(Photo: Forever lost view from the World Trade Center’s Top of the World observatory. Credit: terraxplorer2.) It’s been six years since we lost the New York that was, but today we all remember. Yet, while we continue to remember…

(Photo: There’s no place like home. Credit: NASA Earth Observatory.) “It all started way back in April of 2003. I had moved to Chicago to get over NYC’s post-9/11 angst.” October 26, 2005 “I’m a former transit planner. Cars…

(Photo: Forever lost view from the World Trade Center’s Top of the World observatory. Credit: terraxplorer2.) You have better things to do today than to read a post from me. There are far more important people in your life…

Other than seeing the impact at Tower 2 (which obviously put me in shock), the moment of pure grief came when I was runnning through Midtown and heard about the collapse. One of those Good Samaritans you mentioned shared his taxi with me on Park Ave and 46th Street. (You and I crossed right by each other.) The radio reported the collapse. I couldn’t see it or feel it, but I KNEW it. I thought, 50,000 people are dead. New York is dead.

From our days in planning, I read that the WTC housed 50,000 workers, shoppers, commuters, and hotel guests on any given day. My mind went from hearing that the Twin Towers were gone to thinking all those people we knew, people just like us, were gone, too. Obliterated.

I tried, like you, to stick it out and repair New York. I couldn’t.

I never got over that feeling of pure pain I had in that cab on Park Ave at 10:45 am on 9/11/01.

Thanks for giving space to share.

Yes, it was a horrible day for everyone. No, if you weren’t there, you can’t understand how it felt for those of us that were there that day, and who were still there for the weeks and months that followed……