Feedback

Ever since I posted the original recollection, a deluge of e-mails have come in from around the World: Japan, Kenya, Indonesia, England, Germany, Canada, Hong Kong, India and more.

In the States, from Hawaii to NYC and everywhere in between.

Reading the outpouring of personal accounts, of tales of people lost as well as found, of grief and love and anger and support are just too much to take by myself.

So I have decided to share. Below are a few 100 or so unedited emails, roughly in the order they were received. My own comments or email responses are in italics.

I hope reading these brings as much joy and happiness to you as I got from receiving them . . .

I am a WWII veteran of the 8th Air Force that flew Flying Fortresses. Each plane that hit WTC carried over 80,000 lbs of jet fuel equivalent to a fleet of 16 B-17 Flying Fortresses concentrated in one spot!. A B-17 carried 5,000 lbs of bombs. Other than the dropping of the atomic boms over Japan there was never such a concentration of bombing in history.

Thousands had to be incinerated instantly.

God bless you and all the others!

Herb, msn.com

Just finished reading your well written article about your friend Bill's experience, living through that horrible attack on Tuesday. My prayers are with you all in New York. Even as far away as Honolulu, where I am, this tragedy touches us... My friend's brother had an early morning meeting on the 99th floor of one of the towers. He hasn't been heard from since.

Anyway, just wanted to say that I like your style of writing. Hope to read more of your writings soon.

God bless,

Bruce Honolulu, HI

I just wanted to tell you how much that helped me. Hearing stories of happiness. So much of the news has been grim and mind-blowing, but to hear of a happy ending for your friend and his family is wonderful. Because now, just as those who lost someone they knew, will not take their lives or freedom for granted. I still have not heard from my friend in the Army that worked in the Pentagon. Please say a prayer and thank you for your unique insight into this tragedy.

Lisa, plastics1.com

Hi Barry,

I'm glad to hear you're ok. I finally got through on the phones last night and talked to most of my NYC friends. It seems that all my friends are ok, but at least half of them have lost friends and colleagues. I still can't take it all in. All the american expats here are walking around dazed.

Anyways, keep me posted on how you're doing. I'll probably be taking a trip back through the US later in the fall, so I'll see you soon.

Best,

Ben, Hong Kong

Thank you so much for sharing this story. "Safe" here in Texas, so far away from the coast and seemingly beyond harm's way, it is still difficult to digest the horror we saw on TV on Tuesday. I was filled with anger, deep sorrow, and numb from disbelief. I was also filled with gratitude, respect, and pride by the subsequent response of so many compassionate and brave souls. I cannot offer my hands to help, but rest assured I, and all of America, offer our constant and daily prayers for all of you who experienced such personal loss.

May God bless you and comfort you, Robby

Looking at the devastation and loss of life on the T.V. made me feel like I had lost one of my loved ones and indeed we all did and what can you say to these families when we our selves do not understand. But when you look at the people who did this and the people who harbor them and help them you can honestly say that these are devils in human form who know nothing but hate, feel nothing and would go to any length just for the sheer joy of killing innocent men, women and children all in the name of Allah. But don't be deceived, because there is no God that would condone killing of the innocents and also Islam does not believe in killing innocent men, women and children. The God these butchers believed in and the ones who support them is the devil and that is where they will burn for eternity. Right now we need to stick together as one family, pray to the Almighty God for his guidance and mercy on this country and for everyone who believes in freedom and justice no matter who they may be or what country they are from , together we can win this war on terrorism with the help of the Almight God because no nation is safe until we do.

Deb Tampa Bay

One of the best accounts that I have read through all of this. I have been reading so much that I started skimming a lot of articles, but when I got to this I had to read it word for word. The reality of "it could have been me", although I am not in NY, hit fast. It could have been anything, anywhere and we all could have been hearing or telling the same story. This is the most real thing I have read thus far.

brenda

My mom sent in this one:

Our [Bible] tells us that our world was created imperfect. G-d created man to be His partner in perfecting His world. The incalculable magnitude of sheer evil which has been wrought upon our society, yesterday, must now be answered with an equally, if not greater, magnitude of force comprised of goodness and light. The scales of the universe must be steadied, and with G-d's help, tipped to the good.

--Rabbi Sholom Ciment

I am from New Orleans, LA . I just wanted to say your friend is a lucky man, not only to be alive but to have a friend such as you.

