Retired Blog Page

My Day at the Trade Center on the day that we were attacked. 20 years later.

I saw all these people jumping to their deaths below. From the 42nd floor window in 7 World Trade Center I saw the back of the first plane breaking off and the people falling and then jumping. The image of the bodies remains with me to this day. I write below a little of my first hand experience that day.

This is What I saw

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 too 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 when seated too close to the front of the theater. My colleagues and I were in complete shock.
As we shouted and cried out, 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 at what was happening.
The we saw dead people. Lots of dead people. Splattered on the ground in front of us like raw hamburger splattered on your driveway that had thrown from the third floor of your house. One fellow shouted, ¨That guys head just popped off like a pumpkin.¨ My heart still aches when I hear that audio in my mind.
Like popcorn popping- people jumped. Some jumped alone and some of them jumped in pairs or more. I wondered then and now years later; was it better to face 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.

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 binoculars and headed back to watch in the conference room. I remember thinking about the strange 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 in a random office 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 who I particularly remember was gesturing frantically from a busted balcony that never existed 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 hoped naively that helicopters would arrive soon and they would all be rescued through the roof top. It was 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 woman and thought that I would try to follow her story as she was rescued. And then BOOM! Plane number two hit the South Tower.

After the second plane hi the handful of us who were still there knew we had to leave. We could hear 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 direction 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 planned our 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.. lets go" Darren said. We swept the floor with the Systems Administrative guy who had that morning finally delivered my beautiful 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. I looked around at the now vacant floor and thought, "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 both of their stuff. They had far more to carry than I. It turns out they were the smart ones..... Laboriously we descended the 42 stairwells, praying for safety and wondering what was going on outside...

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