I was right there!

I work in the World Financial Center which is connected to the World Trade Center by a walking bridge over West street. My building is right on the river, two blocks from the center. GOd was watching ovewr me that morning. I arrived in work and went to the lounge to watch ESPN and have coffee. As I was watching I heard a loud bang and 30 seconds later the news broke into the program saying that a plane had crashed into one of the towers! My partner and I looked at each other and being that we both worked inside the Trade Center back in 1993 and escaped the bombing then, we decided to get the hell out of our building. ALl of a sudden the news yells out " Oh my god, another plane has hit the other tower!!!" At that moment, we ran out of the building. We watched the towers burn!!! ( I am starting to cry as I write this ). We were waiting for a boat to come to take us over to Jersey, realizing that there was no way that we could head towards the Disaster to try to get home. While waiting, allowing woman and
children to board the first boats that arrived, we all watched in HORROR as the building burned and people, literally dozens of them,were jumping from the 80th floor or higher to there death, deciding if they should burn to death or jump to thier death!!! What a horrific sight! I will never forget it!!!!! As a boat came into the dock, the first building started to crumble and fall!!!! OH MY GOD!!! Bodies were flying all over the air!!! As we stepped on our boat, in amatter of seconds, smoke, clouds, fire and debri came over the financial center building totally covering the courtyard and dock that I just had stepped off of!!! We all dove for cover on the boat and the Captain full throttled that boat to get us away as quickly as he could. I got up, looked at where I was just standing, and could not see anything but smoke and debris covering everything and everyone that could not get onto the boat and were stranded where I was just seconds ago was standing!!!! Everyone, ncluding myself were ALL CRYING. SIckening sight! Friends and Co-Workers that I have been with for years were standing and the next second were gone, covered in Debris and Smoke. Till today, I have only been able to get in contact with three of them, that thank GOD are ok. We still don't know about the rest. As I got to the other side of the River the second building came down! I am sick! I will never ever forget the sights that I witnessed and the sounds of the screams and the falling buildings will stay with me forever!! I cannot continue. I am getting sicker by the moment trying to share this nightmare with all of you. My God, My God. What a sight!

Don Cardi

That really touched me Don Cardi. And i'm very relieved to find out you are physically alright after the attack. It's only fair to say that moment will be with you for a long time, but by opening up like that is a great reliever and a way to move on. You've done the right thing in opening up.

Everyone is truly saddened by this whole situation. I offer my condolances.

I agree with the above comments....

Thanks for sharing your story with those of us who are so far removed (in terms of miles).

We are all happy you were not injured and sincere wishes to you that you hear that more of your co-workers are safe.

I'm relieved that you're okay, Don Cardi. Thanks for sharing; I can't imagine how horrible it must've been. My prayers go out to those who've been lost in these catastrophes.

Keep the faith, buddy,

JG

My God; I cannot imagine the devasation. I am so sorry that you had to see it first hand. My thoughts and prayers are with you and all the peoples of NY and America. Please take care of yourself God Bless You

DITTO to everything that's been said, Don Cardi....my thoughts are with you and I'm glad you were one of the lucky ones. I cried just READING your recount of the events; I can't imagine what you must've gone through.
Best wishes,
Apples

Don Cardi you are alright and that is good.

Don Cardi -

Wow!....I am so happy to hear that you're OK! That is one hell of a story!

I never even knew you worked down there, and in retrospect, I'm glad I didn't know it....I would have been worrying major league.

ALL OF YOU PEOPLE ARE SOOOOO GREAT!!! I thank all of you who have responded with such kind thoughts and words! I will keep you all posted as I find out more news regarding my friends and co-workers. I thank you all for your sincere interest.

Don Cardi

Maybe the Force be with you, [b]Don Cardi[/i], and if you believe in G-d, may He go with you and watch over all of your friends and loved ones.

Don Cardi clearly you are blessed. Your account has touched all of us deeply.

Jesus fxxxxxx christ. I can't find the words. My girlfriend was crying as we were reading that.

It's good to know you're OK Don Cardi. I'm sure it'll take some time to get over it, but it is certainly you were lucky. Maybe God is sending you a message here (my girlfriend reminds me of Connie by describing me as a "...cold-hearted bastard..." for saying this.) I watched Pulp-fiction for the first time a couple of days ago, and that guy (Samuel L. Jackson) had a point in thinking it was a miracle.

Anyway, I'm real glad that one of my favourite posters is still around.

Just read your message Don Cardi! What a horrific experience it must have been for you and all those others, I strongly agree with all the above comments. So glad that your OK...

