Each year since I have been a part of this great B&B community, Ive taken time to reflect on September 11, 2001. As in each of the posts I have written the past few years I spoke about how my work neighborhood, my city and my country was attacked. I was working in a war zone. Thousands of New Yorkers were killed going to work so they can take part in the dream that all of us as American share. New Yorkers second proud Americans first.
Almost everyone in New York City lost someone they knew, husband, wife,brother, sister, father, mother, uncle, aunt, grandparent or friend. That day and the weeks after will be forever a part who I am now and will be a part of me the rest of my life.
Just hours after the attach, on every street corner, mail box, fence store window anywhere there was blank spot, were heart breaking signs with photos of loved ones missing. They all said the same thing, Missing, if you see this person please call---------. I can still see the faces. They were everywhere for weeks if not months. We now all know that none were ever found alive.
I remember the days and weeks after that fateful day how Americans all over the nation send letters, cards and prayers. From small towns in every state. It was so important to all New Yorkers. A fire house in Coney Island, Brooklyn, to this day still has a giant banner, nearly 20 feet long hanging in the garage sent from a tiny town with less people then the office tower I work in. It was made by school children, it contained pictures, hearts and the words, We Love New York City Those children are now 10 years older and now young adults, I only wish they knew how much their banner still means to so many.
Sadly 10 years later only 1,631 victims have been identified, while 1,122 (41%) of the victims remained unidentified at the World Trade Center. Do the math, look how many families and friends have no remains at all.
For years I couldnt walk just two blocks north of my office, the once proud World Trade Center, by the way was so much more than the twin towers, was now a 16 acre hole that has become the most sacred land in the United States. The great skyline famous and photographed millions of times and shown in thousands of movies was gone, I know that view and it was gone, a giant hole that really hurt each time I looked at the downtown skyline. As breathless and beautiful the view at dusk can be to many still brings me such sadness, as I write this I get then heart breaking felling, it just not the same.
New York City is a great American city, where people from all over the country dream about making it big, we all know the words, If you can make here you can make it anywhere, is as true today as it was 100 years ago.
Im proud to report on the progress at the World Trade Center has be amazing, the main building, #1 World Trade Center (formerly named Freedom Tower) is now over 80 stories tall and 1,000 feet high going up to 1,776 feet and had been lit and now dominates the downtown skyline. The memorial will open on 9/11/11. The major new transit hub is coming along, and just last week the downtown R subway Cortland Street station reopened since being closed and destroyed on 9/11/01. The museum is scheduled to open by the next anniversary. All the new towers are going up and a new New York City skyline is being born. Number 7 WTC has been completed and occupied for a few years now. The new WTC will be an amazing place and once completed will be a magnificent place to visit, live or work.
I only hope when its all done, that sadness and pain I feel now when I look across NY harbor will be gone and replaced with the awe I had before the fateful day.
Thank you for reading and as we all know, Americans cannot be held back, we have demonstrated this over and over in every corner of the world. We know this to be true since no county in the world has so many people immigrating to.
G-D bless the City of New York and the great county we call home.
Almost everyone in New York City lost someone they knew, husband, wife,brother, sister, father, mother, uncle, aunt, grandparent or friend. That day and the weeks after will be forever a part who I am now and will be a part of me the rest of my life.
Just hours after the attach, on every street corner, mail box, fence store window anywhere there was blank spot, were heart breaking signs with photos of loved ones missing. They all said the same thing, Missing, if you see this person please call---------. I can still see the faces. They were everywhere for weeks if not months. We now all know that none were ever found alive.
I remember the days and weeks after that fateful day how Americans all over the nation send letters, cards and prayers. From small towns in every state. It was so important to all New Yorkers. A fire house in Coney Island, Brooklyn, to this day still has a giant banner, nearly 20 feet long hanging in the garage sent from a tiny town with less people then the office tower I work in. It was made by school children, it contained pictures, hearts and the words, We Love New York City Those children are now 10 years older and now young adults, I only wish they knew how much their banner still means to so many.
Sadly 10 years later only 1,631 victims have been identified, while 1,122 (41%) of the victims remained unidentified at the World Trade Center. Do the math, look how many families and friends have no remains at all.
For years I couldnt walk just two blocks north of my office, the once proud World Trade Center, by the way was so much more than the twin towers, was now a 16 acre hole that has become the most sacred land in the United States. The great skyline famous and photographed millions of times and shown in thousands of movies was gone, I know that view and it was gone, a giant hole that really hurt each time I looked at the downtown skyline. As breathless and beautiful the view at dusk can be to many still brings me such sadness, as I write this I get then heart breaking felling, it just not the same.
New York City is a great American city, where people from all over the country dream about making it big, we all know the words, If you can make here you can make it anywhere, is as true today as it was 100 years ago.
Im proud to report on the progress at the World Trade Center has be amazing, the main building, #1 World Trade Center (formerly named Freedom Tower) is now over 80 stories tall and 1,000 feet high going up to 1,776 feet and had been lit and now dominates the downtown skyline. The memorial will open on 9/11/11. The major new transit hub is coming along, and just last week the downtown R subway Cortland Street station reopened since being closed and destroyed on 9/11/01. The museum is scheduled to open by the next anniversary. All the new towers are going up and a new New York City skyline is being born. Number 7 WTC has been completed and occupied for a few years now. The new WTC will be an amazing place and once completed will be a magnificent place to visit, live or work.
I only hope when its all done, that sadness and pain I feel now when I look across NY harbor will be gone and replaced with the awe I had before the fateful day.
Thank you for reading and as we all know, Americans cannot be held back, we have demonstrated this over and over in every corner of the world. We know this to be true since no county in the world has so many people immigrating to.
G-D bless the City of New York and the great county we call home.
