I worked at a concrete plant in Elizabeth N.J. we were pouring a landing pad at Newark International Airport. When word of the attack came on the radio we dug out a small black & white tv and watched the reports. The customer at the airport told me to stop shipping the mixers because he was calling off the rest of the pour. We had everyone back to the plant and on the way home in about an hour and a half. The drivers returning from the airport reported that they had a clean view of the twin towers. Two of the toughest men in our company were really hurting when they got back because they couldn't contact their wives who worked in the Twin Tower area. Worst situation I ever was presented with in my life.
That evening because all the bridges to Manhattan & Staten Island were closed thousand of people were stranded in the streets of Elizabeth N.J. we went to BJ's and bought cases of water, diapers & snack style food and just drove around our neighborhood trying to comfort anyone we could. The whole area was a mess. The next morning the smoke from the buildings was in our yard at our home. We loaded up the family and drove an hour and a half away to a trailer that we owned in Pennsylvania. The camping season was over but they allowed about 12 families to return from the possible harm we faced by staying home.
It was a terrible time, being out of touch with our jobs, the rest of our family and not being in our routine was terrible after 3 or 4 days we returned home. The most eerie thing was there was no plane traffic at all..it was so quiet. Occasionally a Fighter Plane would pass by quickly. The guys at work who were worried about their wives found them after a day. Work returned to "normal" in about a week but our life was never the same. I personally put 1010 wins traffic & news radio on before my feet hit the ground each morning and listened to that radio all day while I was awake until my oldest son said that they had won because I was on that damn radio all the time. It was 10 years before I listened to any other station. I had to seek a professional mental health provider to talk to. She straightened me out in a few visits. On the anniversary of 9/11 last year I found out a grammar school pal was killed in the Pentagon that day. I had lost contact with him years before but have many fond memories. He was a high ranking Naval Officer. After about a year someone announced that they were going to cut the lock & chains of several bicycles at Metropark Train Station In Iselin N.J. because they confirmed that the bikes belonged to people in our area who died in the attack that day. I forever will be proud of our country and the way the people in our area pulled together for a long time afterwards. The night that George Bush threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium was a bright spot for all of us when we needed it the most. God Bless America.
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