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Visitor Comments All comments to info@13pt.com are welcome and appreciated, though only a few are posted below. For additional viewer comments, please see 13 Weeks and 13 Months. I was afraid that the impact of those 13 days would be forgotten over time. My mind still tries to convince me that it wasn't as scary or as wrong as it was. Your site helped me remember the brutality, the pain, the cleanup, and the grief brought on by the attacks. My dad worked in 130 Liberty St. (the big black building with the flag and tarp, across from the south tower). He told a story about a man who came into their midtown office months after the attacks (my dad occasionally went between midtown and downtown, so after the attacks, he ended up in midtown) saying that one person could go back into 130 Liberty. Everyone gathered around, and he went through the procedure:
As these were listed, the crowd dispersed, deciding it was not worth the risk. The building, which was hit by pieces of tower 2, was not covered with the tarp for a few days, which was enough time to become hazardous because of a toxic mold. My dad's briefcase is still in the building on his desk, as are his photographs of my family. I am more lucky than I could ever imagine that those few personal belongings were all we physically lost. I hope my dad keeps the pages he wrote describing his experience: from the first plane crashing to the announcements in his building to the long walk with two co-worker friends to grand central with many stops to help those without phones or money... I had forgotten some, and you helped me remember. Thank you.
Name withheld This is a wonderful piece of work. I live in Alabama and really appreciate a look at the aftermath of what has happened to New York, from a New Yorker's perspective, at ground level. I wish more Americans knew of your web site and would go look at it and refresh their memories about what happened there--and to America. I'm afraid the memory is fading since we don't see much reporting on it anymore on national news. I'm a news hound and read voraciously on 9/11 and what we are doing in Afghanistan Your perspective on New York then and now was insightful, respectful and edifying. I feel I was there through your lens, and it is a much more horrifying picture than I saw on my 27" television.
Name withheld I live in New York, I fell victim to this tragedy and I lost a lot of friends and family in the WTC disaster. For a while I didn't put much thought into what had happened, I tried to forget the screams and the crying that occurred that day. I thought I was actually getting over it. Then I stumbled upon your web site. Looking at the pictures reminded me of so much I started to cry, and cry, and cry. I cried because part of me remembered what had happened and for all the lives lost but the other part of me cried because I felt bad for trying to forget what happened that day. We should never forget what happened that day. Forgetting will allow this to happen again. Let it always be engraved in our hearts and minds so that we may never have to experience something like this ever again. Thank You for helping us remember!!!
Name withheld I am a Research Chemist in the Building and Fire Research Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD. We are a Federal laboratory in the Department of Commerce. We are just starting an investigation to see if we can learn some lessons from the World Trade Center fire and collapse. I came across your photographs during a WEB search. Your images are very interesting with regard to the fire. I have a few questions. Are the images at their full resolution, or did you compress them? We are interested in as much detail as possible. If compressed, would it be possible to obtain full resolution versions? Do you have accurate time stamps for the images? Are all of your images posted. We are interested in all videos and still shots that might be helpful in developing a time line for the fire. It would be of great help to us if you are aware of other such material that might be helpful to us. Sorry to spring this on you out of the blue. We have to start somewhere. Thanks in advance for any help. Sincerely,
Name withheld Hi, today I was just looking through the web and stumbled on your web site and read some of the comments and wanted to leave you with mine. As I looked at the pictures I started to cry because my dad had known people that worked in the buildings and also knew some of the people on the planes. That day on September 11 , I had woke up to the planes going into the buildings. My dad tried to tell me what was going on. He thought I was to young to know. But I'm 14 . I knew what had happened. The news about the attack made me sick. I felt hollow inside. Like nothing was in me. All day at school I had to watch to TV. Everyone was sad and crying. At lunch my friends and me just cried and hugged each other. My friend told me "How can they do this, who can they do this to the most secures country ?" I told her that "Some people say, the smarter we get the more dangerous our world becomes. And I what to know who had done this to us and why ." Your pictures of New York after the attack showed me that even when the people were grief stricken they still pulled together. The rescue workers still worked even how sad the scene was.
Name withheld
i thought i was alright. i'm not so tough anymore.
Name withheld Hi, I'm only 12, but I do understand what went that day. It was a real tragedy. I don't have any family in NEW YORK, but alot of my friends do, and I feal really bad for them. I think you did a real good job on this web site/ web page. I really don't know what to say, but I felt it was just the right thing to do sence you went to al the trouble to to this for the people. It was very touching and heart filled. I'm part pakistani and some of my (so -called) friends, suddenly stop hanging out with me, and stoped talking to me, really they wouldn't even look at me. I guess that was okay though because it helpt me find who my real friends are.
Name withheld Your pictures are so much more than words can say I am truly sorry that you are going through such a horrific time none wishes it upon anyone to go through something like this.All the fire fighters and police and suvilians who have been through this are heros in my eyes in everyones eyes.I work in the medical field and I take for granted what these fire fighters have gone through it is not easy working everyday and seeing a child's tears or a woman's cry for the loss of her husband or a loved one losing a loved one . But there is life after tagedy it is not easy nor can you just get over a tragedy like this but we can pick up our boots by there straps and be strong and let these terriosts know that they will not overcome us and they will not drag us down.To all the firefighters hwo have gone through this tragedy and still are I say a true prayer inn my heart for you and understand what it is that you are going through. keep your boot straps up.
Name withheld Hello I've just saw your pictures and I like them very much, It is very sad what happenned on September 11 and pray to God it will never happen again. I congratulate you for taking the time and "do something" to help people to remember what happenned just a few months ago. We never should forget it, if it is only to honor all the innocent people that die on that tragic day. I am from Honduras, and married to a U.S. soldier, I love my country and I have learned to love America, believe me when I tell you that many people outside the U.S. cried your loss. Americans are very lucky and should appreciate all what they have, because many countries don't have it. so I'll say America be strong, valient and united, many countries look after you. God bless and peace in the world.
Name withheld I really found your photo diary of the WTC attack very interesting and wished I had came across it before I made my trip last weekend. I just returned from my first time visit to NYC (11/29/01 thru 12/2/01}. Before 9/11 I never had an interest in going to NYC and thought it was just another noisy dirty big crime infested city. The 9-11 stories on TV and the photo exhibit "Here's New York" which aired on Dateline inspired me to experience the city first hand and maybe put some of these old myths to rest. What I found was a very different city than the TV / Hollywood backdrop for crime stories that is often portrayed. I found a very cultured, exciting and eclectic city that was so interesting, I think I will have return for more. I am still having a hard time gripping onto the magnitude of what took place. When I looked at the Manhattan skyline from the view of the Circle Cruise, It was hard for me to imagine that next to these very tall skyscrapers that were still standing that there once were two towers that stood so tall they dwarfed all the others in their presence. Although this was the most horrific tragedy our nation had experienced, I feel that this awful thing brought out the humanity, unity and patriot in most all of us as I never saw it before. Thanks for your WTC time line and I hope that your fellow New Yorkers are finding strength in the support of the country and world.
Name withheld Viewing your pictures during the 13 day timeline really was emotional for me. I am a Firefighter from Louisiana. I went to NYC on 15 September to help with, what was then called, a rescue effort. During the time I was there, it evolved into a recovery operation. Your pictures allowed me to see, and show my family, St. Paul's Chapel, where I ate barbecue hamburgers on several occasions. I can plainly see the damage to the south side of, if I remember correctly, Building 4. Anytime I went into what was the plaza, I had to be sure to walk under the overhang, because of the large amount of material hanging off of the building. This building was at the corner of Church & Vesey. I returned home on the 20th of September. I thank you for your pictures. They bring back terrible, yet fond memories of a City to which I had never been, but have come to love. New York City is America!!! We all stand with you!
Name withheld On September 11/2001 I just got done working a midnight shift and didn't hear anything so I went home and turned on the news and all I saw was "America Under Attack". I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I started to cry because I love America just as much as I love Canada. When I saw the instant replays of those hijacked planes ramming into the WTC, I felt sick to my stomach. Since that day I always check and see what is happening on the news......I must say this now, that I feel the everyone in New York and surrounding area are very brave and to those who have been working at Ground Zero since the attacks my heart goes out to you. For the people who lost loved ones and friends, I am truly sorry and extend a warm heart to you.
Name withheld I hope that this finds you cozy with family and loved ones. As for me I am having a good Ramadan here in Rabat, but also hope to be with family for the next year's holidays. Ramadan is rather amazing to say the least. My housemate is a Muslim--Ibrahim from Ithaca NY. He and I have been observing the fast with our Moroccan neighbor Younes. Younes is an orphan and lives alone just across the way; he is very busy with various benevolent services--deliveries to the poor, working in a soup kitchen, saying his prayers with Ibrahim (in expanded Ramadan form), and generally getting to be a very dear friend. Each morning at about 4:30 a cannon is shot off across the river from our Kasbah. Then the sounds of muzzeins (chanters of prayer) begin. I really enjoy the sound of the superimposition of the 5 or so singers we can hear in the air over our house. We eat alot of dates and drink tea and milk--a favorite of the prophet Muhammud. Then they go to prayer where 1/60th of the Q'ran is read; this done twice daily gives a full reading by the end of le mois sacré. I have also been reading the Q'ran--though in English--and am reading the sections they do each day. I have an easy time not eating; but not drinking water is tough. I do alright by drinking alot before sleep and first thing in the morning. Then we 'stay hungry' as the Native Americans advise until the sun goes down. Ramadan is based on the lunar calendar so it takes place in all seasons--taking about 35 years to return to the same Gregorian location. So we are faced this year with a relatively short--winter--Ramadan. At sunset we break our fast--first with dates, then traditional soup called harira, followed by whatever we have made for ourselves. Tonight this was pasta and a stir fry. Everything is closed early and people are generally home with family; but the shopping in the medina and the celebratory mood in the town after the evening meal is really electric and fun. People stay up late and enjoy themselves with their friends. We have been invited to break fast with a couple of local families and look forward to these events which will doubtless be more spectacular than our simple suppers. Hunger is truly the best sauce in any case. I have been using the considerable downtime which comes with Ramadan to study more than I have thus far. On a good day, systematically reading a few chapters or articles in French, working on my Arabic (very satisfying--especially the calligraphic aspects), reading the papers in French and English, and then sitting down to my architectural work--notetaking, drafting, draughting, and revising. Most days I get alot done and feel the gift that this grant really represents--9 months to feed the life of the mind.
