My annual September 11th post - on the 15th anniversary

[duke74]

My annual September 11th post... apologies for the repeat, but this date cannot be forgotten...it is as indelibly etched on the U.S. psyche as is December 7th...and it is just as meaningful to me as in the past...

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We were in the WTC until the first attack in February 1993. (My office was on the 100th floor, facing the Lady of the Harbor. I remember the walk down in the dark and smoke). We then moved temporarily to our midtown offices on B’way and 50th Street. Thank goodness, my managing partner decided NOT to move back to the WTC – a gutsy decision based on client and political pressures, but a wise one in retrospect and one that considered the employees of the firm. We moved across West Street to the World Financial Center (now "Brookfield Plaza").

On September 11th, I was in London for a series of meetings. Someone came back down to the conference room and said that a plane went into the Trade Center...and had to make the point that she was not kidding, based on our reactions. We spent the next day trying to reach our families, crying and watching CNN. My wife was on the BQE (for those o/s of NY, that’s the Brooklyn Queens Expressway) heading to work and saw the planes hit. My son was in his senior year at Duke.

I headed off to Zurich for another meeting, since I couldn’t get back home anyhow. I ended up being able to get back to the States on Saturday, but with the “lottery” of air availability, flew into Pittsburgh. Luckily my travel service was able to get me a rental car at Pittsburgh, and I started the long ride back to Queens. Stopped in PA for the night, eyes almost closed from fatigue and emotion. On Sunday morning, I crossed the Verrazano Narrows Bridge from Staten Island to Brooklyn and saw the smoke rising from what was the WTC complex. Tears again…pulled off the road until I composed myself.

This is NOT about me, but my life has not been the same since – professionally or personally. My wife (an atty by profession) is a volunteer with the cops of the NYPD, and has embedded herself even more into that group of heroes to help any way she can. I went on an intellectual journey, and went back to school at NYU at the age of 53 for a masters in int’l relations. (We suddenly learned that something was out there...and I had so much to learn on the subject.) My son decided that he was “coming home”…he graduated Duke in 2002 and went to law school in NYC. The magnet was there. What got to him was some non-NYer’s moronic comment in a class shortly after the attacks – something to the effect of “why is everyone so upset? They were only buildings!”

My office looked RIGHT out on the site, so I saw the clean-up and the rise of the new structures and development of the memorial on an almost daily basis. It hit me each and every day what was there, but thankfully, also what has now risen from those (literal) ashes. (We have since moved to 30 Rock and I have left the firm due to mandatory retirement requirements.) I will again watch the ceremonies, with tears in my eyes.

God bless the victims, the first responders, and those who we have lost since that day. God bless those who protect us here and abroad...and never forget that we must remain vigilant - that this remains an evil world with those dedicated to the destruction of the U.S. and our allies.

[rthomas]

My wife and I went to Manhattan for our 30th anniversary early in the summer, mainly for Hamilton, and went to One World. I just got to say, you should do it. The elevator ride is a trip.

[Jeffrey]

I am very proud of my wife. She runs a little six girl Girl Scout troop and, every year, she brings together our town's first responders (Fire, Police, etc.) for a Girl Scout thank you. They're doing it again tomorrow and over 120 young girls (from over 15 different troops) will be in attendance to give our town's first responders a very well deserved thank you. IMO, these young girls can deliver this important message better than any adult.

[BigWayne]

Took this picture September 9th 2001. 15 years ago today. Will never forget.

september_9th.jpg

[kmspeaks]

I was a high school freshman in September 2001. I currently teach high school freshmen. This year's class is the first that was born after the attacks. It was a weird moment for me talking to my students today about such a major moment in my life knowing that they weren't even born when it occurred.

[duke74]

I was a high school freshman in September 2001. I currently teach high school freshmen. This year's class is the first that was born after the attacks. It was a weird moment for me talking to my students today about such a seminal moment in my life knowing that they weren't even born when it occurred.

Was listening to a radio show the other day...the speaker made the same point. The kids in school don't see this as an event in their lifetimes - it is an event in history that they are learning about. Like WWII or the Korean War for my generation. (I'm 64 later this month.)

[duke74]

Took this picture September 9th 2001. 15 years ago today. Will never forget.

september_9th.jpg

Wow...were you still here on the 11th?

[kmspeaks]

Was listening to a radio show the other day...the speaker made the same point. The kids in school don't see this as an event in their lifetimes - it is an event in history that they are learning about. Like WWII or the Korean War for my generation. (I'm 64 later this month.)

When the attacks happened I remember not understanding why the adults were all so upset or why so many kids were getting picked up early from school (I lived in Virginia, less that 40 miles from DC). My 14 year old brain didn't really understand how big a deal it was until I got home from school and tried to watch Sports Center but even ESPN was showing the news. Today if the principal made an announcement, like mine did in 2001, that there was a terrorist attack these kids would immediately understand what that meant, but that phrase wasn't even in my vocabulary at their age. I think that's what really hit me today - they have never lived in a world where terrorist attacks or threats are not a common thing.

