- The Views and the Memories
- The Last Day
- Some Questions and Answers
Did I still have a job?
Yes and I was thankful for that also. I worked from home for a few days and then I went to a series of temporary work locations. It was so nice to see my co-workers again!
What was the bomb scare in Bryant Park?
I couldn’t find any news reports about it so I assume it was a hoax.
What was the shockwave on the 44th floor of the South Tower?
The initial “boom” was from the crash of United Airlines Flight 175, more than thirty floors higher. Joe was also on the 44th floor at the time and he was in a better position to witness what followed. He was near the southern end of the lobby, by the local elevators that serviced the 68th floor. Immediately after the impact of the plane, some of those elevator cars started falling. The falls were partially blocked, evidently by an emergency braking system. The shockwave of dust came from the elevator shafts. The pressure from the shockwave was so great that the people who were standing nearby fell to the floor. Anyone who was trapped inside of those elevators undoubtedly perished.
What happened to some of the people I noticed on my way out of the South Tower?
The woman from the cafeteria, who was being helped down the stairs, did survive. I was glad to see her at one of our temporary work locations. I recognized a few of the other people from news articles. The elderly man being helped down the stairs was Albert Joseph. He was able to get out of the building but then he was injured by falling debris when the South Tower collapsed. He died later. The young man I saw assisting Albert did survive. The female police officer, who was yelling "Keep moving!" on the plaza level, was Moira Smith. She did not survive and neither did her partner, Police Officer Robert Fazio.
World Trade Center Memorial 2012
photograph by Holly Brown
No. Cathy and Fred went to different parts of the floor to notify other groups, so most of the people from the 68th floor left early. There were a few who actually chose to stay at first, but they did leave soon afterward and they did live to talk about it.
Did my employer lose any people?
Yes, we lost thirteen people. Six of them were direct employees and the other seven were contracted through other companies. One of the thirteen victims was Albert Joseph, who I passed in the stairwell. Five of the thirteen – Jennifer DeJesus, Lindsay Coates Herkness III, Thomas F. Swift, Joseph DiPilato and Steven R. Strauss – worked on various floors below the crash site but they were not able to escape the devastation. At least some of those five may have been in elevators when the second plane crashed. The remaining seven of the thirteen victims were from our security department – Titus Davidson, Charles Laurencin, Wesley Mercer, Nolbert Salomon, Jorge Velazquez, Godwin Forde and Richard Rescorla. Those men searched various floors to see if anyone else needed help.
Rick Rescorla, Jorge Velasquez and Godwin Forde on 9/11
photograph by Eileen Mayer Hillock
And finally, what about the survivors?
They have stories to tell. From the thousands of people who were in the World Trade Center on 9/11 and survived, there are thousands of stories. Some of the stories are similar to mine, in parts, but they are also unique because of where the people were at what time, what they noticed and what they remember. Of course, there are stories of terror and loss, but there are also many stories of compassion. The show of kindness that day was so extraordinary that it was easily noticed and it is gratefully remembered.
Continue: Acknowledgements and Feedback