Name withheld Hi there I wrote you after my daughter was born. I received this e-mail and have received it before but this time you were the first person I thought to send it to. Please post it for the rest of the world to see. If you know anyone in the service this poem will hit home.
Thank You,
Name withheld Hello ! After two months I have found your pictures about WTC. I am Mexican and I lived in NYC on Abany St like a year. The twins towers were my daily view, so I learned to love them. I had a beautiful view of the Statue of Liberty from my apartment, and I just needed to walk out to see the WTC. I could not ask for more. I took the subway all the time at the WTC station. I shopped there. I loved the Century 21 store ... and today, I cannot belive that everything has gone. I haven't been in New York in two years, I moved down to Florida and then, to México City, but I had planned to visit NY on Christmas, this time it will be different. I still cry for those who died, and for this two gorgeous monuments that the city has lost ...
Name withheld I think that your site is interesting but it is also typical in that it ends at 13 days. This is a long-term problem. If you want to live and work here please don't simplify the magnitude of this issue to fit into your design firms "13" concept. To Jonathan Corum: Your piece about your "personal injury warning system" seems pretty much like the ramblings of a "privileged young man." Kayaking injuries? You've got to be kidding me! Grow up! Although the piece looks really nice, the only injury I was interested was your broken heart. Typical graphic designer BS. Just like the World Trade "13 days" site you skirted the heart and soul of the interesting issues.
Name withheld I knew when I started taking daily photographs that I would have to stop at some point. I thought a lot about when that should be, and I finally chose 13 days, in part as a personal tribute, and in part because I thought ending after a full two weeks or a full month would imply closure, which there clearly is not. Yes, the choice of 13 could be interpreted as an attempt to fit a national tragedy into my site’s “concept.” But I think it’s clear if you look through the project that exploiting the tragedy was not my intent—if anything, the choice of 13 was meant to show that I’m trying to take a different, very simple view of the tragedy, primarily through photographs of my neighborhood. I also haven’t stopped taking photographs, and have released two follow-up sites with longer timelines: 13 Weeks and 13 Months. But, you’ll probably be disappointed to see that, in my “typical designer BS” fashion, the new sites also makes use of the number 13. About the PIWS: “Grow up?” Yes, that’s the whole point of the project: changing from a little lump that can roll off of a couch to a thinking person that can have his heart broken. I’m sorry if you don’t approve of my injuries—next vacation I’ll be sure to check with you first so you can confirm that my itinerary is sufficiently non-privileged. -JC Like nearly every American, I recall exactly where I was and what I was doing when the new of the attacks came. Like so many Americans I am still saddened, shocked, appalled and angered by what has been done to our country. I am humbled when I think of those who lost their lives trying to save others - may God be with their families. I am saddened by the vast numbers of people who perished simply because they were where they were when evil struck. May God bless and keep their families. I still can't quite believe that America was attacked. Not America - that is what happens in other countries. When I look at the photos of the Trade Centers, it reminds me of war scenes from other ravaged countries. . . much of it looks the same. . . when accessing "ground zero" and the immediate surrounding area, it does look like our enemy may have won . . . but step back - look at the big picture - we are America - we will not be bullied - we will survive - we will rise up and we will overcome. God has blessed America since day one - and He will not let us down - WE ARE AMERICANS - !! Thank you for the time and efforts put forth in putting your website together - I pray that it has been the beginning of the healing process for yourself as well for those of us who have viewed it. May God Bless and send you His Peace.
Name withheld Hello, I am from Wellington, New Zealand. I surfed into your site searching for articles on the World Trade Centre, to see what is going on two months after this terrible atrocity. I was driving into the city a few weeks ago and I turned the corner and caught my first glimpse of our skyscrapers and I thought to myself, imagine if a plane came over me now and slammed into one of those buildings, it is a horror that I could not even imagine and to think that just two months ago people were actually experiencing such a horror. I read somewhere the other day that the cleanup could take up to a year. I cannot even find words to say how I felt that day, we also watched in absolute disbelief what we were seeing on our TV screens, your mind tells you, this isnt real, this cant be happening, but it is. The saddest thing for me to see were the posters that began appearing with pictures of missing loved ones, my heart literally ached for those people in the position of having a knowing that their relatives are probably gone but still having that little flicker of hope, praying and praying that they would be the ones who would find their loved ones on that terrible day. We saw a family looking for their dad and suddenly a man made his way towards them covered in dust, and they realised that it was their dad, and they ran towards him screaming and crying, my mother and I sat and cried, and I wished that the sight of that family being reunited would be played out again and again and again, please god let there be miracles and let them find a lot more people, but alas I never saw this again. I could sit and cry all over again seeing your pictures and reading peoples comments. Thank you for taking the time to make this site for those of us from other countries to see your beautiful city and how you are coping from day to day after this tragedy. God bless you and your country and I hope we never see anything like this ever again.
Name withheld I must say that your photo documentary is an outstanding piece of work. The internet and phone calls home is the only link I have to find out more about what is happening in my home area. I came across it one night surfing the Internet. It made me think, think about the freedom that the people in our country take for advantage, day in, day out. It amazes me how many people are so patriotic all of a sudden. How the NYPD is loved when hours before Sept. 11 they were hated by most. Everyday when I walk to work I stop and salute the America Flag, I do it because I serve in a infantry unit, I do it because I realize the freedom we have, even before I joined the military. It honestly makes me sad that an incident like Sept. 11 makes Americans realize how good they have it here. From being in other countries, I see how Americans truly are the most open-minded people in the world. I think, to how a months ago friends laughed that I joined the Marines, girls sad they we were all psychos. Now those same people email me and tell me that I am hero, that they are proud to know that I am protecting their freedom. Everyday myself and thousands of Marines and Soldiers, wonder when we are going into action. We wonder if people are going to set up shrines of the young men that are going to die protecting the freedom of being an American is. I just hope that 6 months from now, Americans do not forget the victims of Sept. 11 or the people that everyday risk there life a to protect their freedom. In no way am I taking away from the victims we lost and their families, I just want Americans to realize how great this country is.
Somewhere outside of the United States I sat in a parking lot and wrote this poem on September 12th. I still cry almost every day. God Bless our Great Nation
On the morning of September 11, 2001
In horror we watched as the war was raged
Without any warning or signals displayed
Our only crime is that of success and pride
The screams and the cries of the desperate that fled
These monsters that flew in from the New York sky
From the belly of hell arose this barbaric attack
We Americans cling to our faith in this time of sorrow
Our God is mighty and we will all overcome
Name withheld Hi, I am 13 years old and attend a school in Michigan. When my class found out about what happened we were in shock, we had no idea on how to react but I know now that anyone can be stupid and do something to us but we will always stay proud and be ready to act.
Name withheld I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. The morning of September 11 began kind of slowly for me since I had been up late the night before. I caught my messages: One from my new boss saying he was sure I was aware of the day's events, but, just to be safe, I should not plan on travelling anywhere. Another from my ex, just this side of hysterical, saying there had been "some kind of attack" in New York and to make sure our son was OK at school. I thought, "What the hell are they talking about?" and "What the hell's going on?" almost simultaneously. I turned on the TV and almost from the outset began just thinking "No, no, it can't be. This has to be a mistake." Since then so many, many painful stories and coincidences have come out of the tragedy. Each one breaks my heart all over again, and each time I cry. It seems that's all I can do is cry for you and pray for you. I feel so guilty that I am too far away to do any more. However, I know the entire nation wants to be with you to comfort you and help you in any way possible. New York, know that you did not go through this alone. Know that the nation cries with you and shares your pain. You wonderful, beautiful, resilient, optimistic, inspiring people. Citizens of New York. God bless you and keep you close to His bosom forever.
Name withheld Hi I am 19 years old and I am mailing for Norwich, England. I would just like to say your country is so brave and well respected over here in England and the whole world, you're all being so to be brave and coping well with what has happed to your beautiful country. When I heard what had happened my heart stopped and it felt like it was bleeding for all who had died that day and for all the survivors and their families. So I would just like to send my LOVE for all those who read this and for all Americans.
Name withheld
I was looking at your photos from the towers bombing 9.11.01 BUT 25 to 33 % of the American flags are made outside of the USA (China), and I consider the people flying and waving the flag made in China on a car made in [Japan] the lowest scum in the country. Everything they have is foreign made and the say look at me I am patriotic. They are hypocrites at the lowest level, they can't support their country or fellow worker but say I am (love) America.
