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September 11, 2001 - UdoR's Story & Photos
Okay, most of you know that I have been a volunteer at 9-11. I found coincidentally those images in my photobucket archive and hence I can post them now here. Also, those images were done with 35mm film and shot with a P&S camera, and the prints later scanned by hand. Didn't have the sophisticated software to manipulate them all those years back. My story about those images: I worked on Wall Street at the time and lived in Queens (one of the borroughs of NYC). On my way to work, I saw the first tower burning and thought "How cool is that! Let me go back and get my small camera (not the regular gear, a Minolta Dynax 7000i at the time) and get a shot of the smoking WTC.) and take some shots. At that time, I thought that there was simply a fire on one of the floors and that, because it was so early, nobody would have been hurt, but since I got married there, that photo would be a curiosity many years later. You should also know that I used to have offices and friends in the WTC and was there at the first bombing. I also got married there, just 10 weeks before the attack, so I had an emotional bond to the buildings who symbolized real world trade to me. Having my lunchbreak at the wintergarden (World Financial Center) or at the promenade outside at the marina when it was warm. Enjoying the company of an international crowd of financial professionals etc., it was always something that moved me, since I am a very international guy. So, I went back home, listening to Howard Stern on the radio, to get my little camera. On my way back, back on the BQE, I could see that both towers were now sporting that smokey wane.   The first news started to come in that eyewitnesses saw that a plane hit the WTC's, or a bomb explosion, back to that someone saw two planes hitting the towers. Traffic was standing still and I have tried to call my wife, knowing that she is in the city right now, but I couldn't get through. Then, I knew that the financial district would be blocked and after the news came in that a plane hit the Pentagon, and it was clear that we were under attack. So, I went off the BQE (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway), trying to reach my business partner (best man at my wedding, and the one who (criminally) set me up over the years in business (and is now on the run from the feds) and to make my way to him. Once I got off in Brooklyn (Greenpoint/Williamsburg) I went to get gas, just to make sure that my tank was full, when the first tower collapsed, which was visible from where I was. It numbened me and I was in total disbelief, I was hoping that the fires could be extinguished, but a collapse... OMG, I felt violated... very very violated.  Second tower down:  I continued to reach my business partner. On my way, I remember a woman in a red car, she was wheeping and I couldn't hold back my own tears. I have continued to call my wife, but all circuits were busy, so I tried to stop on roadside payphones to get through to her, but to no avail, so I stopped at that Staples Store and wanted to use their phones to find my wife. But while in there, they talked about that rumor that one of the colleges, possibly Hunter College (where my wife was a student at) had a bomb explosion... I was very worried of course. So, I went back home, finding my wife there who was okay. I put on my hiking gear, took dust masks, first aid kits, headlamp and extra batteries and went to the hospital close to our home and showed them my ID's, because I am trained as a rescue diver and had my professional first responder card and card that showed that I am trained in oxygen administration. While I was there, that hospital (Long Island Jewish Hospital) received a bomb thread and didn't release any vehicles there, and they sent me to the Cadman Plaza Command Center on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge. I took Queens Boulevard down, while many people got evacuated and walked home.   In this photo, which you can't see in that bad scan, but almost in the center, you can see the big dustcloud of the collapsed buildings. (Got to rescan sometimes)    Finally at Cadman Plaza Command Center, the police sent me to the Long Island College Hospital, a few blocks away, where I signed up as volunteer with my medical background and providing my truck for transportation. (I was on call for the rest of the week with them, calling in about every hour, but they just didn't find enough survivors...) After I registered, I went around the area, waiting for being called on duty and come to this industrial area on the Brooklyn side which is just opposite of the tip of Manhattan, where I photographed this dust cloud that was lingering for days:   One week later, people who have ID to prove that they work in the Wall Street area were allowed to check on their offices. So, I drive over the Brooklyn Bridge, and took those images, the following Tuesday... the "new" skyline of NYC:   We had to park above Canal Street and walk down, no traffic was allowed and in that deserted area, pedestrians where checked for ID's by US Military, National Guard and NYPD EMT officers in full tactical gear... on every street corner... so, a officer/soldier