Never forget. We will never forget here. Joe and Vic were midtown at Instinet, and I was at 30 Broad. My building just cleared out when coverage of the first plane hitting was on CNN. I remember hearing the first crash into the tower. I wouldn’t leave, as I was waiting for my sister,  Karen, who worked with me. She was stuck in an express bus from Brooklyn right under the North Tower when the second plane hit. I meet her and her friends, and  everyone was somewhat in a state of panic, and we all proceeded to walk to my parent’s house in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, via the Brooklyn Bridge. We were on the Brooklyn Bridge when one tower collapsed, and just made it across when the second did. Hours later we all arrived at my parents covered with soot and orange dust, with migraines, and no one talked. It was definitely surreal.

I think we walked about 16 miles. I have lost some of the details of that day, but remember very strange things. I remember the faces of some  bodega owners, who wouldn’t let us use the restroom. I remember the kindness of the owner of Frankel’s (an army surplus and shoe/boot store on 39th street in Sunset Park) in letting us in to sit, use the restrooms, and have some water… I remember the migraine. I remember trying to get word to my family in NJ that we were all ok.

I lost 3 close friends and about 30 acquaintances that day. I pray for their families still.