I was working in a Surgery Center...when my wife called me on my cell to tell me what was going on...
My Dad worked down by Wall Street, and I have many friends from HS who worked down there. I found out that my Dad didn’t go to work that day because he had a dental appointment which was a huge relief...he had taken the day off.
The ENT surgeon I was working with that day is also from NY, we always talked NY sports ad nauseum. Turns out, his cousin worked for Cantor Fitzgerald...which I only found out after I told him what was happening that morning between cases.
We both went to the TV and stared in disbelief...he immediately called his mother and realized that his cousin was in the towers...he was very close to his cousin who was the same age, from large, close catholic families....they grew up together. He was understandable distraught and cancelled the rest of his cases for the day...his cousin was never heard from again and later confirmed as one of the dead.
Words cannot describe my feelings adequately about that day...
I’m glad you’re dad had a dentist appointment. I can’t imagine what your friend experienced.
One of the co-pilots was from our town. We held benefits for his wife and daughter. And a huge vigil at one of the soccer fields. Things changed drastically when President Bush came to the Blue Barn years later.