could see on a straight road that we stopped at every corner, got checked for ID and checked again. The smell,... the smell down there... I will never forget, nauseating, I tried not to breath too much. After a few days, while clearing the debris, some of the damaged cars where stored under the FDR overpass on parking areas of South Street:  After 6 weeks or so, we were allowed to park the car at the garage where I was a monthly tenant, with written confirmation by the garage management. That garage is a few blocks from ground zero and "open" so, the management was in a continued process of cleaning out the dust from 9-11. People picked up their cars, got cleaned and parked. However, a few cars were left... covered in the dust of the World Trade Center and the dust of the remains of the victims who burned to death. And people started to write into the dust of the death, words of contribution and it took me a while until I remembered to bring my camera and I took those images. DISCLAIMER: The following images of cars of the perrished have been only shown on my old version of my website, and are first time EVER shown to a public audience here on Model Mayhem! I leave those without further comments (one of the cars belonged to a MD): If anybody responds to this text, PLEASE do NOT quote the whole text again! Thank you! Oct 13 06 01:52 pm Link Wow, its so odd how it still seams like yesterday. Oct 13 06 02:31 pm Link very beautiful udor. Oct 13 06 03:13 pm Link The pictures of the cars...wow... Thanks for posting this- Oct 13 06 03:17 pm Link Heart Wrenching...I used to work there... Oct 13 06 03:18 pm Link One friend lost her father. Another lost five friends/business partners - he missed the meeting b/c he had to stay in the UK an extra day. My father lives an hour and fifteen minutes from there. That's where I ran away to when I couldn't take where I lived any more ... I think most people who are from there or grew up near there or have family and friends there know how you feel. A huge *HUG* for you. Thank you for sharing those. Oct 13 06 03:20 pm Link I cried. :-( Oct 13 06 03:23 pm Link Wow that is beautiful, regardless of the cam u used. Very touching, and surreal(the cars) Oct 13 06 04:18 pm Link In some ways my friend I wish you did not find them, they are a definate remider to me of the men who died that I trained. I can still see the pictures of Bronco coming out of a fire with a woman sitting on one arm and her husband under the other. He died doing what he loved, saving people. Your wedding is one of my fond memories of the building, I will never forget how wonderful you both looked that night. Many people remember 9-11 but few have the feelings for those buildings that you and I do. I am glad that you did find those pictures, they are a part of our life. To all that have responded with kind words to Udo, they are deserved, he is and will always be one of my best friends. George Oct 13 06 05:14 pm Link Touchingly evocative. Thank you, UdoR. Oct 13 06 05:26 pm Link Thank you all for letting me share this rather very intimate experience with you sofar. Oct 13 06 08:45 pm Link I am glad that you did share it - both for us and for you. Events of this type shake the very soul and they make us question all that we used to take for granted. But, as is true of most of life's difficulties, time heals. I look forward to the day that the Freedom Tower is complete to the point where it serves as a replacement to the hole that currently exists in the NY skyline. For me, somehow, that will be a point in time when I can feel that New York is normal again. Oct 13 06 09:13 pm Link J Merrill Images wrote: You know... we all have different political views about this issue. Oct 13 06 09:30 pm Link As horrible as it was, I'm glad someone else tried to find beauty in the messages sent by those who were there, and survived. I was in NY as well at the time, staying on Long Island working at a Deli. I noticed after Sept. 11th happened, many of my regular morning customers... never returned. I'll never really know what happened to some of them... I was able to capture shots on Long Island of some of the messages sent by family and friends to the lost. I'll have to dig those up and post them. That day, my brother was at the Pentagon, and my sister was on the Long Island railroad and was the only one in the LIRR car that noticed the disaster as it actually happened. She'll never forget what she saw. I on the other hand was staying at a friends that night only a few blocks from the towers, but at 4am on Sept. 11th, I decided to drive back to Long Island to stay with my father, instead of waking up at 8am to move my car because of the street sweepers. I'd rather sleep in. Thank god for the NYC Street Sweepers... well... in my case. My cousin is the Fire Chief of Suffolk County on Long Island... as soon as the first plane hit, he loaded his men into his truck, booked it to NYC, dropped them off at the towers, left to go back to LI to pick up more men... and never saw the men he dropped off, again. Granted worse things have happened in history, but I believe this hit alot of people, very hard, and in a lot of ways. Oct 13 06 09:30 pm Link udo, what the fuck could i possibly say that would ease the pain of the scars. i feel