Remembering 9/11/01

It's hard to believe that the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center fell 16 years ago because of a terrorist attack. But I was here. And I remember all too well.

Do you remember where you were?

I was on my way to my corporate support job in midtown. I had just gotten back from CA, and didn't have any auditions that day, so I didn't have to run around Manhattan as I usually do. I was walking across town, and I remember chatting with a friend on the phone. Suddenly, fire trucks were flying by, and when I looked down Broadway, I could see smoke coming from one of the towers. We didn't know what had happened at that point. It seemed like a terrible accident, and I remember thinking, as the FDNY zoomed downtown, "Our boys will be able to take care of it." I've known folks in the fire department, and know how incredibly well trained they are, and I have immense respect for them. None of us knew they'd be driving headlong into this:

By the time I got to work at 9:26 AM, the 2nd plane had struck, and my boss told me it was a terrorist attack. He sent us home shortly thereafter, and by then, the first tower had collapsed.

The city was covered in ash, and everyone was walking around like a zombie. Cell phones didn't work. That was the one time a landline came in handy, so we could talk to family and friends when we got to a landline.

It was such a horrible day, and I think of all those who lost their lives, all of those people so terribly affected by the tragedy. The attacks caused the deaths of nearly 3,000 people and injured 6000 others. Nearly 80,000 people have registered health issues - cancer, respiratory ailments, and more - 16 years later.

We have to look out for each other. Take care of each other. And be aware.

#NeverForget