I was in Manhattan the day of the attack; I was working as a network engineer at trading firm on Wall st.
Here’s an email exchange from my friends… notice my typing goes to hell as the time passes.
Sorry for some of the language.
From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 9:37 AM
Subject: What the?
If anyone heres from Chris or Michael, please let me know.
Thanks,
Kyle
____________________________________From: Chris Chemidlin [mailto:xxxxx@Blackwoodtrading.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 9:46 AM
Subject: RE: What the?
Im here, I saw the whole thing. This is fucked up. You hjave nver seen
anything like this,.
_____________________________________From: Ramona Matti [mailto:xxxxxx@motorola.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 9:47 AM
Subject: RE: What the?
please get out of NYC…another attack in washington dc just now
_____________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 9:49 AM
Subject: RE: What the?
Dude, takes some pictures, make a million bucks
______________________________________From: Ramona Matti [mailto:xxxxxx@motorola.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 9:49 AM
Subject: RE: What the?The Pentagon and the washington monument is on fire too!
______________________________________From: “Chris Chemidlin”
Subject: RE:
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 10:01:15 -0400Im ok.
The WTC just dropped. I ton’t know what to do
_______________________________________From: Chris Chemidlin [mailto:xxxxx@Blackwoodtrading.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:07 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
teh WTC just crashed.I think Im being evacuated. I’m terrified.
_______________________________________From: Matti Ramona
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 10:10:04 -0400pentagon hit by a third plane…Chris get outta there! Walk to NJ if you
have to! Tunnels are backed up pls be careful
_________________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:14 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!Keep your cell-phone on see we can get to you
__________________________________________From: Chris Chemidlin [mailto:xxxxx@Blackwoodtrading.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:21 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!cell phones are out.
I think Im going to walk across the brooklyn bridge to get out of
manhattan.This is war, folks.
________________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:25 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!I just heard the North tower may be coming down. Stay away
-k
________________________________________From: Chris Chemidlin [mailto:xxxxx@Blackwoodtrading.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:29 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
you were right.
The north tower just dropped.HOLY SHIT.
_______________________________________From: Matti Ramona-
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 10:30:34 -0400ofelia is on the phone with me now, she’s really scared chris please get
outta there now!
_______________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:38 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!Dude, keep your head-up. Find a sagfe place with a land line and we
will come and get you.
-k
____________________________________From: “Chris Chemidlin”
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 10:39:38 -0400ITs hard man. I’m losin it.
Theres such madness here.You have no idea what it sounds like when these buildings dropped.
Im hearing lots of explosions.you cant’ breathe outside, so I’m still here.
Im scared.
______________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:41 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!So, hows the beetle?
-k
________________________________________From: Kaczorowski, Joe [mailto:xxxxx@CovantaEnergy.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 7:59 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!Chris, you are probably safest where you are. Try to stay away from
stampedes, riots, large crowds. Stay low if it gets too smoky. DON’T
PANIC. Try to keep people around you calm. You’re going to make it through
this, buddy. I know you are.
________________________________________From: Matti Ramona-W50095 [mailto:Ramona.Matti@motorola.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:58 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
I heard something happened also in Pennsylvania, does anybody know?________________________________________
From: Chris Chemidlin [mailto:Chris@Blackwoodtrading.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 10:59 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!Im evacuating. Wish me luck
________________________________________
From: Kaczorowski, Joe [mailto:JKaczorowski@CovantaEnergy.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 11:00 AM
To: Chris Chemidlin
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
STAY AWAY FROM STAMPEDES!
___________________________________________From: Matti Ramona-W50095
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 11:00:55 -0400Be careful! Love ya!
_________________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 11:05 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
North! North! North!-k
__________________________________________From: Matti Ramona-W50095
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 11:27:10 -0400All I heard is that they might be planning more attacks every hour. If this
doesn’t lead to WWIII then I don’t know what does!
__________________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 11:34 AM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!Just take a breath. Let’s just get Chemdly home 1st. Is Ofelia ok? Has anyone heard from Rita yet?
_________________________________________From: Matti Ramona-W50095
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 11:42:27 -0400I tried calling her when I found out at 9am b/c her apartment is right down
the street from the world trade center! Hopefully she went to class and is
stuck at Middlesex county college. Chris never mentioned mike…I don’t
know what’s going on. Hopefully mike was deterred and never left his home.
I keep calling their house and no one is answering!
__________________________________________From: Matti Ramona-W50095
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 11:57:44 -04008 planes are currently hijacked in the air now.
__________________________________________From: Matti Ramona-W50095 [mailto:xxxxxx@motorola.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 12:13 PM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!Chris is about to board a ferry to NJ. Mike is safe too. Don’t know where rita is. Chris asked ofelia to pick him up in Jersey City at Mike’s apartment. I told her to call me if she hears on the whereabouts of Rita. Ofelia’s knows that there will be a ton of traffic headed into that way but she’s going to take a chance at it.
________________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 12:16 PM
Subject: RE: Chris is OK!Just spoke to Ofelia. Chris is heading to the water to get to a ferry. They are giving free rides to Jersey City. Ofelia is leaving in a few minutes to go pick him-up. Michael is OK and in Jersey city by now, being that he left before Chris.
_________________________________________From: kyle dermody [mailto:xxxxx@hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 1:37 PM
Subject: Chris is on his way!!!!!!Just spoke to Chris, he is OK! He sounded like he was in a very crowded loud area, but wanted everyone to know that he and Michael were OK! He said he will get in-touch as soon as he can. Woo-hoo!!!!!!!
-k
Still gets to me when I re-read it.
It’s interesting to see how much mis-information was being circulated as the details were emerging. My buddy Kyle with the VW jokes to try and lighten the mood… 🙂 I look back at this exchange every 9/11 and I’m appreciative that they are all still good friends of mine.
I was fortunate not to have lost a loved one that day; only acquaintances. I still think about all the cars that were left at my train station for the coming weeks… Each of them belonged to someone from my immediate area who did not make it back. I was lucky to just be one of the ‘dusty people’ running away from the mess…
9/11/01 🙁