for you. but not nearly as deeply as the feelings you have from that day. i would never attempt to be so brazen. the only thing we can all do is live through it and work to make the world a better place. that starts by remembering. the images are a positive step in doing your part for looking forward by remembering the past. --face reality Oct 13 06 09:42 pm Link I put up a similar thread a few days back if anybody is interested... search for "October 2001" pics. Long story short: I was in the Indian Ocean on the way to the Persian Gulf on 9/11...well, the next day, 9/12, we were very close off the Pakistani coast planning strikes in Afghanistan. Of course it wasn't until 7th October, 2001 that Operation Enduring Freedom started and we were able to end the Taliban's rule. We wrote "I (Heart) NY" on the ordnance we dropped and on our airplanes. Udor- Very touching about the cars. That's the first time I've seen those. Oct 13 06 10:05 pm Link I understand. I wasn't really thinking in political terms but, I guess, more on how I feel as a former New Yorker and as a person who has experienced something similar here in New Orleans. When I lived in the New York area (actually right across the Hudson in Cliffside/Fort Lee) the Twin Towers were part of my daily life. They were sort of like the sun coming up in the morning - you just expected to see them. Although I had been gone for nine years when this tragedy happened, I very much felt a sense of loss at the time. Obviously with what has happened in my new "home town," I feel a connection with New Yorkers, as well. I don't feel particularly on edge emotionally about Katrina, as I am sure you don't over 9/11 but, it's still a good thing to recognize the impact of such things openly. It's kind of therapeutic, I think. Once again, I salute New Yorkers for the dignity with which you have faced adversity. You live in a place that is sometimes perceived as a "tough town" but you have heart and I admire that. Oct 13 06 10:17 pm Link FaceReality wrote: Your post just moved me in a way I don't really care to write... isn't there an emoticon that makes it easier to express what I am feeling right now? Damn... Oct 13 06 10:30 pm Link I will bump this from time to time... if you don't mind. Oct 14 06 12:12 pm Link Craig Tiffen wrote: Wow! That must be very hard on your cousin! Oct 14 06 03:54 pm Link J Merrill Images wrote: Oh, I wasn't referring to YOU about the political ideologies, I mentioned it because my buddy George and I, who have both a strong bond to the WTC are split in our political views over it and I wanted to make sure that this is not going into a political/ideological debate. Oct 14 06 09:46 pm Link UdoR wrote: Great pics and strong story. Oct 15 06 02:12 am Link The one thing I remember about 9-11, aside from the obvious, is how quiet it was that day. There was absolute chaos in New York, but here in NW Ohio, the streets were empty, there were no planes in the sky and everything was utterly still. It was as if the entire world was holding its breath. Everyone hoped it wasn't as bad as it seemed, knowing full well it was worse. You could feel that everything had changed. Thank you for sharing these images - and your experience - with us, UdoR. Oct 15 06 02:42 am Link William Kious wrote: You know, NY was quiet as well... it was an eerie feeling... not one single honking car, numbness and NYC street noise is loud and cars are constantly honking their horns. Oct 15 06 04:54 am Link I think the oddest feeling I had, was the night prior to the 9-11 events. Maybe someone else that was there on the night of the 10th can agree with me, but sometime late at night, I cant remember what time, I was walking around down by Washington Square Park near NYU, and It began raining so much, everything seemed to stop. Sitting under a covering by one of the buildings that was having construction done, I was surrounded by about 20-30 other people trying to stay out of the rain. You had every type of person under this overhang, businessmen, drug dealers, bums, mom and her kids, the gutter punks, the NYU students, the out-of-towners, all different ethnic backgrounds, all different classes. I'm not sure why I noticed this so much, but I just found it amazing that everyone just stopped, not many cars were out that night, and it was just very quiet. During this time under the overhang, everyone was talking to each other, bums to the mom and kids, drug dealers to the business men, NYU students to the gutter punks, and so on. This lasted for a good 20 minutes until the rain let up a bit, and then... the switch was flipped, and the city was turned back on. It's amazing the things we notice even when something bad hasn't happened yet... because I can honestly say, I'd still remember this night as vividly as when I was there... even If the 9-11 events had not happened. I know some of you were there... at least in the area, at least watching the TV... etc. I'd like to know where you all were and how you found out that the events happened. I remember I was in NY on family business staying with my father, to continue from my story in my last post, I had left the city at about 4am on 9-11 to get my car out of the street instead of waking up at 8am just to look for another parking spot... which