Name withheld As an Australian living in Australia, I watched "live" as the events took place. It was about 1a.m. here, my wife was sound asleep in bed, oblivious to all that was ending the lives of those pour soles or the events that will enevitably change ours, too. I sat glued to the TV, wondering whether to raise my wife from her slumber, but in a haze figured it would only disrupt the rest of her night and undoubtedly, she would be bombarded with it the next day. I remember thinking as the second plane hit, "This can't be real. it looks like a scene from a very bad-taste movie!". If it wasn't for the audio, I would have possibly thought little of it, but listening to the news coverage I thought what must these people really want to say. In the face of horrendous images in front of them, they have to remain calm, focussed, in control and report the happenings. As an ex-police officer myself, I understand the importance of self-control, but have never been faced with such devastation or incredible loss of lives. I have followed the situation since the attacks and wondered where this will all lead. Unforutately, I think the conclusion will be obvious - WAR on a much larger scale. Mind you, I think your President has shown remarkable resolve to his commitment and has taken the appropriate path. It will very sad to see further loss of innocent life, but the question must be asked - "What else can we do, but retaliate?". The very real sad part in retaliation is we will be fighting an enemy who welcome death. The terrorists, their countrymen and even their government all believe in a "Greater" cause. How can you reason with people who have no foresight, no beliefs other than those instilled from birth, a hatred borne by hatred and an overwhelming sense of a belief they cannot not be beaten by anyone or anything. As an ending note, I pray the governments who are committed to fighting terrorists persist to the bitter end and we get the conclusion that we must get.
Name withheld Hello friends, Just returned from a week in Marrekesh where i got something of a handle on the medina there. I am making short visits to the primary Moroccan medinas to get familiar with the lay of the land while reading what i can find about the issues and history of each old urban district. It is a very interesting time. I have learned enough derija--Moroccan Arabic--to introduce my project and to ask simple questions like: how old is this building? How long has your family lived here? Have you considered moving to the modern city? I get alot further if people speak French, but my project is very much underway and promises to be fascinating--especially as my language skills improve. Today i began another sequence of Arabic instruction--3 hours/day for 5 weeks. I have learned the alphabet and can read--pronounce-- slowly although often I do not know what i am saying yet. My French has already progressed alot and i am confident that i will be fluent in French and capable in Arabic by spring. It is really remarkable how even a small knowledge of Arabic can open doors and make smiles. Just yesterday i talked my way into an historic palace which is closed for construction; have also had several similar successes after explaining my research aims. The political situation here feels stable and encouraging. Moroccans feel sadness over recent events and are incredibly hospitable given the circumstances. Today i was in an office to get my Carte de Sejour--permitting me to stay in country longer than 3 months-- and had a long conversation with several of the functionaries there, primarily three older women. After certifying my documents we talked about politics, our families, & religion. They asked if i needed a housekeeper (already have one), if i was married (they immediately started speculating about potential Moroccan brides), and whether i would like to come to dinner with their families (2 bonafide invitations resulted). All in all an amazingly deep and social interaction which transpired in only 20 minutes in a government office. I feel welcome here, and when I explain my work i also feel appreciated. My Moroccan neighbors have been very sweet and welcoming too, really making an effort to include me in the community. The importance given community is what i am most impressed with in this country. Ample time is given to family and neighbors. Indeed, anyone in need is reached out to in a way i have seldom seen. Business stops dead each day from 12 to 3 and everyone goes home to be with family. Restaurants are for tourists; Moroccans eat every meal with their loved ones. Community institutions--especially in the old city--serve to draw communities together. Communal shops, mosques, baths and bakeries--where people send their bread to be baked--all contribute to this end. The urban layout--full of meeting places, without cars--reinforces this close-knit atmosphere. The medina has many urban problems, but it is clear that i will find much of value too within the fabric of the islamic city.
Name withheld I know I may only be 17 years old but I remember the day that the United States of America will never forget I remember I was at home with my mother that day (she recently had neck surgery) and we had to go to the store to get some needed things and we heard people talking about two planes crashing we thought nothing about it really and when we returned to the truck I turned the radio on and on every station was the same thing the President of our now terrorized country saying that two planes had flew into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and all of the sudden I was ice cold and shaking wondering what was going to happen next then I thought of my wonderful boyfriend who I care for and love dearly I was thinking "What if we went to war, I would more than likely lose the best thing that has ever happened to me" and then I though about how all of the people in the Trade Center Towers must feel knowing most of them are going to die and how the family's of those people must feel and then is when I started crying for myself and others. I feel anger towards those who would do such a coward thing to our nation. But on the other hand I feel scared and very unsafe I mean what could happen next could I be the next person for some ungodly reason or could someone I know be next or could many more lives be taken. As I said I'm only 17 years old and I only have my mother and my boyfriend my father died when I was 9 years old and now today, I wish he was here but I also wish he wasn't here to see such pain and devastation. Thanks for taking the time to listen to what I had to say.
Name withheld Thank You for "Thirteen Days - The World Trade Center". It has been " 6 weeks, three days since. To me it has become a new time line. I think of things happing now in relation to the attacks. Maybe it should be known now not as AD but AA (After the Attacks). I carry now, and think always will, this burdensome feeling of pain, sorrow, and anger. I was born and raised in NYC, both my husband and I retired from the NYCPD, and were married at Windows on the World. We loved that place, and we love NYC. Although we no longer live in New York, our hearts and families are still there. I am thankful to God that no one in our families or our friends were injured. However, in Flushing were my Mother still lives, there isn't one block you can travel that hasn't lost a loved one. My prayers are with all those that have suffered and are still suffering. God bless the all the workers that still have a very difficult job ahead of them.
Name withheld ON THAT SEPT11 A DAY MOST OF US AMERICANS WILL NEVER FORGOT I FEEL THE MAN WHO DID THIS SHOULD BE PUNISHED. I FEEL WITH OUR ARMY MEN GOING OVER THERE IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO BECAUSE THE SHOULD PAY FRO THEY DID. THE ONLY SAD PART IS THAT THOSE POOR CHILDERN ARE GETTING HURT. WELL I GUESS THAT IS ALL FOR KNOW.
Name withheld I woke up on September 11th, my brother's birthday, thinking only of the call I was going to make to him later on that day. In a rush without news of any kind, I went to class and heard people talking about an airplane being hijacked. Then, my cell phone started to ring and did not stop for three hours. All I could do was sit and watch and weep while trying to study. Being an independant and free thinking american, I hate to admit that I was living in a fog before this happened. I was living in an updated "Leave It To Beaver" episode that I never thought would end. As time has gone on, and we have started to heal, one thing remains; a blackness in my heart that I am not sure will ever be able to heal. I still cry when I see the pictures or hear a story or think of the people who died while just trying to live their lives at work. I do not know if we will win this war, or if we will capture the evil that has done this or if I will open a jar of babyfood tainted with some biological weapon and feed it to my daughter unknowingly. One thing I do know is that I will never be the same.
Name withheld On the morning of the 11th, as a sweet, loving, helpful gesture, allowing me the treat to actually 'sleep-in', my husband had slipped quietly out of bed and began my usual regimen of preparing sleepy, sluggish kids for a full day of school. When the last one ran out the door to stop the bus driver from leaving without him, my husband flopped himself down. Exhausted from the hectic cyclone of organized confusion, in his favorite chair, in front of his beloved big screen t.v., mussed up, and short winded from the morning "kid-rush", he was contemplating the idea of taking a quiet little morning snooze there while reveling in the peace and quiet. Watching our local morning news station, the program was interrupted by an important sounding bulletin; a deep-voiced broadcaster announcing "a special news report". Deep in the warmth and comfort of probably the best sleep I ever had, I felt a gentle touch on my hand as I heard him softly say "baby, you've got to get up, our country is going to war". I'm not a very "bright bulb" in the morning naturally, but this went through my brain like lightning, and my body reacted unusually by bouncing out of bed, trying to slide into my slippers and more or less staggering down the hallway to the television in our livingroom. The images on our giant screen flashed over so many horrifying images so quickly, with frantic people, screams and shouting. You have got to know that on one of those big screens, it is so large, as large as real life; it is a drawing-in experience that makes you feel as though you are there, especially in the drumming fuzz of sleepyness. It appeared as though I was standing right on the street, looking up at the towers. My mind seemed unable to open up to accept it all as I struggled to understand what I was seeing. This was surely a nightmare. But there I stood, dumbstruck, as my husband slipped a cup of coffee into my hands and ushered me to sit down. I realized my mouth was actually, and attractively I'm quite sure, hanging wide open in total shock and disbelief to the tragedy rolling out before my eyes, accompanied by the horrific sounds of sirens, smoke, people undergoing utter horror. Now the date is October 24th, and I am still in a state of shock. I wish with all of my heart that I could contribute more than our contributions and donations. I cannot begin to tell you the helplessness that I feel being unable to be there to be physically involved; to assist and relieve some of the back-breaking, heartwrenching work that the wrecking crew, rescue workers, and building and shop restoration workers are doing. I find myself leaving the television on all my waking hours, listening for updates of everything pertaining to the situation. I stay up very late now, t.v. still on, while surfing the net on my nearby computer, trying to grasp every little detail of news. That is how I found your website. I wanted very much to thank you for your diligence and time to collect, post, and share, all of what you have. I live on the West Coast, however, I have been living vicariously in New York since September 11th. My heart is heavy, my mind is full, tired, and worried. I feel over-all that I weigh 50 pounds heavier from the drearyness that this horrifying event has put on my spirit. Please know that even though I don't live in New York, my heart crys for all those people whom are lost forever, and the loved ones whom have lost them, as well as those of you who are there feeling lost. You and they are in my prayers. Know that the rest of the world is racked with your pain; rocked backward by the horrific episode that has exploited your city. Know that there is a Mom in Oregon, that rocks her children on her lap, and quietly hums a soothing tune. In her mind and heart, as she rocks and hums to her child, she is thinking of all of you in New York City, wishing she can rock, hug and hum, to soothe the anguish and pain away for all of those in your city. God bless you, as if you know Him, you are never alone.
