A personal account of being in Manhattan September 11.–Glen Slater
I just wanted to share some of my first hand experiences from Tuesday.
Besides my little retail outfit, I also have a regular job maintaining computers for a financial institution located in Rockefeller Center, right by the NBC studios.
From the south-facing side of my building, I and others watched the second plane fly right by the Empire State Building and hit Tower #2. Some people were crying uncontrollably and some were in disbelief of what had just happened.
Our building was evacuated at 9:35.
People were wandering around in a state of shock not knowing what to do or where to go. Everything was already shutting down, subways, buses and cabs just went speeding by.
I walked about a mile back to Penn Station to try and catch a train out of the city, but by then, it had been already closed.
I then began to walk across town.
When I got to 33rd & Broadway, we heard a noise that sounded like thunder in the distance. I looked down Broadway and saw Tower # 1 collapse.
You could see a mountain of concrete and glass falling, then nothing but smoke and dust. That’s what happened, and that’s what you’ve seen a million times on TV, but words and pictures can’t really describe actually experiencing it.
It was the most sickening and unbelievable sight I have ever seen. I felt like I was going to throw up. Thankfully, I was far enough away to be otherwise unhurt.
I finally made it to a managers apartment around 11:30 and many people just sat and watched the horror on TV.
From his apartment we saw thousands of people walking up and over bridges. One friend from my office walked for 3.5 hours just to get over the bridge and then began the long part of the walk home to Long Island when some kind person gave him a ride.
I have one friend that worked in the trade center and he has not been heard from.
I pray that some how he will be found alive.
Thank you for letting me share my feelings. Please keep a prayer in your heart for all the people affected by this catastrophic disaster.
God Bless America,
Glen Slater
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