I am really not sure why I am writing this now. I guess it's because my life was affected so much by the attack that I haven't had much time to reflect. My business was moved to a $hithole of a place for 4 weeks and then after they let us back into Manhattan, we were on restricted hours. Anyway I need to get it off my chest. My life is forever changed.
   
I work in Manhattan about 6-7 blocks away from the WTC and heard the first explosion. Nobody knew it was a plane but we all assumed that it was a terrorist attack of some sort. I watched the fire burn and the smoke rising up through the higher floors. I spoke to my father and we discussed how the people above the burning floors would probably all die from the smoke. we figured at least 1000 people would die. It was a horrible thought. We watched a police helicopter fly near the top of the burning tower but the smoke was intense. Pieces started peeling off of the side of the tower, 12' pieces of stainless steel that weighed hundreds of pounds and falling to the ground like leaves in the wind. Then we saw other debris falling.....straight down, but it wasn't debris, it was people jumping to their deaths rather then to burn alive on the upper floors. I have watched people jump off of the Brooklyn bridge, it is a terrible thing to watch a suicide. I must have watched 15-20 people jump from that tower. It was so sad, all we could do was shake our heads in disbelief. I also saw the second fireball spew from the south tower. The plane hit from the opposite side so I didn't see it coming. There were thousands of people running and crying in the streets. They were all headed uptown, away from the WTC.

  I had moved to the roof and now I could see the FDR drive. There were hundreds of firetrucks, EMS vehicles, police cars and ambulances fighting their way to the burning towers. I knew that the Holland tunnel was closed so I figured I better get the hell out of manhattan ASAP. I could barely drive because there was so many people in the streets. As I approached the Brooklyn bridge I heard something that I will never forget until the day I die. Screaming and crying out "OH MY GOD, THEY'RE FALLING!" I looked up and saw it. Then there was a freight train of dust that roared down Fulton St because it leads directly to the WTC. I was a few blocks north of Fulton St. so the dust cloud zig zagged its way to where I was. There was an indescribable feeling in the air, kind of like when there is a calm but heavy snow storm. You couldn't see more then 30 feet in front of the car. By this time the Brooklyn bridge was closed but the woman officer that was directing traffic let me through, I think she was so upset that she didn't care. The bridge was filled with people evacuating the city. I filled up my car with strangers and drove them across the bridge into Brooklyn and one guy got a ride all the way home near the Verrizano bridge.
(CONTINUED)    

My 11 year old son called me on my cell phone to see if I was OK and all I could do is cry and tell him that I love him. He told me that his school let out early and he made cheese sandwiches and brought his 8 year old brother and the 2 cats into the basement for protection. He is my hero.
 
 It took me 4 hours to get home, a ride that usually takes about 45 minutes. I went straight to the safe and pulled out my AR and loaded all my mags. That night, my Mossberg 590 was loaded and on top of my dresser. My wife was pretty concerned about my state of mind. The next day there was a suspect followed by the FBI about a mile from my home.......my wife didn't question the Mossberg on the dresser after that.

    Things are kind of back to normal at work and my life. The "smell" is gone from the air and a lot of the restrictions have been lifted from lower Manhattan. Sometimes I take the Brooklyn Battery tunnel into work, it comes out about 2 blocks from the WTC and really gives an unreal perspective on the devastation.

BTW, I used to drive past the WTC every day at about 9:30-10:30am, god had other plans for me that day. God bless America.

Oh yea, here is a full page ad taken out from some wonderful people in our industry paper. Many thanks to them all!
[img]http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/franksquid/FFMheros3.jpg[/img]

Thank you.

Thank [i]YOU[/i], Frank.  And that's some little man you've got there.  Congrats.

Frank, that had to be a horrible thing to witness the attacks up close. Almost too much to fathom. Thanks for sharing your story here, it was a touching recount of a day that we will never forget. Your son is a very good kid and he was very brave to take care of the little ones like he did. You have raised a fine young man.

Yes sir, Thats my boy.
[img]http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/franksquid/UziJr.jpg[/img]

Thanks to everybody for listening. I do feel better after getting that off my chest.