Name withheld I have not been able to stop or catch up on my sleep to articulate what volunteering at ground zero has become. Below is an email i received from a fellow volunteer at our supply tent. He articulates a lot of the highs and lows of how we keep going and what it means. Last night they found 16 firemen in a stairwell in tower 1. Around 1:30am I got a cup of coffee and sat down on the ground next to an exhausted fireman from Rescue 1. He smelled that unfortunately familiar smell of death. He looked at me and said "Tell me a story" I told him a story of one too many sour apple vodka martini's in lower Manhattan & a really bad pool game that ended in my bra hanging on a moose head at hogs & heifers. He laughed and laughed, finished his coffee and walked back out to the pile. You are in my heart and with me for these men.
Name withheld Perhaps there will be a time when I can write here about some of my personal experiences, when I find the strength and the time to reread some of my journal writings perhaps, but for now [the words below] express so eloquently what our lives are like at the site I will let them speak for themselves. Hey everybody -- It's been nearly three weeks since we've been volunteering down at Ground Zero. The never-ending troops of inspiring, enigmatic workers are, to say the least, spent. So are the volunteers. Recently, the mood has shifted: from the utopian hope of rescuing survivors to the cruel, inescapable truth of uncovering the dead. The Supply Tent I'm working at is directly opposite the south end of the rubble. The rescue teams come and go to our station for boots, socks, hardhats and whatever else. You can tell in a glance who has been down there and for how long. Depending on their gaze. It's strange; everyone at Ground Zero wears the same expression--a look of compassion...and detachment. It's worn the same way we wear our respirators: almost constantly. The longer you've been down there, the more detached you look. What lies beneath this essential layer of armor, however, is what lies beneath the rubble: the spirit of the victims. Last week, Autumn arrived and this was the first cold night in Manhattan. It came out of nowhere and nobody was prepared. Around 11 PM, about eight fireman approached the tent. They heard we had boots. And mining lights for the helmets. This was a significant event--getting supplies to our tent became increasingly difficult. With all the bomb-threats, bio-hazard threats, thieves, the suspicion that somebody or something could poison the food or supplies AND the endless bottom feeders aching for a chance to obtain something they could sell, it was necessary for the Office of Emergency Management to inspect every single item that was distributed. Security became so tight that it was understandable that there would be a lag in getting our tent re-stocked. Luckily, my colleague Kevin and I made friends with the other well-stocked supply stations and were able to secure approved, inspected materials in other tents. When we saw two crates of essential elements, we were able to grab them. The fireman sat down, two at a time to be fitted for Timberlands. One look and you knew all of them had been there for an eternity. When they took off their socks, they had blisters the size of fists on their feet. They were cold, damp and exhausted but they never complained. They lit up at the sight of a pair of warm socks. They spoke in pleasantries and did their best to display the customary "detachment" but you could tell from the look in their eyes what they saw. We worked fast and were insistent that they didn't leave empty handed: if a pair of boots were too big, we had insoles. If they had blisters, we had wrap. If they had a sour stomach, we had Tums. They kept telling us what a great job we were doing but I knew deep inside that no matter what we did for these heroes, nothing could ever be enough. The last fireman sat down. A young, handsome Irish guy built like Superman. He was shivering. The boots fit but we were out of sweaters. After going back and forth, I finally convinced him to sit there while I ran to the Salvation Army tent...the last hope even though I saw the big box of sweaters rummaged through a half an hour ago by a pack of cold workers. I got there and the box was empty. Another shipment would arrive in an hour. I don't know what led me to a box of sweatpants but I dug through and at the bottom was a big, wool sweater. It was obviously handmade because of the different patterns embroidered on it. They were of little firemen. I came back and he grabbed the sweater and threw it on. It fit. I can't describe the expression on his face but it broke my mode of detachment. I casually tossed out a "don't mention it" but as he walked away, I almost cried. As he walked back into the pile, I stared at the rubble again. I've seen it so many times, it almost doesn't look real anymore. But, this time, I really looked at it. Without that layer of armor. And I could feel them. The thousands of innocent spirits. Normal, everyday citizens who were leading normal, everyday lives. The magnificent who silently put their love of humankind above their own lives. People who had no choice but to run into burning buildings so that maybe a single soul would be spared. People who had no choice but to jump out of a burning building so their horror would be spared. These were mothers, fathers, fiancées, best friends, aunts, uncles and somebody's most important person in the whole wide world. They were all in there--the magnitude of their deaths still shockingly potent. So were the evil. Buried among all of those beautiful souls who wanted to be alive again. I don't know where the strength of detachment came from but it hit me square in the jaw and I was back to getting supplies and stuffing batteries into mining lights again. Life cruelly marched on. The essence of those spirits didn't hit me again until I got home and was in bed. That little corner of the night after you shut out the lights. And although the feeling has never been as intense as that first encounter, my own spirit is now with them. The deeper I go into this experience, the more I learn about how joy and misery often walk side by side--for every one of those 6,000 victims who perished, there were 25,000 who were rescued. For every suffering relative who walks into the Family Center, there are scores of loving, compassionate strangers to console them. For every loved one who stands and prays at a memorial service, there's a city of unfamiliar persons kneeling alongside them. How extraordinary these days have been. I am reminded that in the wake of witnessing the miraculous, resilient power of the human spirit (as well as the sacred who lay to rest at Ground Zero), I am also walking through the darkest corridors of my life. Much love and...peace.
Name withheld I am still in disbelief at what I have seen in a land so far away.The innocent lives that have been lost so unjustifiably and the beautiful New York skyline that has changed for ever. I am a 30 year old Fire-fighter from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and feel this tragedy as if I were a resident of NYC. I cant imagine the pain of losing and not finding loved ones like some people though as I haven't lost friends or family this way. Last Sunday I hired a canoe with my girlfriend and paddled up the Yarra River that travels through the heart of Melbourne, the sun was shinning and the skyline was clear. I stopped paddling and let the current of the river take me. It really made me appreciate the city I live in and started to feel saddened, trying to imagine what it would be like if some of our cities land marks were taken from us. I hope the spirit of New York lives on, from an Aussies view it is the most attractive city in the world. Every time I watch TV now the Twin Towers are everywhere, almost every show, film or document made in NYC has them as the backdrop. What a loss. Your website site is very professional, uplifting and explicit. God Bless the innocent lost, wounded, lonely victims of despicable act. God Bless the (NYPD) Police Officers and Fire-fighters of NYFD that were taken in this event and to the surrounding fire services that are in attendance, like your brothers in Australia and around the world, you never know when your last day is when you go to work. Always leave home on a happy note. So many people had so many things they wanted to tell loved ones, who will never have that chance again. Take Care NYC and the USA, we the people of the other parts of the world understand your loss.
Name withheld Thank you so much for this beautiful memorial. I have been to NYC twice in my life, going to Windows on the World once for a drink after a Broadway show. "That's what you have to do when you're here!" my transplanted family member told me. Mostly I remember the jet propelled elevator ride up (elevators are not ever my favorite thing) and the impressive fact that you had to get off and change elevators to get to the top. The view was astounding, what so many people have called the greatest city in the world spread out before us like a carpet. It dazzled me, even more than the Empire State building and Ellis Island, two other favorites. The energy, the vitality, the LIFE in NYC is the most impressive thing to an outsider like me. Your pictures gave me a view into that life, still strong, through these horrible days. I wil be back in a few weeks, on a pre-arranged vacation trip to see "The Producers." It will be so sad to see, and to smell (as all my NYC friends have mentioned to me) the changes there. But I will come, and enjoy the City once again. I will see Broadway shows, my great passion. There is nowhere else on earth like Broadway. I will ride in NYC taxis, eyes clamped shut in fear as before, but somehow trusting that the driver will get me there, as usual, even though the horn honking, loud comments, occasional drives over medians are more than thrilling to an outsider. And I will come to see New Yorkers carrying on with their lives, as we all must. I will spend money, offer condolences where I can, and come back home. But I will not forget, and I will also remember your amazing pictures. Thank you.
Name withheld G'day mate, I feel your site helped me get the images and the sadness and strength and pride which every photos you have taken conveys. Im a student at Sydney's Knox Grammar School, and many of the boarders here are American and they're parents aswell. We have great ties with schools in Washington, through out North America, the boys here went through your site and we feel that the people of New York would be at very low spirits but tragic events make the human spirit stronger, and for us, your site has done just that. I thank you for your work and may God bless your future work and God Bless America. Us Australians will be with you blokes forever evermore.
Name withheld I am a painter from San Diego County, California. I was searching the internet for photos to use as points of referance for painting of Lady Liberty (not the statue) I started, ironically enough on July 4, 2001. I found your site and while I didn't find the views of the world trade center I was looking for, I found so much more. I took my kids to school on 9/11, came home and turned on my computer so I could update my web site. The first thing I saw was the blurb on Yahoo that 2 planes had crashed into the world trade center, one into the Pentigon and one into the ground. I sat their in shock hopefully thinking it was a joke. At the same time I was very angry that anyone could make such a joke. Then I realized, as I looked at the picures and printed out what they had on Yahoo, it was no joke. I kept my stack of printouts with me as I watched the news. I painted watercolors from the news and sketched for hours while watching the news. I still haven't updated my website. And now we have fears of anthrax and more. As for your statement that living so close to the World Trade Center it was widley known it was a mjor target, I have to say that Living in San Diego County has always felt like that to me. We have a huge military presence here. They try and tell us it should make us feel safer, it really feels like we have a huge red bullseye hovering over us. I felt like this during the Cold War. I am not happy to feel like this again. But here were are, doing what American's do, saying no, we will not let you put us down and control us. You can scare us, but you can't beat us. Also, I want to add, I feel a great deal of concern for the Arab Americans here. I see on the news Arab women and men being stabbed, hate crimes etc. These acts of discrimination and hatred are purely unamerican.
