In a conference room on the 42nd floor we were in a morning management meeting discussing competitive products. With my face turned away from the large windows, I heard the roar of a jet flying much to close to our building. As I turned to see the explosion I saw the back half of the plane breaking off and descending to the ground. It was eerily similar to a Hollywood extravaganza sitting too close to the front of the theater. My colleagues and I were in shock and awe.
As we shouted and cursed, I prayed the the Lord be there with each of us. The back half of the plane broke off and tumbled to the patio we shared with the North Tower. The flames and quantity of debris was staggering. Much like a ticker tape parade office papers started fluttering in the wind to the ground almost immediately. As we started to see the people falling and jumping to their deaths there were few atheists in our office. My prayers were for each of them and their families. I prayed they had come to know the Lord and could find some peace. My friends and I were all yelling, crying and guessing what the heck was happening.
The we saw dead people. Lot´s of dead people. Splattered on the ground in front of us like raw hamburger splattered on your driveway thrown from the third floor of your house. I was 42 years old and consciously thought I was glad my eyesight was starting to fade and I was unable to see the corpses as well as others. John shouted, ¨That guys head just popped off like a pumpkin.¨ My heart still aches when I repeat that audio in my mind.
Like popcorn popping people jumped. Sometimes alone and sometimes in pairs or more. Wondering silently and still years later which was better facing the end alone or holding the hand of an office mate. At times, people appeared to be continuously jumping and other other times it appeared to slow. I had been no stranger to death, but the quantity of people dying quickly was mind boggling.
I was so very glad that I knew Jesus and prayed that those dying also knew him. I strongly believe many of those passing recommitted to their faith in a profound and sincere way. They now sit with Him and watch us with love. Dear reader, I love you and do not wish in any way to preach the exclusivity of my faith or any others. Many of my friends and readers are not Christian and I love you.
What happened next ?? (more to come.....)
PART 2
Yes..... I was there..... Part 2 the evacuation
Shortly before the second plane hit someone suggested that we call our families. Only 15 of the 150 plus people on our floor were still present. The smart ones and the people who had been there in `93 had already left. After calling and leaving a message at the house, I picked up my binolculars and headed back to the conference room. I remember thinking about the irony of having just taken my binoculars to my new job just as the world appeared to be coming apart. Next to the conference room I stopped to try my binoculars.
The binoculars were strong and I could see the facial features and gestures of the people preparing to jump to their deaths. I could see people frantically gesturing inside the tightly sealed strong windows. One woman was like in the play of Evita: gesturing from a busted balcony that never excited before or after. The result of a plane crashing into the sleek steel and glass walls had created an opening. Was it a balcony or a platform for a messenger? I thought (naively) that I hope the helicopters would arrive soon and they would all be rescued through the roof top. How very naive of me because even if the building had not collapsed the heat from the fires would have precluded a rooftop rescue. Also, naively I continued to pray for this Evita and think I would try to follow here story as she was rescued. BOOM! Plane number two hit the South Tower.
I may be dumb, but I am not stupid. After the second plane it we knew we had to leave. We could here the television blaring about another plane, but from our vantage point on the 42nd floor (Building 7) we thought it was a bomb. The windows exploded in our disrection and we saw nothing of the plane. Someone coarsely yelled that perhaps the government was not telling the truth because of the bomb vs. plane. We all started wondering about bombs and planes.
The handful of us left planed evacuation. I asked Darren if we should wait for Peter our boss. I said that I would not want him to be alone in the event that he returned and felt he had to go down with the ship alone. "Expletive Peter.. let`s go" Darren said. We swept the floor with the Systems Administrative guy who had that morning finally delivered my beatiful new laptop computer which remained (remains) locked in the my desk. He decided to take the elevator as Darren and I chose the stairs. No way was I going to travel in an a electronic mausoleum to the next home. I l^ ooked aorund the now vacant floor and throught, "Hmm what`s next?"
As we descended we found our colleague Mary struggling down the stairs. Late 50`s and seriously overweight. Darren steadied her and I carried bit their stuff. They had far more to carry than I. Turns out they were the smart ones..... Laboriously we descnded the 42 stairwells, praying for safety and wondering what was going on outside...
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