we all know could take hours... Mind you I was only 4 blocks from the Trade Center, God only knows what building i'd be near looking for parking when the planes hit. My Step-Mother runs into my room where I'm staying, Turns on the TV, and wakes me up as though her life depended on it. I get out of my early morning daze, and look at the TV... I see a shot of the trade towers and one of them is on fire. They said the tower was hit by a plane... I couldn't believe it. Only minutes later, out of the side of the shot, another plane comes and smashes into the side of the second tower... At this point my cell phone is going crazy from all of my friends in Florida making sure I'm ok. (I came back to Florida with a $1,500 cell phone bill.) Even though I'm watching this, and obviously its reached the rest of the world, because the rest of the world is calling me... I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. And excuse my memory, but don't I recall there being some reports of car bombs, and explosions from buildings? I couldn't reach my sister, she was on a LIRR train going to Penn Station, but once this all happened, they stopped the trains... hers... they stopped in a Tunnel and then announced the bad news... talk about the wrong time to panic. My brother was visiting the Pentagon that day with his Superior in the Army National Guard. He called and let us know he was alright, and was on the opposite side of the Pentagon. After all of this, more planes were reported, and all other news ceased to exist. People started selling American Flags in every form possible. Magnetic, and sticky flags for your car, flags for your windows, flags for your pets, etc. The American spirit just got a huge boost. Everything changed. Those who hated the Gov't even had kind words to say about the administration and Gulianni. Attitudes were put aside. In retrospect the only reason the American pride came out, was because this was someone that did this to us and the towers were a huge symbol for us... Because I can definitely say, if you compare the losses between Hurricane Katrina and the 9-11 events... 9-11 wasn't nearly as bad. I am in no way saying that 9-11 was more acceptable, but where was the American pride we had when 9-11 happened? Where were the hopefull hearts and the Gov'ts help to Katrina Victims? Not many people did as much to help. In another view, look at Hiroshima and Nagasaki... talk about total devestation... Not just two landmark buildings and the people in it, but entire cities... and the people in them. War and hate all in all are wrong... I'm just hoping that A. North Korea doesnt do something stupid, and B. The US "leader" doesnt decide to take on North Korea and start World War III. But enough of my basic political views... I want to hear more stories... Oct 15 06 03:52 pm Link UdoR wrote: To be perfectly honest, I think I'm reminded plenty of that day, and personally, I don't need to be reminded all the time. As someone who was much (MUCH) closer that day, my memory haunts me too much as it is, and given how such images have been bastardized and politicized, I'd just as soon live the rest of my life without seeing these kinds photos again. Oct 16 06 04:38 pm Link Craig Tiffen wrote: No actual bombings have happened, but some assholes called in bomb threads and in times like that, there is a lot of confusion and rumours around. Oct 16 06 04:57 pm Link Brian Diaz wrote: I agree and disagree with you Brian; Oct 16 06 05:08 pm Link The cars I never even thought about, it's amazing just seeing the pictures of them, how much of a story they tell. Very powerful. I think they'd be a beautiful touch to anything that was published regarding 9-11. Thank you very much for sharing these. Oct 17 06 01:02 am Link UdoR wrote: The fact that I know it's not contest is the reason I didn't go into where I was or what my relationship with the WTC is. Oct 17 06 12:21 pm Link No offense, but if you dont want to see it, then just ignore it... maybe there are some of us who'd like to hear and share stories about the events we went through... maybe, just maybe its part of the healing process for some of us. Instead of closing our minds to the truth, and understanding what happened, maybe some of us would rather face it, and know that we're not alone. Theres no point in denying the truths of life. But like I said... if you dont want to see it, then dont click on this thread, dont read our posts, just ignore it. If you have enough self control to try to shut out what happened to you on 9-11 then im sure you have enough self control to shut out this thread. If I see a thread about sports, I move on, why? Because I'm not interested. So instead of bringing animosity to a thread such as this, something that actually matters to some people... just move on. Oh and by the way... I believe this thread is the least of your worries as far as you being reminded of these events... being that the media seems to have that covered quite well... good luck to you getting through life without being reminded of that day. - Craig Tiffen Oct 17 06 05:13 pm Link thank you udor i do not know what else to say Sep 05 07 08:27 pm Link touching images. It's so odd that it has already been 6 years since 9/11. I remember hearing about it like it just