To all first responders (Fire, Police, EMTs, etc...), thank you for going above and beyond your call of duty out there, each and everyday, on this day of remembrance. Woke up this morning and knew I had to just get a glimpse of the ocean before heading into work. Weather conditions were almost identical 11 years ago, not to mention swell in the water. I remember seeing the smoke heading out to sea from a NW to SE direction as I looked NE up towards Long Island. I regret not picking up that case of Heineken and just handing out a cold one to random people off the local train stop that could have used one after the day they endured coming home from the city. Ryan
I'll never forget that day I was sitting in a study class, 9th grade, and watched this tragic attack on our people/country unfold. RIP.
I surfed DP in Manasquan that morning. It was just about as perfect as you could get, weather, swell, everything. The attack occurred as I drove to work and I spent the rest of the day at the trauma center where victims were bring brought. The juxtaposition of the beauty of that morning with the horror of the afternoon makes my knees buckle still. Peace to the families of all the victims.
My brother & I were asked to go to the Pentagon on 9-12. We're civilians. Worked all day helping out one of our clients (DIA) identify high-security keys in the rubble that were missing owners. And securing doors with panic devices & exit devices. I'll never forget the heavy smell of jet fuel & ... well, that other thing, too. It was a really bad day for all those folks & their families & for the Arlington first responders, esp the firemen from all the metro firehouses, from the day before. Those folks will always have my total respect. And life has never been the same since. Nor will it ever be.
The image I'll never forget is the stream of emergency vehicles racing toward the towers as they began to collapse. Heros indeed.
I was strapping in the car seat to pick up my wife and daughter at the hospital when I heard the phone ring. My second daughter was born 9/9/01 and all was right in the world. Good family, good friends, and good job in downtown NYC. I went out on 9/10/01 to celebrate her birth and watch the Giants game with 8-10 friends. Two of the friends I celebrated with worked in the North tower and did not make it home on September 11. All was not right with the world. Over the years, spent a lot of time in the water with those guys, and thought of them alot this past weekend. RIP. Thanks for posting Ryan, and a heartfelt thanks to First Responders and our troops that continue to put themselves in harms way to protect our freedom and safety.