Name withheld As a fellow photographer and designer, from London, England, I commend your site. It has opened up many people's eyes and allowed them to see what New Yorkers have gone through. Thank you for that. I married my beautiful wife in late July in London, and New York was our first destination for our honeymoon. Such a vibrant, exciting city, as it always will be. Even though the WTC is lost forever, and many, many lives, the spirit and pride in which New Yorkers take in their city will never be lost. I had previously been to the WTC and up to the viewing floor about 5 years ago. I have incredible pictures and video of the towers, yet I just cannot seem to bring myself to look at them now. One day I will, no doubt in tears. The next time I visit New York you can be sure I will visit Ground Zero. To remember, and to look forward. May you one day, feel safe and protected, in your great metropolis.
Name withheld I received your photos from a friend today. I must say that they tore at my heartstrings. I am a native NYC girl (Bronx), but found city life too crazy to want to raise my family there. After 30 years, we are back in NYS living and hurting along with the many people who have continually made NY their home. I want to thank you for your retrospect of the first 13 days. It has had a great impact--I cried again. After six weeks, I believe that I have not yet come to terms with this atrocity. In my mind, I have to make the trip to NYC to see it firsthand in order to really deal with it. I was a student at Pace while the towers were being constructed--watched them grow from the ground up. Now, sadly, I have watched them fall from the sky down. This is something I never thought I would witness, and I did witness it via the television as thousands of others did. I rarely turn the TV on in the morning--this morning I did and saw what I thought was a fire in the world trade center tower. Then suddenly there was a plane flying right into the other tower. It suddenly hit me that this was not just a fire--it was an atrocious act of terrorism unfolding before our eyes. I pray that God watches over the rescuers working at ground zero, the families of all the people who died or were injured, all other New Yorkers who work in the area, and all of human kind. I fear that the devil is trying to take away from us the fundamental freedoms that this country was founded on--mainly the freedom of religion. It certainly is not an act of God. These crazy Islamic fundamentalists want all people to be full of hate and anger like they are. They have no idea of what real happiness and love are. Why won't they just stay in their own part of the world and leave us alone if they hate us so much? Do not send their young men to get an education in our schools--leave the room for our own sons and daughters. Do not come here trying to make money in a business that the US allows them to open when their own country will not. Leave the shop space to the Americans who want to open businesses. Just stay away from here; do not ask for our financial support; do not ask for our humanitarian aid; do not ask us for anything and live in your own space doing what you want. Do not even visit our country if you hate it so much.
Name withheld I find myself still stunned. And now when I read the daily New York Times of the ongoing assault on a country on the other side of the globe and their terrible animosity for us, I wonder how long and at what cost. Such misunderstanding and poor judgement on both sides; those with means and those without. The cycle of terrorism includes our own educated fear and anger as the fuel. Let it be our purpose to strive to understand and then withold judgement.
Name withheld Thank you for posting your pictures. I watched the 9/11 attack on TV starting at 9:50AM and could not look away for days. Your pics really capture the whole NY feeling. I have lived in NY for 59 years, which means that I was born during WW2, and remember Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm, but I never though that I would ever see a sight that happened on 9/11. Great photos, thank you, wish you didn't have to take them.
Name withheld THANK YOU ....... I live in rural Eastern Oregon , and your first hand pictures and comments were very enlightening to me. Thanks for including the pic of yourself by the bull , it added even more of a sense that "this is real" for me. It has been hard to unsderstand that this was not something from a horror movie, it is so far removed from my scope of reality , seeing a real persons point of veiw was sobering. Thanks for sharing a peice of your life and our mutual existence with me.
Name withheld Thank you so much for the pictures. I have watched this horrible act of cowardice by a band of lunatics from the very begining. My husband called me that morning and as I tuned into CNN, I saw the second plane hit the other tower. I called my son right away , who lives in Seattle and going to school there. He was outraged as was everybody. He is in the Naval reserves and has been re-activated and awaiting his orders. He is most upset because he had to leave college but is ready to fight and serve his country. I pray that he will stay in the states but if he has to go over there, so be it. My husband and family members and friends were in the Vietnam war and I never dreamed that I would have to go thru something like that again but with my son. I could not even begin to imagine the destruction that has been caused by those demons. I am posting this web page at my work place and e-mailing the page to all that I know. Our hearts and our prayers go out to all who lost loved ones on this black day and may God bless you all and peace be with in our reach soon.
Name withheld I am an immigrant from Russia. I've lived in New York for 6 years now and considered this great city my new home. But only now I understand the true meaning of the words "home". Now, like never before, I am PROUD to be an American and a New Yorker!
Name withheld Do you expect people to believe that you said "welcome to ground zero of the next war" You should take that off of your site it is tasteless.
Name withheld I’ve lived within 14 blocks of the World Trade Center for over five years, and during that time I’ve certainly thought about security many times. The twin towers were bombed once before in 1993, and it was common knowledge in the city that, along with Times Square and Grand Central Station, the World Trade Center remained a prime target for terrorists: the same day I made the comment to my three friends, one of them pointed out the new bomb-proofing measures on the entrance ramp to the parking lot below the towers. Also, my “ground zero” comment was not about terrorism; I always assumed that the World Trade Center and the Financial District that surrounds it would be the most important target in New York City in the event of a future nuclear strike. My comment simply reflected those thoughts. I agree that in retrospect the comment was unfortunate, but I don’t think it was surprising, unbelievable, or tasteless. -JC First, thank you for your poignant collection of photos. I have never known New York as some place familiar. Never been in a NYC cab. Never seen the Lady Liberty except in pictures and movies. Have no idea of New York's vibe. Time's Square, Rockeffeller Center, Soho, Greenwich Village...none of these hold a particular moment or memory for me. I am an outsider, a foreigner to all that is New York City. With having never walked any of the streets of New York, how can I possibly feel such an enormous loss and sense of grief? On September 11, I was at work in downtown Toronto. I work for an Insurance and Investment Company. Upstairs on our trading floor the televisions switched from markets to news as we watched in horror the events of that day unfolding. With our technology and the imidiacy of watching world events play out before your eyes, I couldn't believe I was witnessing something as inconceivable as this massive attack on human life, security and above all innocence. I knew at that moment that our world as we knew it would never be the same. I soon realised that grief didn't have to come from first hand association. I knew there were countless people fighting for their lives and sadly many disappearing from the world they knew and from those who ate with them, laughed with them and lay with them. I could feel the sadness building as I thought of friends I have come to know who live there...and I began to worry about their safety. As I walked around my city that afternoon, I kept seeing the story unfold on the giant digital advertising screens on top of buildings. Where once company's paid to have their products advertised in your face, now were replaced with at the moment news of the tragedies unfolding in New York and Washington. So surreal. I looked at my own skyline, Toronto as I know it. The buildings, the streets, the smells, the vibe. I looked at our tallest building, the CN Tower and thought of it toppled and in ruins. The Bank of Montreal building, doubling its height in my head to match that of the Trade Centers and thinking of the magnitude of this murderous crime. I realised then that I didn't need to know a particular street in New York, or a view from the top of the towers or a vibe that embodied New York to understand and feel the unimaginable devastation and loss of life. I felt it with every ounce of me. I cried for the 'missing' pictures lining walls, the stories of near death, the people jumping to their deaths before the buildings collapsed, the grey smoke lingering like a funeral pyre, the faces of the firefighters and police officers, all these images were enough for me to completely feel the loss as best I could from my own city. Borders seemed erased as I felt country of origin didn't matter. I knew we all felt the effects of that day and knew we would be united in shouldering the grief. Conversely, I studied Art History in university, an avid lover of monuments; the gaudy and controversial, the beautiful and majestic; all appreciated for their artistic qualities; their conception a reflection of current trends, styles and architectural science. The towers may have been centres of commerce, towers built on wealth and democracy, but they were objects as recognizable as Giza in Egypt or Paris' Eiffel Tower. Gone. Erased from the landscape as if a child toppled his building blocks because playtime was over, but this wasn't child's play. May we never forget the lives lost in New York, the Pentagon and the fields in Pennsylvania. Stand strong. Stand united.
Name withheld I saw both towers burning as I walked to work--I ran back and got my video camera, and within seconds of shooting the first tower collapsed. That gave me a weird churned feeling of grief, lack of ethics for not stopping my camera, and an adrenalin-charged taste of present-ness (like what I think Susan Sontag said--the more life imitates film, the more 'real' it feels). I haven't looked at that recording since that day, it's almost burning a hole in that little cassette...
Name withheld We are at war, yet simultaneously, the details of this massive process continue. The workers have almost completed a road though the debris between West Street and Church. This will make it much easier to manouver the trucks. Most of the sniffer dogs are gone (so please, no more dog items! We are swimming in dog booties!) but there are a few dogs left, and tonight the 2 that we saw received red white and blue kerchiefs. We were given a flier last week that said, "This is a marathon, not a sprint". So as we pace ourselves, or try to, the colder weather brings on the realities of what everyone will need to gather and prepare to get the people at Ground Zero through this fall and winter. WE ACCEPT YOUR DONATIONS 9am to 9pm 7 DAYS A WEEK!!!!! and most of the time will load them right onto the trucks and bring them straight to Ground Zero.
