9/11 Stories

Douglas

I arrived in NYC from WNY eleven days after the attacks. As my dad, brother, and i walked towards the towers you could feel a sense of stiffness in the air. During the walk i felt displaced by seeing police officers on every corner and on every buildings entrances. It felt as if we were in some foreign country, you could tell there was a war going on. As we reached a checkpoint, we could walk no further towards the once WTC and we just looked at the work lights and the cranes in the distance. as i stared with about 40 people around me, the moon sat atop the sky. i had my camera in my bag ready to take a picture but i never even reached for my bag on my side. My dad, brother, and me just stood and watched. we did not talk or exchange looks, we knew what each other was feeling. With the moon shining i remembered all the people that had lost their precious lives.

As we walked away from the site, the moon now at our backs, there were trucks now heading to clean up the mess. i saw a truck full of men, ready to work and new i could never imagine what they must be seeing when going through the debris. i felt a sense of helplessness walking on these streets, i felt so small and weak. What i felt when i watched the television when the towers collapsed was nothing compared to what i felt when i could see no WTC. it was nothing compared to what i felt when i saw the shrines in the street and missing posters with pictures of people that have loved ones to never hear from again. I continued to walk away from what was once the WTC with my dad and brother at my side. i will always remember all those that are gone and that now walk in heaven along Gods side.

Douglas——WNY

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