It was a very brave thing telling us about it.

noledge

Don Cardi, I am very relieved to hear that you are OK, and am very sorry that you had to see these images in plain view, i wish you the best of luck in making contact with others of your friends and co workers.

I have just found out some horrible news. 5 co-workers of mine, who I've worked with for many years, are unaccounted for as they went to a meeting that morning at the World Trade Center! It is feared that they have perished in the attack. Damn those fucking coward terrorists!

Don Cardi

Im sorry to hear that Don Cardi.

Don Cardi -

I can't even imagine the anquish you must be going through. It isn't enough that you had such a harrowing experience yourself on the day of the attack, but now you have to deal with the agony of your missing co-workers.

You are in my prayers, my friend!

Don Cardi
I am very sad to hear your story, but glad to hear you made it, physically.

This link is a tribute to how well New Yorkers are handling this, for lack of a better word, tragedy.

Mike Peters Editorial Cartoon

Yes. Have hope and may God be with you.

I'm sorry, Don Cardi -- I hope they're found, of course, but if God forbid the worst has happened, then I wish them eternal rest and peace.

I really don't have the words to more eloquently express what I mean, sorry...

JG

Now for some good news! While it is feared that the chances are that ay least now 10 of my coworkers are feared dead, I just received a phone call with good news informing me that 6 other co-workers made it out alive and were unable to make contact with me until today!!! Thank You GOD!!!

( IF anyone objects to my using this board as a sounding board, PLEASE let me know and I will cease posting updates to it ).

Don Cardi

No Don Cardi its good to hear your fellow co-workers are allright.

[ September 15, 2001: Message edited by: MobbingForMoney ]

Don Cardi -

These "General Discussion" threads are here for us to post all kinds of topics.

You've been a valued member of these boards for at least two years now, and you've certainly earned the respect of many of us other members. I think we all understand, and appreciate what you've been through this past week. Keep on posting about it!

If anybody doesn't like to read such things, they don't have to open this (or any other thread). This is a public BB and you are entitled to post whatever you wish.

Glad to hear of the surviving co-workers, and sorry for the missing ones.

godbless america and screw the arabs that did this

I wouldnt want this guy as an enemy.

It's truly a blessing to tell you Don Cardi that I'm so glad that your alive and you must always remember that you have angels watching over you at all times!

Don't worry - cristopher casti lebornie can't post any more for breaking the rules.

JG

Hey I missed all the action. What rules did he break? What happened?

Cursing and making fun of a fellow member.

Received some very sickening news this afternoon. One of my employees, a young man named James, has not heard from his father since last Tuesday morning!!! This young man has worked for me for two years and is a very well liked and respectful man. His father is a Lt. in the Fire Department, and heads one of the the Rescue squads in NYC. He was one of the first on the scene and it is feared that he has perished in this horrible tragedy!!! This man was a very good man. When Oklahoma City was bombed, this man led his battalion all the way to Oklahoma City and wound up heading the rescue mission. He was a great father to his two boys, and a very great man. My heart is breaking for his family, as I have known them for two years now.

Don Cardi

Don Cardi,

So glad you are ok. I can't imagine what you went through. Thank you for sharing with us and we will be thinking about you and praying for all New Yorkers, the ones who didn't make it, their families, their friends and all of you who had to witness such a horrible, horrible event.

God bless you!

Don Cardi my sentiments of respect to you once again. The heroism of the rescue crews is magnified a thousandfold when you consider that these trained professionals knew when they entered the devastated infernos that they would in all likelihood lose their lives in the effort to save the trapped victims. Peace and blessings upon all of the heroes and innocent lives taken.

A Don Cardi update -

Don Cardi emailed me, and reported that he was able to return to work through a special dispensation from the Mayor's Office. Because of the essential nature of his business, his was the only business allowed to open WEST of Broadway (see map below) near the Trade Center Complex. (His building is right next to the Hudson River, and the only one down there in that area that wasn't damaged in some way by the collapse of the Towers).

I trust we will all keep him, and others in that area in our prayers. It must be awfully difficult, and distracting (they are being guarded by National Guard troops) to be in that close proximity of Ground Zero. (BTW - Cardinal Egan, of New York, renamed that "Ground Hero".

To give you a better idea of the effects of this tragedy, here is a map of lower Manhattan. All businesses WEST (to the left) of "Broadway" are still closed, while many to the east of Broadway have re-opened, depending on whether or not electricity and phones are available to their buildings. Don Cardi's building is at the extreme left (just off the Hudson River near Liberty Street). The NY Stock Exchange, which re-opened today (and just closed DOWN 676 points) is marked in red.

Grazie SC. That does help put things in perspective.