[duke74]

When the attacks happened I remember not understanding why the adults were all so upset or why so many kids were getting picked up early from school (I lived in Virginia, less that 40 miles from DC). My 14 year old brain didn't really understand how big a deal it was until I got home from school and tried to watch Sports Center but even ESPN was showing the news. Today if the principal made an announcement, like mine did in 2001, that there was a terrorist attack these kids would immediately understand what that meant, but that phrase wasn't even in my vocabulary at their age. I think that's what really hit me today - they have never lived in a world where terrorist attacks or threats are not a common thing.

Well put. All in the perspective and what is considered the "norm."

[Olympic Fan]

Was listening to a radio show the other day...the speaker made the same point. The kids in school don't see this as an event in their lifetimes - it is an event in history that they are learning about. Like WWII or the Korean War for my generation. (I'm 64 later this month.)

I agree that it's a generational thing.

For my parent's generation, the pivotal event in their lives was the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In my youth, it was the assassination of JFK.

For younger adults, it was 9/11.

The kids will have one, but they haven't seen anything like those events.

[duke74]

I agree that it's a generational thing.

For my parent's generation, the pivotal event in their lives was the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In my youth, it was the assassination of JFK.

For younger adults, it was 9/11.

The kids will have one, but they haven't seen anything like those events.

Good thoughts. In sum, it's each generation's answer to the question, "Where were you when xxxx happened?"

[BigWayne]

Wow...were you still here on the 11th?

Yes. Supposed to fly home that day. Ended up renting a car two days later and drove back to Atlanta. Really weird the 1st 50 miles or so as there was no traffic going the other way.

[duke74]

Yes. Supposed to fly home that day. Ended up renting a car two days later and drove back to Atlanta. Really weird the 1st 50 miles or so as there was no traffic going the other way.

Not the vacation experience one wants to have...as I noted in my post, I drove back to NYC from Pittsburgh on the Saturday/Sunday following. Also very eerie, almost a week later.

[YmoBeThere]

I agree that it's a generational thing.

For my parent's generation, the pivotal event in their lives was the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In my youth, it was the assassination of JFK.

For younger adults, it was 9/11.

The kids will have one, but they haven't seen anything like those events.

There is a pretty big gap between JFK and 9/11, nearly 38 years. Having lived through 30 of them, a couple events come to mind that are memorable but to my emotions are definitely lesser in comparison. One of those saw a significant milestone today with the release of Mr. Hinckley from confinement. The other was the Challenger disaster.

[duke74]

I was a high school freshman in September 2001. I currently teach high school freshmen. This year's class is the first that was born after the attacks. It was a weird moment for me talking to my students today about such a major moment in my life knowing that they weren't even born when it occurred.

Came across this just now from a local internet news service, the Patch. Not a highbrow source, but deals well I think with the issue of how to teach about September 11th.

http://patch.com/new-york/westhampto...on-hamptonbays

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I grew up in the NY suburbs, was living elsewhere in 2001, but moved to Manhattan shortly thereafter. I was very fortunate not to lose any loved ones on 9/11. I have pictures of myself on top of the Twin Towers two weeks before 9/11. Since I moved here I worked in fairly close proximity to ground zero for over half the time - until recently I commuted on a subway (the 1 train) that went right through the heart of it. Probably about once a week I would stop to think about where I was.
I am somewhat ashamed to say that I have become a bit desensitized to it all - life goes on, and new problems arise in our personal lives. However, I recently saw the "red bandanna" video about the BC lax player who died on 9/11 after rescuing many people. It was incredibly well done and will not fail to bring tears to your eyes. I highly recommend it. On 9/11 I will hug my kids a little more and be a little extra thankful for what I have.

[Bostondevil]

I'll be thinking about Pete Ortale all day tomorrow.

I found out recently about a Japanese concept - there are the living and there are the dead - but there is a third category, dead but still alive in the memories of the living.

[duke74]

I grew up in the NY suburbs, was living elsewhere in 2001, but moved to Manhattan shortly thereafter. I was very fortunate not to lose any loved ones on 9/11. I have pictures of myself on top of the Twin Towers two weeks before 9/11. Since I moved here I worked in fairly close proximity to ground zero for over half the time - until recently I commuted on a subway (the 1 train) that went right through the heart of it. Probably about once a week I would stop to think about where I was.
I am somewhat ashamed to say that I have become a bit desensitized to it all - life goes on, and new problems arise in our personal lives. However, I recently saw the "red bandanna" video about the BC lax player who died on 9/11 after rescuing many people. It was incredibly well done and will not fail to bring tears to your eyes. I highly recommend it. On 9/11 I will hug my kids a little more and be a little extra thankful for what I have.

Here's a story written by Tom Rinaldi - adapted from his book on the subject: http://nypost.com/2016/08/28/911-sur...-red-bandanna/

[weezie]

Read the article in WSJ. Surprised at my tears.

What an abominable loss of beauty, kindness and grace.

[duke74]

Always gets to me. The Budweiser post Sept. 11 commercial...aired only once.

https://youtu.be/J3eQmzw6n3k