Memories of Tall Buildings

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Memories of Tall Buildings

We were flying from Chicago to New York City on a Sunday evening in late September, 2001. LaGuardia was ahead of us and there was hardly anyone on the plane. She sat next to the window and I sat next to her. "Where are we?" she asked. "New Jersey," I said, watching the refineries come into view. And then we were over the harbor, and then we saw the Lady, and then there was the fire.

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westbye

Dan, I don't know how you do it. You are a master of evoking smiles and tears. My wife and I ate at the top of that big beautiful building a few times. And I think your wife it correct about truly understanding.

SlamDunk

I was to fly up to LGA on 9/12.  I flew up as soon as the airlines were moving again. I worked for an airline and it went chapter 7 shortly after. 

The smell in Lower Manhattan, with the photos of missing people tacked to everything, everywhere changed Manhattan forever for me.   

My Dad had a great view from his building.  He took me to the World Trade Center once a month to watch them go up and tell me about the Native Americans who walked the beams fearlessly. 

I keep these over my desk at work. The Freedom Tower was taken from the roof where my dad worked. My brother works there now.   He had a very close view of that day.  A well timed & well written article. 

Larry Weingarten

Hi @DanHolohan , Here I thought I was just reading a story, but in reality, you were painting pictures in my mind and heart. Just, WOW!

Yours, Larry

DanHolohan

Thanks, Larry. I can't get that one out of my head.

dopey27177

High Dan

I remember only to well Sept 11.

I was watching the news that morning and all of a sudden I saw a horror movie of a plane crashing into the World trade center. I cursed the TV set for interrupting my news program, We had wometco cable at the time and I thought the put on a movie and cancelled the news station.

As that horror show moved on I saw the second plane hit the other tower and shortly there after the tower collapsed.

The next thing that hit me was my youngest son Neal was working in tower one on 99 floor installing a new bathroom and kitchen on an upgrade. I nearly lost my mind.

I got on my cell phone and called him. Thank god he answered the phone.

He told me on the way to work his boss called him and transferred him and the crew to another building because the supply house called and said they could not make the material delivery on that day.

The next thing that came on the news was Staten Island was locked down.

The police were chasing down a truck they believed had terrorist in that vehicle headed for the teleport where the new sattilite communication center was located. I again nearly went nuts because my wife was working as a temp. bookkeeper.

I called my wife to tell her of the new situation and that Neal was not working in the Twin Towers.

About 11 am I received a call from a friend that worked in the fire house about a mile away. He asked me if I had spare flash light and work gloves as the fire dept was short on equipment.

At that time both my sons lived at home, 2 plumbers and an electrician. I raided my garage for flash lights and gloves because I bought tat equipment in bulk and brought to the fire house.

The next evolution for that day was to go house to house on my block to see if any one had spare gloves, flash lights, crow bars and wrecking bars on hand.

On my block we had 4 firemen and 6 police officers working down town Manhattan.

Additionally, Ben my oldest son worked for the New York city housing Authority. The housing Authority had
Large truck loaded generators on hand and at that evening he was assigned to a mobile generator to supply electric to Beekman Down Town Hospital about 1 mile from the disaster. Ben stayed there without relief for 6 days.

Not known by most people in NY about 15% of the people living on Staten Island worked in the world Trade Center. The residents on Staten Island donated hundreds gallons of blood to the hospitals and Red Cross for the long casualty list of first responders and trades men that worked for free clearing rubble so the fire department and police could make rescue efforts for survivors.

That day infamy will never be forgotten.

Jake

DanHolohan

Thanks for sharing this, Jake. We’ll never be the same.