THE NUMBER ONE DESIRED ITEM by everyone, everywhere we go is:
Second most desired item is (and perhaps hardest to find):
We also really need:
Looking ahead as the weather gets even colder we'll be needing Insulated Gloves soon. Any children's drawings, letters, can be collected by us at the warehouse as well, we will deliver them! GENERAL HOT LIST: (the same as before, as is the below information)
SHIPPING INFORMATION:
OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION:
New York, NY Please note that a current list of needed supplies can be found at: wtcgroundzerorelief.org Hi escribo desde Caracas, Venezuela y acabo de ver todas las fotos de tu site, estan muy buenas y es lamentable todo lo que a ocurrido desde el 09/11/2001. From Venezuelan's People LET'S GO AMERICAN PEOPLE.
Name withheld Thank you for the poignantly beautiful yet bittersweet memorial to a great and dignified lady, New York City, and more importantly, to those who now remain only as loving whispers in the hearts of family, friends, co-workers and millions of nameless people who have wept as we've viewed images of this senseless tragedy. The loss is the world's loss, and we all grieve deeply. I pray for healing and and peace, and I know that New Yorkers are a strong community of Americans who will transcend the pain of the moment, and will rise again, to stand tall, courageous and proud. I am originally from Detroit, and now live in Buffalo while attending SUNY at Buffalo in the American Studies doctoral program, but I will always be an honorary New Yorker. I have spent many enjoyable days and nights in that vibrant atmosphere, I love it, and there is nothing like "The City!" Before the attack, I was writing my dissertation. I have not been able to write, nor sleep, since the morning of September 11. May God bless our country, and those dedicated police officers, firefighters, military personnel, volunteers, and many, many others who daily risk their lives for our safety and peace of mind. And, as we engage in fighting terrorism both on American soil and abroad, may we all be reminded of human fragility and vulnerability, because sometimes, we get lost in our own feelings of self-importance and smugness. Hug somebody today, greet strangers warmly and openly, love yourself and others. We are not all so different, as we are the same. Hate kills, love heals. We will overcome. Thank you again for giving us a view that most of us otherwise would not have had.
Name withheld I came to your beautiful city on 9/23 for a business trip. It was scheduled for the week before but canceled because of the tragedy. I immediately sensed the the people of New York were very sad. I was impressed by the extreme show of patriotism exhibited by flags flown--EVERYWHERE! I took the walk down to about a block away from ground zero. Words cannot describe the feeling you get as you look at what was done. I felt irreverent taking pictures and could not hold back the tears. The crowds were silent as we went by. I will never forget the feeling I got as I walked the street. It looked, smelled and felt like a war zone. I am glad that I went down there so that I could share with my children this immense tragedy. They need to remember what happened that day and the evil that was perpetuated. We felt so safe in our own little world. We need to keep our heads high and remember that we are proud to be Americans. I will never, ever forget that day for the rest of my life.
Name withheld It is a cool crisp, sunny morning in Michigan, as our Country bombards the darkened city of Kabul. Your photo essay of last month's tragedy reminds me why. Very poignant photos.
Name withheld In November of 1991, I took my then girlfriend, who is now my wife, to the Windows on the World Restaurant at the top of WTC. It was a romantic evening that neither one of us will ever forget. The night was clear and the view was awesome. Since that time whenever we traveled south on the New Jersey turnpike, we could look over to the left, across the river and smile. Those were "our" buildings. On trips back home to Connecticut it was always a warm and inviting reminder that home was not far away. On the morning of Sept 11th, my wife called me and told me that a plane had hit one of the towers. I was on my way to a meeting in another part of the building when she called me. I was shocked and immediately turned on the small television that is in my office. With her on the speaker phone, my secretary and some others on my floor, coming into my office, we all watched in horror as the second plane crashed into tower 2. I heard her gasp in fear and disbelief along with the others in my office who were watching. I immediately took my wife off the speaker phone and asked her had our children gone to school yet. She said they had and in the same breath we both said, go get them. Being an ex Air Force and in a security position, I knew that this was by no means a accident. My wife hung up the phone and went to pick upi our children at school. I told my staff that if they wanted to go home to go because at this point the 3rd airliner had struck the pentagon and only God knew what would happen next. I listened to NY radio stations as I took the slow ride home on I84 in Connecticut. The highway was filling up with people that had the same idea, going home and being with family. The horror of hearing the description of the towers collapsing and the uncertainty I felt driving home was heartbreaking. Listening to the reports did bring tears to my eyes as I thought about the people that worked in the restaurant 11 years ago and wondered if any of them were still working there and if they could have been there at the time. I especially thought of the elderly man that was the mens bathroom attendant when we were there. My mind thought of the waiters, the matre D. the bus boys and I cried. For the first time since we had been there, I saw there faces in my mind... all of them, and wondered if they were still working there and if they were safe and still do. Once home, the video of the towers falling was to much to bear. My wife and I, in our den, held each other and cried like two small children. Our children were downstairs, too young, we thought, to understand the sorrow and the grief that was engulfing all of us. Hour after hour passed as one story after another went across the televison air ways. Each story becoming more and more personal. The feelings that eac and every one in my family has had and still has are too numerous to say here in this forum When JFK was assassinated in 1963, I was 6 years old, and did not quite understand why my parents were as upset as they were. The world had changed for them and for me in 1963. The world for me has changed again and for my family. We have changed as a nation and this nation will never be the same again. We have become one nation, one family and we will never let the anything divide us again. Thank you for having this website, so others can express what they feel.
SJM I awoke On Oct. 11th at 6 AM PST to my clock radio on and the news telling me a plane had hit the WTC. By mistake, I thought. As I brushed my teeth and put on my uniform, I was told another plane had hit. I ate my bowl of cereal in front of the TV - how can this be happening? And then the news of the Pentagon. As I laced my shoes to go to work, I told my husband: "This is a day we will never forget", and of course, none of us will. At work in the Post Office, the mood was sombre, and those with headsets called out news, while my husband kept me informed via my cell phone. None of us could believe it when they fell. I felt stunned all day - and when I drove home the tears fell as I saw the flags at half mast. Us Canadians have always felt just a bit better than the Americans. We joke about our free health care, our lack of consumerism, the lack of guns - hey we're just that little bit better. But we live in the shadow of our big Brother the USA, and we have been forced to realize that we are all one and the same. Those few brief moments have opened our hearts - the US and Canadian flags are flying side by side, and I have brought out my USA/Canada Expo 86 pin back out from the bottom of my jewelry box. I am proud to wear it. This whole event has united North America and the world. All of a sudden it is a much smaller place. The Red Cross here in Vancouver, BC is loaded with blood - everyone wanted to give - to help. But, unfortunately, it wasn't needed in New York. We, personally, took in two young people stranded at the Airport for 6 days. We felt grateful for the opportunity to give, to help in any way. We spoke in hushed tones as we gathered round the TV every night. Please tell everyone in New York that we grieve with you.
Name withheld Hi, I am writing to you at 12.30 am from The Hague, Holland. Three weeks after that horrific, unbelievable, astounding disaster in NY, I am still surfing the web and tonight I hit upon all those very personal stories and photos. It brings up a lot of emotions, perhaps even more, because now the shock has somewhat worn off, and the enormity has really sunk in. And still it is hard to comprehend. In June of 2000 I moved back to my native The Hague, Holland, mainly because of the view of the apartment I inherited from my dad who die on Sept.19, 1999. The view is of red tiled roofs and dunes and sky. The beach is less than a mile away. But I miss New York and Hoboken, where I lived for 19 years. Lower Manhattan was my favorite place in the city. During the last 6 months I was there I passed through the WTC to take the path or ferry to Hoboken.
Anyway, I am sending you two pics of the towers. The first one I took in 1993 from the Ellis Island ferry. Dark clouds over Manhattan. Hmmmm. The other one was taken on New Years day this year by my good friend who was living in my appartent till July of this year. She now lives in Stockholm. Our hearts and minds are in NY at this time and will be for some time to come. We are both ex dotcom girls, and we miss the city, even now. Thank you for your memoir, report, whatever you want to call it. Keep us posted from that rooftop view.
Name withheld I had my first child on Monday, September 10, 2001. On the morning of the 11th a nurse come into my room and brought my baby so I could feed her. I was sitting there feeding her and listening to the radio as I heard of the first attack. At first I thought it was some kind of joke. Then I turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane fly into the South tower. I was not as saddened as I would have been normally because I was in awe of my brand new baby. She will be one month old on Monday, October 8th. As I look at her now I wonder what my baby has to look forward to. And I wonder how so many lives can be changed so drastically in moments. I also wonder if I have done something good by bringing my child into this world. Don't get me wrong I love her with all my heart and wouldn't trade her for anything. But then again what does she have to look forward to? All she will know is something sad happened the day after she was born. She will only be able to see the towers in old photos and will never completely understand the emotion and the sadness all Americans felt that day. We come home from the hospital on the day the Twin Towers were attacked. I didn't want to be anywhere near the Denver WTC for fear that something was going to happen to it and I was only a few blocks away. To all of those who lost someone on that tragic day please remember there is still good in the world. And we will forget all that were lost......
