gmc
09-15-2001, 07:12 AM
It is still unreal to me. My daughter worked in the Blue Cross complex in the First Tower of the World Trade Center on the 29th floor. Fourty people in her unit are still missing. She saw the first plane coming toward the tower. Thinking it was rather strange looking, but already working, she quickly dimissed the thought. But, not for long.
They felt the impact. They didn't know the cause was the plane. They felt the sway of the building and she decided to group people in her immediate unit to take leave. In a group of five they headed toward the stairwell. Other groups were also going to the stairwell. They all began the trek down the stairs.
A man collapsed with an asthma attack. Andrea had her purse with her inhaler. She stopped to help him, gave him some puffs of her inhaler. She escorted, helped carry this gigantic, tall man down the stairs. It was approximately 9:15.
They came upon water in the stairwell. At this point, they all began to think something was wrong. Little panic though. She continued helping the man. They heard the impact of the second plane crashing into the second tower. She had her cell phone. She decided she needed to talk to her mom. She called home. She called her husband.
The next phase was a lobby, middle complex, she called it. There were fire balls, debri, minor destruction. It was at this point they were sure this was something major. She called home again she called her husband.
They left the building, she dragged the man at this point, the police took the man from her and sent her across the street, "Go, Go, don't look back, Go." they yelled. She called her husband. She called home.
No one was home, she had to leave messages on the answering machine, at this point crying, Mom where are you.
Where was I? I was in a school, teaching my first grade. Correcting the behavior of the children, teaching, joking, taking attendance, doing the ABC's, making a puppet, coloring and the usual things you do in First Grade.
At 10:15 another daughter made it to my school to be with me. The office staff would not let her in. They said, she is busy, she is teaching. My daughter said, I WILL be with my mom. They called me on the intercom to let me know my daughter was coming to my classroom. Is that OK? At that point I knew something must be wrong with one of my four children. I didn't know what. I got those stabs in the stomach, you know the ones, the panic stabs.
She turned the corner and yelled out, mom everyones ok but..... It was about 10:30, I just found out about the Tragedy. Others in the building still didn't know. I knew because my daughter told me. My principal and supervisors decided to withhold the information from us. Except my daughter came to be with me, so they then decided they better tell the staff. Some of the staff didn't know until 11:15 that we were under attack.
Yes, if I had known at the time that my daughter was in danger, I would have gone home. I wasn't given this option. They made a life, a family decision for me and others in my building. What right do they have to do this? My daughter went through hell without me. When I finally got home I found out all my children were calling home; messages of love, concern panic were on my machine.
Scott, wear your tinyhead with pride you earned it. But put your pride where it belongs. In the people, in humanity. All the innocent people in the entire world. They didn't do anything to us. The problems arise with the politics, the governments not the people. geri
They felt the impact. They didn't know the cause was the plane. They felt the sway of the building and she decided to group people in her immediate unit to take leave. In a group of five they headed toward the stairwell. Other groups were also going to the stairwell. They all began the trek down the stairs.
A man collapsed with an asthma attack. Andrea had her purse with her inhaler. She stopped to help him, gave him some puffs of her inhaler. She escorted, helped carry this gigantic, tall man down the stairs. It was approximately 9:15.
They came upon water in the stairwell. At this point, they all began to think something was wrong. Little panic though. She continued helping the man. They heard the impact of the second plane crashing into the second tower. She had her cell phone. She decided she needed to talk to her mom. She called home. She called her husband.
The next phase was a lobby, middle complex, she called it. There were fire balls, debri, minor destruction. It was at this point they were sure this was something major. She called home again she called her husband.
They left the building, she dragged the man at this point, the police took the man from her and sent her across the street, "Go, Go, don't look back, Go." they yelled. She called her husband. She called home.
No one was home, she had to leave messages on the answering machine, at this point crying, Mom where are you.
Where was I? I was in a school, teaching my first grade. Correcting the behavior of the children, teaching, joking, taking attendance, doing the ABC's, making a puppet, coloring and the usual things you do in First Grade.
At 10:15 another daughter made it to my school to be with me. The office staff would not let her in. They said, she is busy, she is teaching. My daughter said, I WILL be with my mom. They called me on the intercom to let me know my daughter was coming to my classroom. Is that OK? At that point I knew something must be wrong with one of my four children. I didn't know what. I got those stabs in the stomach, you know the ones, the panic stabs.
She turned the corner and yelled out, mom everyones ok but..... It was about 10:30, I just found out about the Tragedy. Others in the building still didn't know. I knew because my daughter told me. My principal and supervisors decided to withhold the information from us. Except my daughter came to be with me, so they then decided they better tell the staff. Some of the staff didn't know until 11:15 that we were under attack.
Yes, if I had known at the time that my daughter was in danger, I would have gone home. I wasn't given this option. They made a life, a family decision for me and others in my building. What right do they have to do this? My daughter went through hell without me. When I finally got home I found out all my children were calling home; messages of love, concern panic were on my machine.
Scott, wear your tinyhead with pride you earned it. But put your pride where it belongs. In the people, in humanity. All the innocent people in the entire world. They didn't do anything to us. The problems arise with the politics, the governments not the people. geri