I was just a baby, but my grandma worked in Jersey City, right across from the Twin Towers. She told me a few years back how working within close proximity to New York City, all of the buildings in Jersey City near the Hudson River had to be evacuated, including hers. My grandma shared how she had to use the jam packed bridge to get back home to New Jersey since public transportation was closed. She witnessed the buildings burning and the second impact; she thought that the first one was accident. It took her hours to get home - she got home late at night if I'm recalling correctly. I was a baby - four months old- living 20 minutes away from the chaos. My aunt told me how we watched the coverage as it unfolded, and she was worried as she couldn't reach my grandma as my grandma didn't have a cellphone in 2001. My aunt also knew a friend who worked in one of the towers, but luckily (and thankfully) called out of work that day. Although I didn't lose any family members, it's scary thinking how my family (and even my grandma due to the huge clouds of smoke, confusion, etc.) could have been visiting the trade center on that day and perished considering how we frequently visited NYC. It's surreal realizing how life can be gone in a second, but that's a conversation for another day. This tribute is for all of the families and victims impacted that day. Bless the survivors and families left to pick up the pieces of a horrible tragedy.
Bless the victims and may they rest in everlasting paradise.
