Another New York story: Kelly is 32 and has a 3 year old son. She is originally from Long Island, but has lived most of her adult life in New York City. She works as a freelance photogragher while studying for her degree and lives on First Avenue and First street… less than 1 mile from where the world trade center stood.
“Right before I went to start my emails for the day I heard thunder. Thinking to myself, no… thunder was the night before, oh I guess it was just the neighbor upstairs.
I wish it was.
I had been hearing sirens, lots of them, but here in NY, they become the background noise. Now today, 23 hours later… they are the only noise. We don’t hear the usual trucks and busses. Even the Hell’s Angels’ motorcycles are quiet… we do hear jets flying. I really don’t like to hear them.
After learning of the evil that was done, by way of phone call from a friend, my first inclination was to grab my camera and go for a walk. At first I wasn’t sure if everyone on the street knew. Within a block I could tell. The expression on all of our faces. Everyone. Sombre.
It was a few blocks before I saw more than smoke. Seeing our city’s most known landmark with a big black hole in it was more than anyone wanted to see. Just unbelievable… unimaginable… I took some pictures.
As I walked west and downtown, I began to see the mass exodus. I continued to walk against the flow of the river. The vibe on the street was intense. We would occasionally get bits of news from other people with radios. We heard the news as each tower collasped. I walked down to Canal Street. I saw some tears along the way, and worked hard to hold back my own.
Canal Street shops were closing if they weren’t already… at this point I knew I should get some more film, before everyone was closed… while changing films, my camera decided not to rewind the entire roll. So most of my shots of the towers are gone. Just as well. It is not like I really want to remember all this.
I decided Canal Street was as far as I needed to go. I saw a (detective?) car whiz by with inches of debris billowing off of it. I saw a man with an inch or two of debris dust on his head, and dust all over his body. Walking up town. Then I saw a woman. Looking the same. Shocked.
I went back to the same spot that provided a clear view of the towering inferno… thinking I could re-get the shots lost to the light… it took me a moment to realize, the towers are gone. I cant see them anymore.
Time to go home, get the stroller, and go get my child and hug him until I can’t anymore.”