happened recently. I was in 6th grade, and my teacher left the room for a few minutes in the morning when we worked on our projects. She returned crying almost uncontrollably (her family lives in NYC) and told us that three planes had been hijacked, and flown into the world trade center, pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. Looking back, being so young, I'm surprised how we understood the strong impact of this tragedy. I was terrified as my father worked right next to the Pentagon. We were the only class in the school (elementary) that was told by the teachers, and we were not allowed to tell any friends in other classes. Students were called home almost immediately after we heard what had happened. No one else knew what was going on. I waited and waited until the end of the day when my dad finally picked me up from school...I was so relieved. We went home, and I turned on the T.V. I was terrified. The next week or so, all the kids were constantly looking out windows. Sep 05 07 08:43 pm Link Thank you for what you have shown me...I cried seeing this. Thank you Udor, I can't think of any other words to say. Jai Sep 05 07 09:56 pm Link I remember. My pager went off, indicating that one of my server farms had lost connectivity. So, I fired up my systems and couldn't connect to anything at all in that farm. The farm was in one of the towers - 93rd floor, IIRC. Might have been 83rd. I never set foot in the building, just managed servers remotely from Arizona. Since I couldn't connect to anything, I tried calling. No answer, then "All circuits are busy, please try again later." I called the NOC in Massachusetts, and they told me "Quit trying to fix anything and turn on CNN. A plane hit the tower." I turned on the television and switched channels just in time to get the images of the second plane on impact. Three of my co-workers were in the building when it happened, and from what I was told they were above the impact level of the planes. They did not get out. Sep 05 07 10:26 pm Link I was in Manhattan that day. I watched the towers burn and collapse from my bedroom window. Because I was also in NY for the '93 attack on the towers, I knew right away that it was terrorism. I have some images too, but I'm not going to post them. I lived right next to the Fireman's Memorial up on 100th and Riverside. A sleepy hidden memorial in Riverside Park suddenly became a focus of the city for weeks. I'll never forget the thousands of desperate "missing" posters people put up, the incredible disbelieveing deep and stern sadness of the rescue workers I would encounter on the subway, or the layers of flowers that decorated the cars of the lost for months at MetroNorth and NJ Transit train stations all around the metro area. NYC seemed somewhat emasculated after its ridiculously virile towers were felled. Personally, I can't wait for the Freedom Tower to stand up and thrust it's huge metaphoric middle finger to the bastards who did that to us. You can knock us down, but not out. Just ask the 'masterminds' behind Pearl Harbor. Keep bumping this thread, and... never forget. Sep 05 07 10:47 pm Link I was 12 years old when this came over our tv at school. I looked in horror and could not stop crying. I called mom to come and get me from school. I shook all afternoon and for many nights I came downstairs and checked the alarm system to make sure noone was going to come into my home and take my parents away or kill them. I am all the way down in Mississippi and it affected me that much! I had the priviledge of going to NYC last summer and saw the site. I had all the emotions come back up again. Mr Udor, I can't imagine the pain you and so many faced being there. I can only say, it has touched so many lives from around the world and my prayers will always include that day. It is a day I will never forget as long as I live. xoxox Tiffany Sep 05 07 10:59 pm Link I was walking by Bryant park( 42nd st 5th ave.) at 8:46 am I heard a huge noise and looked up . Above me was a Jet , at around 500 feet doing 500 miles an hour, it was so low I could see the rivets. A chill came over my body and I said to Myself " that doesn't seem right, The pilot would take the plane over the water if there was a problem" But the other thought was The pilot Must know what he is doing- It did, he was taught in the USA . 30 seconds later I saw the burning tower on 5th ave. and said that was deliberate! Made a beeline to the subway to brooklyn as I knew the city would be shut down soon. On the brooklyn side a man was freaking out and stating that it was the Palestinians that did this , I asked him calmly if he thought the towers will fall, ( as this was my first thought.) He looked at me strangely and said " they will never fall". Sep 05 07 11:29 pm Link On September 11, photographer Bill Briggart was carrying three cameras: two EOS-1 film cameras, and his new Canon D30 digital camera. When the towers were attacked, he headed toward them. He was killed when the second tower collapsed. His cameras were destroyed. All the film was exposed to light by the impact. But the CompactFlash card in his D30 survived. http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0111/ … _intro.htm Sep 05 07 11:36 pm Link in memory of bump Sep 10 07 10:36 pm Link |
