Ten Years Since 9-11
But it feels like yesterday. Just as vivid, wrenching, like razor blades running along my nerves.
I spent this day with my NYPD Auxiliary unit providing security for the Firemen's Memorial Celebration. Perhaps 10,000 firefighters there---and familities, and people. Among the FDNYC Firefighters, were Firefighters wearing patches from places like: South Africa, Australia, lots of cities and towns in California, several cities in Texas, Florida, Michigan, Canada, Massachusetts, and perhaps most of the states of this union. The ceremony at the monument was gut wrenching---the names read---Amazing Grace sung---tributes made---bagpipes played. This ceremony ended as everyone left for the mass not so far away. No news coverage---they were downtown--ground zero--with families and dignitaries protected by the NYPD. I have mixed feelings about this.
Ten years ago my unit worked long shifts and many days helping out--we covered our precinct while the regulars were downtown digging. We saw those on the edge of madness fall deep and perhaps never return---one was shooting at all uniforms because he thought we were at war and all uniforms were enemies. Another person leapt upon cars screaming to be taken by the aliens who were attacking us. Two young boys were playing chicken with the cars on Broadway---when we stopped them and held them, they collapsed into tears of anger and fear because their father and mother went to the Twin Towers to work that morning and had not returned---would they? Another woman knew better, her man would not return, and she leapt from her building and was skewed on the iron fence outside. The attack did not end with the towers, it continued in the minds and hearts throughout the city. And people who did not flee, became a small town of caring individuals who brought food to those in uniform, flooded the Red Cross bloodbanks, by the hundreds carried candles to the Firemen's Memorial and the local precincts and firehouses, hugging anyone in uniform they encountered.
Ten years ago feels like yesterday.
I spent this day with my NYPD Auxiliary unit providing security for the Firemen's Memorial Celebration. Perhaps 10,000 firefighters there---and familities, and people. Among the FDNYC Firefighters, were Firefighters wearing patches from places like: South Africa, Australia, lots of cities and towns in California, several cities in Texas, Florida, Michigan, Canada, Massachusetts, and perhaps most of the states of this union. The ceremony at the monument was gut wrenching---the names read---Amazing Grace sung---tributes made---bagpipes played. This ceremony ended as everyone left for the mass not so far away. No news coverage---they were downtown--ground zero--with families and dignitaries protected by the NYPD. I have mixed feelings about this.
Ten years ago my unit worked long shifts and many days helping out--we covered our precinct while the regulars were downtown digging. We saw those on the edge of madness fall deep and perhaps never return---one was shooting at all uniforms because he thought we were at war and all uniforms were enemies. Another person leapt upon cars screaming to be taken by the aliens who were attacking us. Two young boys were playing chicken with the cars on Broadway---when we stopped them and held them, they collapsed into tears of anger and fear because their father and mother went to the Twin Towers to work that morning and had not returned---would they? Another woman knew better, her man would not return, and she leapt from her building and was skewed on the iron fence outside. The attack did not end with the towers, it continued in the minds and hearts throughout the city. And people who did not flee, became a small town of caring individuals who brought food to those in uniform, flooded the Red Cross bloodbanks, by the hundreds carried candles to the Firemen's Memorial and the local precincts and firehouses, hugging anyone in uniform they encountered.
Ten years ago feels like yesterday.
posted by AYankee @ 9:25 AM
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