Name withheld I'm glad to have discovered your website from reading a referral in TIMES magazine (10/08/01 issue). I was in awe by the photos taken, just a real sad moment in the history of America. 7,000 plus lives, 19 men involved, how could of this have happened? Here's a story of how it could of been me. I am a full-blooded Navajo female from the reservation in Arizona. I served five years in the U.S. Army and did my last tour in Maryland. Well shortly after getting out, I landed a job in Northern Virginia by a contracting company that is doing the renovation on the Pentagon, I was to start work for them on the side of the building that got hit. How fortunate I am to have switched companies, maybe it was a calling from GOD, thank you. I work five minutes from Dulles airport now where one of the planes was hijacked from, and I have to admit there are a lot of insecure people walking around here, it scares us to hear a huge Boeing Aircraft fly over the top of us. I love this area, but some of those feelings have changed since the Pentagon ant the WTC's have been targeted. My heart goes out to those in New York, as well and the whole country, we all experienced this together even though some of were closer to home than many. Thanks for putting out the Photos, GOD bless!
Name withheld Thank you for your time, energy and obvious passion for pictures. They give remarkable insight into the progress, both emotional and physical, that is being made in New York. I believe this is reflected nationwide. I know we have flags in almost every yard. My 5 & 7 year old periodically ask why there are so many flags. Unfortunately, they quickly answer their own question in a very somber "oh, I remember...it's for the people that died". I have only been to New York one time it was 2 years ago, the day after Thanksgiving. After the attack I went through all the pictures I took that day. Luckily, I have several pictures of the skyline that I am able to show my children so that they will know what was there and what was lost.
Name withheld After a rather comical instructive message from my mother who is wholly computer illiterate... I found your web site. "after I think www you either do or don't put a period I think don't... then thirteen points and then that should get you there- it is very important you see it..." you get the motherly point. Needless to say I was thankful and complete luckily to have some how found it. Images are what I seek here so far away, in Walla Walla. (not having a TV doesn't help -- a fact I am usually very proud of) I think out of a need for human contact-- the memorials are what strike me the most. Thank you for being the eyes for us that can't see. It is times like these that some how remind us that we are too far from home and that we should have been there with our friends and family. Instead of here in the midwestern mailise of needing to strike out in rage for fear that some will notice the numb looks on everyone's faces.
Name withheld Thank you for this. I moved from NYC to Oregon last year, and have felt both solidarity and displacement with my home. I've seen the reports, the pictures on CNN, MSNBC, all of them. This, your site, seemed much more real to me. More personal. More in depth, if you can imagine. I am a Staten Islander. I grew up with that skyline for 24 years, seeing it from my house, taking the ferry every morning to get to my class in Manhattan, every night to return home from work. I have never seen such an eerie sight as the last few pictures. And I certainly admit... I cry as I write this. I've been crying sporadically for three weeks for the people I've lost in the towers, for all the victims and their families, for those who went through this and made it out alive, for the rescue workers, for the city, and for the country. So much to grieve about, yet so beautiful to see people come together in times of tragedy. After what I've said, I'm at a loss for anything else to say. Seems like that's been the case lately... more emotions than words being expressed. But I will say this. Whoever took those pictures.... whoever wrote the captions to tell the story of what you've seen... thank you again. It was very cathartic.
Name withheld We were on vacation in Paris at the time of this tragedy - we did not know it occurred until we got to our Hotel's main desk after a day of touring around at the Louvre and the Musee De'Orsay - we routinely asked for any messages. The Hotel Clerk looked at us incredulously and said she was amazed at our aloofness as Americans. I inquired as to why she made that statement and she then told us the terrible news. We went up to our rooms to watch CNN and the BBC News Cable Stations and were shocked to see and hear what had happened. Your pictures bring into focus what we couldn't have seen unless we were there - we all work in NYC and many times we all have passed through the WTC on our way to our offices. May God bless those who helped, and comfort those who lost, and tend to those thousands of souls in eternal rest.
Name withheld Im not sure if this will get to you. Im a 21 year old student at the University of Toronto in Canada. After viewing your photos of the terrorist attacks I have become overwelmed with more sadness. I have been deeply impacted by this tragedy and I have been trying to get to New York to try and get closure for myself. However, crossing the border is very difficult and Im a little worried that I will get there and not be able to go anywhere. Since you have been as close to the sight as possible, I was wondering if you could send me any information on where I can and can't go and places to stay. I would greatly appreciate your help. Any information would be helpful and appreciated. Stand strong...
Name withheld Thanks for your photos. For days I have been wondering what happened to both Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel. I visited both two years ago (as well as the rooftop deck at the WTC) and dread to think what happened to them. Among your photos I saw St. Paul's, apparently unscathed. Can you confirm that the chapel and Trinity Church are still standing? Many thanks for your information.
Name withheld Yes, fortunately both churches are still standing. St Paul’s Chapel is closer to ground zero by a block or two, and from street level the building looks fine. -JC I have lived in rural Ohio all of my life, I have never been to New York City, although it has always been a dream of mine. I now feel that the terrorists have cheated me out of a very important section of the city that I would have marveled at I am sure. I guess I always thought the Statue of Liberty was the most "American" attraction on my list of to see, now I know better. I am just sorry not to have been there before all this happened. Thank you for your photos, although they are disturbing, they also show me upclose what I have missed and I am saddened by this.
Name withheld Thank you. The tears I shed over your words and photos helped.
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Name withheld The morning of the attacks, I was teaching school. My husband, who is a Navy Recruiter came to my class to apprise me of the situation. "The twin towers have been hit, and so has the Pentagon." In that one instant my life, as well as the lives of every American, was changed forever. My husband had been instructed to get out of uniform and leave his office until further notice. Here, in small town East Texas, I felt my security being pulled from my grasp. In only a few hours my husband would be told to return to "work as usual". But I don't think it will ever be the same. Through my shock, disbelief, and then anger, I did manage to inform and counsel my children and my students. I watched the news daily... glued... waiting for a change... an update.... something to hold onto. It was days later that I realized what I needed wasn't going to be found on the news. What I needed was the love, comfort, safety, and security of my family. So I made a decision that I should have made years ago... I turned the TV off, and I turned my family on. Though each others' strength and love we will make it through whatever the future has to offer. And we will help each other move on... But tonight, as we entered the second week-end, I needed something else, too. I wasn't sure what it was until I checked my email and received the link to your page. You gave me the one thing that I was still needing to be able to heal... time. Time to reflect... Thank you,
Name withheld I can remember the morning of the 11th clearly, my kids woke me up yelling as usual. I came out to the living room in time to see the second plane hit the towers, I can remember thinking that they must have been watching Armageddon (I wish that they had been) We are the type of parents that try not to keep our kids from the harsh realties of the world, so I am trying to let them absorb as much of the tragedy as I think they can comprehend. I keep telling them that they are witnessing history and that the world as we knew it will never be the same again. My kids all got together and thought of the best way that they as children 2500 miles away in Seattle could do something to help, they decided that money would be the surest bet. On their own initiative they put together a lemonade stand two days after the attack in front of our local market. They sat there in the pouring rain for 8 hours selling the most terrible lemonade that you could possibly imagine, and when they were all done and counted the money there was almost $900.00 in the collection pot (and 6 gallons of nasty lemonade to lug home) Then on Saturday my 14 year old daughter and 11 of her classmates organized a carwash (again all on their own) these kids washed cars from 9AM until 5PM, the grand total of cars washed that day was well over 300 and when the money pot was counted there was almost $1100.00 in it. The kids decided to add the two sums together and split them evenly between the Red Cross and the IAFF 911 Relief Fund. Dad added a few extra bucks and each disaster fund received $1000.00 I am so proud of all of these children that it is impossible to put it into words, lets just say that my respect level for them has grown by a giant step. It is hard for me to describe the sadness I feel these days when I think of all the lives lost in NYC and in DC. I will be driving down the road and another driver that is not paying attention to what they are doing will cut me off or try to run into me, these are things that 2 weeks ago would have been responded to with harsh words and some sign language, these days all I do is take a deep breath and continue on because it seems that fighting amongst ourselves over trivial things doesn't matter much anymore. I will listen to the radio or watch television and find myself breaking into tears over an image, or a rescuers account of Ground Zero, being a 6'4" tattooed biker this is alien to me. All I can do is pray for the dead and those who try to find the living amongst the debris of what was once the WTC and the Pentagon. We as citizens of the United States do not live in America, it lives inside of everyone of us. It is called American Spirit and those that are responsible for this cowardly attack on us will pay for their deed ten fold. It is amazing to see the amount of patriotism that is being shown all around the country, though it is a shame that it took an event like this to bring it out. America will survive this blow and come back even stronger than we were before, and I for one feel proud to say that I am an American and that it's spirit lives within me. God Bless all of the people that are tirelessly working to find our missing Heros. and GOD BLESS AMERICA
Name withheld Greetings from Australia! Please be aware that, even from such a distance our hearts ache for you all. The first crash happened at 11pm local time here. We called friends and sat transfixed as events got worse and worse thru the night. I finally drifted off into exhausted sleep at around 6am. Next morning washed out and feeling wrecked I drove to my office. I was listening to the news as I stopped at the traffic lights near work. I watched as the woman in the car next to me put her hands in her head in grief and cried openly. I admit I, like most of my friends, cried allot that day. Somehow it seems like the world will never be the seem safe good clean place I used to think it was! perhaps the age of innocence has finally gone? But I do ramble.......... I just wanted to thank you for your touching images and be aware that each night as this family tucks it's young ones safely into bed, we mention you all in our prayers, even tho my kids have never been to New York and the youngest doesn't even know where it is, God bless and be strong, that way they will never win!
