Remembering 9/11 - An Annual Visual Tribute
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Editors Note: We originally posted this tribute in the days following the 9/11 attack in 2001, and it was viewed here by tens of thousands of people. We have re-posted it for every 9/11 anniversary to honor those who perished, and to reaffirm our commitment to "never forget". Bob's story below was originally published last year in conjunction with this annual tribute. |
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It was a beautiful morning here in Sarasota, FL. I had an early morning breakfast meeting at the Sarasota Quay, at the corner of US 41 and Fruitville Road. President George W. Bush was in town, and his motorcade was scheduled to pass by our location just after our meeting concluded. Having never seen a sitting Presidents’ motorcade, several of us decided to wait by the road for it.
A presidential motorcade is quite an impressive undertaking. First comes the security people, swerving into oncoming traffic to block its progress, while others yell for those of us by the road to “back up” about 30 feet or so. We oblige. Then comes a long procession of vehicles including police cars, vans, and limos, north on US 41, turning east onto Fruitville Road. Near the end, we see the “beast” – the Presidential Limousine approaching. Through its thick glass windows we see President Bush. We wave. He waves. And then he is gone. I am struck by the final vehicle in the convoy. It is an ambulance, which apparently follows the President wherever he goes.
What I thought would be the highlight of my day was over. I looked at my watch. It was 8:45AM.
My friends and I chatted for another 20 minutes, and I got into my car to head to the office. My cell phone rang. It was my wife. Two planes had flown into both towers of the World Trade Center.
Life had changed.
A few days after the attack, we came across a touching video tribute, and received permission of the creator to run it on WorkersCompensation.com. It was viewed by thousands over the following weeks, and the feedback was both touching and phenomenal. We have run that tribute every year since, and it always remains a popular feature.
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There are so many memories that flood my mind today and will in the days to come, but the first knowledge I had of the epic tragedy that was unfolding in downtown Manhattan stays with me like it just happened. Here's my account:
On September 11, 2001, I was at work at one of the Long Island office of the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board. I was there to conduct various hearings over two days. Soon after arriving, I heard a stifled scream in a work area just outside my office door.
It was then that everyone in the office learned that a plane had struck one of the Twin Towers. At that office, literally everyone knew someone who worked at the World Trade Center.
We gathered around a small radio in one person’s “cube†to hear what we could about this awful tragedy. As further news came in via internet and that little radio (there was no television in the office) we learned of the continuing carnage that continued to kill and maim people not only in New York City, but in the other locations, as well.
Then, all the updates stopped. Phones, computer internet links, radio transmissions and any other forms of communication were all cut off when the second tower collapsed. Since all telecommunications in the Metro area were disrupted at that moment, people in our office, and in so many others, were left to wonder and wait.
Our office stayed open by order of the Governor, so that constituents who wanted to be served, could be served. And so, business resumed and I conducted hearings from 9:30 a.m. through about 2 p.m., receiving only brief updates from people moving in and out of my courtroom who had managed to get some information as back-up antennas and communications systems were put into place.
Late in the morning, my court clerk appeared in my Hearing Part doorway. “Commissioner, they’re not going to release our children from school until a parent comes to get them. I have to leave to pick up my little boy. Can you manage without me for the rest of the day?â€
“Of course,†I said, and then began to think about all of the other children in all of the terrorist sites whose parent(s) would not be coming to pick them up, that day or any other day. The enormity of this day’s horrific events began to settle into my entire being.
God bless all those who died or were injured in the attacks on American soil on September 11th. I, for one, will never forget.
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