
When her husband walked in through the door, he was in tears, and so was the rest of the family. Debra tried to explain to her young daughter that “there are some bad people in this world.”
Her daughter responded, “I wish there were superheroes in this world.”
Others explained how that day was beautiful, like Terry of Toms River. Terry had a cup of coffee outside a cafe, “not 5 blocks from the towers.” Terry then had an appointment at 9 a.m. that she was early for when she heard a “loud boom” and thought it was just a truck.
Terry heard a man shout, “Will you look at this,” and then looked up at the tower and saw smoke coming from it. She then went to her appointment when the second plane crashed into the second tower. Terry saw a “huge fireball pouring” from the second collision. Terry then quickly left, ran to the subway and got home in New Jersey.
Janice of Point Pleasant started her morning by driving to the ferry in Jersey City at Port Liberte. As Janice pulled in, she tried to get onto the 8:30 a.m. ferry, but it had pulled away right in front of her. Janice explained that she was upset and would be late for work.
Janice would normally sit at the pier and read a newspaper; however, on this day, she decided to look at the skyline and enjoy the view.
“Soon I heard a large explosion and saw a huge fireball come out of the south end of the North Tower…” Janice said. “I assumed a bomb. I knew it was terrorism.”
Janice then got on the 9 a.m. ferry, which would take her to work. She explained that as the ferry approached the port at the tip of Manhattan, a large plane flew above them. Janice then ducked because the plane had flown so low. Everyone on the ferry witnessed the plane go through the South Tower. Afterward, the captain reported that the harbor was closed and they would be going back to the pier.
Janice stayed on the pier and watched the first tower fall.
Although it may be the 25th anniversary, 9/11 will forever be remembered.
To add to or correct any information in this report or to share tips or a story, please contact me at alexis.n@lead4earth.org.
0
0
Comments