Remembering 9/11

Today is the anniversary of 9/11.  It happened in 2001 - 12 years ago today.  As a New Yorker, you can ask anyone what they were doing that day and for sure they will remember.  Ask me about another date in 2001 and I  probably can't give you any specific details but 9/11 for sure I do remember.  I was already at work on the 12th floor of 230 Fifth Avenue.  Someone from our Chile office called me to ask what was going on and I didn't know because I hadn't heard anything.  They knew before me and I was in NY?!!  It took about 15 minutes after the 2nd building collapsed for my radio station to go into Emergency mode, but still we were all confused about what just happened.  And no one knew what it was.  Was is an accident?  Was is a terrorist attack?  I think in Chile they already labelled it as a terrorist act.  I was feeling pretty numb.  I told her I would call her back when I found out what happened.  I checked with my coworkers to see if they had heard anything and I remember my coworker telling me that our coworker was driving into work and he called the office because he could see a plane crashing into the building and I think he turned right around and headed home.  I couldn't believe the buildings I walked towards every day and saw in the skyline just disappeared.  You can never really forget a day that changed the way you think about life.  I always felt safe in NY and in America.  It was the first time I really did feel a sense of fear and uneasiness.  It was really chaotic because we didn't know what was going on and it was of course so unexpected.  Although I did not lose any family or friends that day, we all felt the tragedy and felt pride in the courageous heroism that took place that day.  On that day and for many weeks after, I really feel like New Yorkers were one, united.  Yes, they say everyone was just a little bit nicer.  We eventually went back to our normal selves but you saw the compassion.  Our office did not close that day...they just left us to do what we wanted.  I stayed until 5.  My cousin was leaving early around noon to catch the metro north.  She called me to see if I wanted to head home with her.  But I really felt nervous and I didn't want to rush home.  I know most people wanted to get out of the city as fast and as far out as possible.  Her brother worked at the Twin Towers so I was really scared about that and I couldn't get in touch with him, but I found out later that he didn't even go to work that day..he was running late and his boss called him to not bother coming in because of what was happening...There was a lot of Fate that came into play that day.  I hung out with my friend for little bit before heading home.  I took the metro north and it was pretty quiet by the time I was on the train.  I remember my mom being really upset that I wasn't going home right away but I needed to take my time.  I remember there were about 5 of us in my train car.  A man was a few rows behind me and he was crying the whole ride up.  I think someone asked him if he was alright and he nodded his head, but I wasn't sure what to do to comfort him.  When I arrived at my station, there was a cop there handing out waters at the top of the stairwell.  And what did he say?  He said, "Welcome home." and it really touched me.  I really felt like breaking down and crying when he said that.  I will never forget it because there were so many people who were not able to arrive home that day.