Name withheld Looking at such horrible inhuman acts, you can never feel the same. In christianity, as in any religion, we are taught forgiveness, but when you are confronted with such violence, when you look what people do to inocent employees like you and I going to work to support their families and end up massacred, the only thing that comes to my mind is not forgiveness but the desire to get justice, therefore "CRIME MUST PAY". I sure hope the person behind all this inhuman act stands on trial and pay for his actions, him and any other person who had anything to do with this massacre. God bless you all and may all inocents who perished in this act rest in peace and God help their families.
Name withheld I can't say i enjoyed looking through your site, but i do appreciate it. When I started working on the 85th Floor of the 1WTC a couple of years ago, my "always worried" mother told me to make sure that i kept a pair of sneakers and a flashlight in my desk. (During the 1993 bombing, the lights in the stairs were out and due to water, the stairs were incredibly slippery, making evacuation treacherous). I told her, jokingly, that the next time they bomb the towers, they're both going to come down so sneakers won't matter. Sadly, I was right. I worked in and around WTC for five years. I lost friends and a piece of my life. I'm not sure NYC will ever be the same.
Name withheld As I looked at your pictures this morning, it reminds me of my only visit to New York for a trade show in August 2000. My wife and I did some of the usual tourist things. The carriage ride through Central Park, hanging out in Time Square, shopping on 5th Avenue and spending way too much for a great dinner at an Italian restaurant. The one thing I do remember is the flight in and seeing the WTC as we approached the city. Although I've lived in Chicago and currently live in Atlanta, there is something amazing and breath taking about the skyline of New York City. Now, thanks to some cowardly bastards, that skyline will never again be the same. There will always be something missing. The only positive thing to come out of this disaster is that the American spirit has resurfaced. It's just unfortunate that it took something like this to make us all sit up and realize how fortunate we really are. Everywhere you look you see signs of renewed patriotism. I, for one, am extremely proud to be an American right now. I am also mad as hell and extremely frustrated because I feel like there is nothing I can do. I would love to be able to help dig through the rubble and give one of the exhausted rescue workers a break. I would also like the opportunity to choke the life out of the people responsible for the attack. I encourage all the people of New York to stand tall and stand proud. Use this event to unite and strengthen your city. You've been bloodied and bruised, but like the character Rocky Balboa, you refuse to go down. You are all champions and you will rise above this. To everyone who has lost a friend or loved one, my thoughts and prayers are with you. May God bless you and all Americans.
Name withheld I wanted to thank you as I am sure thousands of people across the world have felt compelled to do so. I cannot even begin to imagine the horror you felt to have made such a glib, off the cuff remark only to have it be a tragic prophecy. Here I sit, more than two weeks after this tragedy has occurred, grieving for all the lives lost, the destruction, desecration, and still feeling as though it just happened this morning. There are moments I still feel lost, confused, and numb, wondering why it happened and wondering what will be next. Through all this, I can say, I have never felt more proud to be an American. I am very proud of our leaders. Anyone who knows someone who is a police officer or fire fighter truly knows a modern-day hero. That is especially true for the men and women in New York. It is my great hope that as the days pass, we find ways to continue to renew our national unity and patriotism. I pray that we continue to learn to embrace and hold dear the importance of humanity and compassion toward our fellow citizens. Thank you for sharing your perspective on the events and for the tenor of the city. God Bless You. God Bless Us All.
Name withheld I live in Canberra Australia. The other side of the world from New York and the World Trade Centres and yet we had the dubious distinction of watching the events unfold live on prime time TV - ironically during the West Wing. We watched in disbelief and horror at what happened. The next day all of us went to work numb and grief stricken - little was achieved by anyone. I live one block from the American Embassy and even today, 10 days after the tragedy, the carpet of flowers left by mourners grows on the beautiful sweeping lawns. The outpouring of grief and sympathy in this country has been tremendous. All Australia remembers America and Americans in their prayers. Even though on the other side of the world we are touched by this tragedy. As I write this I shed tears for the poor people who have lost loved ones from this unspeakable act. The architect of the World Trade Centres saw them as a symbol of peace, it is a travesty that they should be desecrated in this fashion. As George Bush said they can break steel but they can't break the American spirit. God bless and love from your friends on the other side of the world.
Name withheld I want to thank you for your picture/word essay of the events of September 11. In spite of the tragedy, they almost have a calming effect. There is a picture however that you have taken, asking that pictures not be taken for security reasons. Hopefully, that is the only picture taken "anyway". As you know from being there, we are at war...when we are asked not to do something because of "security", let's honor that request. I sincerely hope all your family and friends are accounted for.
Name withheld Thanks to you for the photos and commentary. They made me cry all over again. I'm glad you took the "opportunity" you had and made this area. In a few hours, it will have been one week. TV will go back to its "regularly scheduled programming", and the news of 9/11 will be seen less in our papers. But, we must keep these feelings, must not forget what kind of damage we are able to do to each other. Now, everyone is clamoring for revenge. "Eye for an eye!". The polls show that we support destroying the lives of other innocent people. It will neither ease our pain, nor bring back those we have lost. Punish the perpetrators? Yes, of course! But, let's not boldly commit the same evils that others have done in secret.. I pray God will give us encouragement, give wisdom to our leaders, and show us all how to treat one another with gentleness, kindness, and respect. My wife & I argued a couple of days ago. She commented, "you and I are like a microcosm of this world. We are different, and we fight and try to get our own way." It's true. My hope is that we can learn from our relationships, and take it to the world. Be selfless. Be kind. Be gentle. Be compassionate. 1st Corinthians 13 tells us this is what love is. I pray we can learn to love one another.
Name withheld The media has succeeded with inundating the masses with images that have ignited fear and anger. I can understand their duty to tell the story, however, there is a limit to what our senses can take. At least, as I have come to realize. When I became aware of just how much the images on television affected me, I simply turned it off. Afterwards, it seems as I had to detox from those images, and struggled internally about reality of it all. There have been times during the past week, that I thought this tragic event was just a dream, yet, only to realize that it was all very real. Last night, I tried to concentrate on some school work, and could not focus. I decided to say a prayer. I came to tears as I prayed. I found myself praying for everyone that was affected by the tragedies that occured in your community. In the midst of my prayer, I realized that I really needed to pray for myself in reflection of what occurred. I proceeded to pray for myself in all aspect of my being, then for those dearest to me; my family and relatives. I prayed in my native language, Dine' (aka, Navajo) and remembered the simplicities, yet hard to acheive state of being that is always strived for; the essence of beauty in balance and harmony of ones life. Then, in closing the prayer, I honored the four cardinal direction in gratitude for their foundation, which is the way Amen is stated in our prayers. To complete my humble prayer, I burned some cedar and blessed myself (often referred to as smudging in the New Age circles). I then burned some more cedar for everyone else and directed the smoke into the air outside in hopes that my prayer of hope would rise and provide comfort for those is distress, and for the land on which this occured, our Mother Earth. I felt I had to do something, and I hope this message will help you and others who might read this.
Name withheld So I sit here in Kygyzstan weeping in a cybercafe. The people here are likely to approach one and offer condolences. They use a gesture of covering the heart with one or two hands and bowing, the head a little to one side. Given how generally over wrought we are, it is very moving. A man came up to me from several rows back on a plane to ask that I tell “everyone in America” that most Muslims are suffering along with Americans, and please not to retaliate by hurting innocent Muslims.
Name withheld I am a graphic designer, mainly designing and building web sites here in Peoria, Il. I was surfing around, looking for a site to give me some info on the World Trade Center, why I picked your site, I don't know. All of us here at work are looking through your library of photos, very moving, very unbelievable. Also, very nice work. Thank you. 5 months ago 4 of us from here went to NYC to attend the Macromedia Conference. My girlfriend and I immediately feel in love with the city. We were out of the conference by 4 or so and didn't get back to the hotel until after 1 every night. The city that never sleeps, the people that never sleep. We were lucky to have gotten hold of a good friend from Peoria who moved out there 7 years ago. He was our tour guide and got us familiar with the subways and such. On my last day, a friend, who I met at the conference, and I went to the WTC and up to the “Top of the World”, I wish now we would of bought that silly $15 photo. Any way, please know that there are so many people sending love and strength, not only to the victims and their friends and families but also to all you wonderful New Yorkers. I wish you peace and look forward to someday coming back to your wonderful city.
Name withheld I've arrived in Morocco safely. A couple of us had just arrived for our first day of classes in our Arabic language school (a former courtyard home in Rabat's old medina) when we heard the news of the attacks on the US. People here are pulling together, although many of the students here have family from DC and or NY. This event has crystalized perhaps the most important thing we may do here: that is to create friendships in the Arab world and one-by-one create real relationships here which can dispell the frequent untoward generalizations that are applied to American nationals. What a phenomenal tragedy. These events will surely exacerbate pre-existing prejudice on both sides of the American-Arab rift. I hope to do some small part to heal the tensions and avert misinformation locally in this Arab community. It is quite a poignant experience to be among Arabs (and US researchers) watching CNN report the initial speculation of the involvement of Osama bin Laden &/or the Islamic Jihad. In the courtyard behind me (now with TV and improvised seating), many of the US nationals are crying as I type. Equal sadness and concern is on the faces of our Moroccan friends here. It was especially moving when two completely veiled Islamic women here completely broke down and collapsed in the entryway to this beautiful historic home moments ago; know that people here are feeling the power and sadness of these events just as much as Americans are. The events today make being here feel increasingly appropriate. Learning arabic and living within this culture feel just the thing to be doing right now. The timing is surreal and life feels dear and significant. I send you my love and wishes for your peace & safety.
Name withheld Thanks to Andrea, Adam, Daniel, and Michael. Special thanks to Debbie and Elizabeth for tolerating my requests for roof access. For additional visitor comments, please see 13 Weeks and 13 Months. |