I had the pleasure of visiting your city in April of this year. My daughter is in the drama club at her scool and we took a 4 day trip there. To think I stood in the WTC 4 short months ago. Such beautiful memories for my daughter and I on a vacation, now it is a nightmare for so many others.

Keeping you and yours in our prayers.

Theresa
@aol.com

Your story brought me to tears. I know people in New York, I dealt with them everyday. Our prayers are with all of you. Tell your friend Bill that I am not sure I would have dealt the same way with the Arab celebrating on the bridge, but I guess I was not there. Thank you for the article.

Jason
Newport Beach, CA

I am moved by your friend's story and am glad that at least some people were able to escape a certainly tragic death. Thanks for sharing his story and for helping me to imagine survivors of this horrible incident. It is with stories and accounts like this man that help us all move through these hard times.

Sincerely,
Jesse @worldnet.att.net

Dear sir,

I wanted to thank you for your account of Tuesday's happenings. It is the first account I have read or heard and I will never forget it. Since your friend had no interest in writting it up I am very glad that you did. It was incredibly insightful. Being all the way in Houston it is hard to imagine a persons perspective. We only see what the news shows us and what we hear. I thank you. May God bless.

Afton, an American thru and thru
aol.com

Thank you for the story of your friend's experience. I too am in the industry, and although I am in St Louis, MO, I feel this event very personally. God give strength and resolve to New Yorkers and to America.

pat

Thank you for your personal recollection, an ex Wallstreeter (2 WFC) recently transplanted to Washington DC - experiencing all too personally the incidents in both cities.

Linda

I am a nurse practitioner, MSN, MPH. I worked on the Thai Cambodian Border in 82-84. I called the Red Cross. They say they don't want help from volunteers who haven't gone thru their Disaster Relief Course.

Sometimes institutional arrogance just makes one laugh, or else cry.

So, in case this happens again, I will try to take their course. But what a time for small minded bureaucrats.

I appreciate your diary. I called my parents at 9am to tell them not to drive into NY. I made them turn on the TV. Then I called to make sure NEW YORK family was OK. Then came to work in Arlington as I heard about the Pentagon and made sure my friend near by was OK. And then called to see who needed help. There were so many offers for help but no need.

It is frustrating and worse, depressing, to have nothing to do. I have worked under harsh conditions before. I am so ready. This isn't the end. We can't wipe out all haters, Check out the Five Percent Nation a real hate group based in NY. None of my cancer patients are calling. it is so quiet here. Suddenly cancer seems a smaller issue than the national disaster.

Maureen
US ONCOLOGY.COM

Thank you for sharing your poignant account of indeed surreal events of that fated day. I cried and laugh, mix emotions I had while reading your article. I cannot anymore to it . I just want to say Thank you for sharing it with us. Sincerely,
Malynn

Thank you for a very well done piece. It was very uplifting, and I enjoyed your commentary. Dan

Thank you soo much for recollecting what your colleague felt and live through. It is hard for us to understand what is going on and how people are coping with it. I was myself on the East Coast, in Boston and my level of astonishment has yet to pass. It is hard to describe what I feel today, but reading your article clarified the emotions of people living in NYC and even Washington.

There is one area of your text that shocked me to the greatest level. It's not something you wrote, but rather the expressions of joy displayed by some arab-looking people or some muslims.

I am without a doubt proud to be a Muslim. Not the Islam we see here in the Western world, but rather the one a good majority of us practice. As a child, I was thaught by my parents to be tolerant, understanding of other faiths and other beliefs. I was thaught to be tolerant of my peers and women. Violence was not an option, never.

Today, most of my friends are muslim and jewish. Something most people, because of some idiot fanatics, have a hard time believing. Of course, I have disagreements between myself and my jewish friends on what the problem is in the Middle East. But the purpose is to get an understanding of what we both see and feel.

It's regretful to see CNN and other major station show signs of joy in the Arab world. It's sad, because, I know of at least 20 people in that building who are probably dead today that were Arab Muslims. These people killed blindly. They killed Americans, Canadians, Muslims, Jews and more. Killing of innocent people is forbidden in the Kuran. There are no exceptions. Suicide is sinful and "send you straight to hell". There is nothing honorable according to the Holy scripture. There are no exceptions.

You must be wondering the whole point of this email. The point is simple. We are not all bad. Actually, most muslims are disgusted. Sure there are fanatics, and different interpretations. But most of us are sad and in pain. We also consider ourselves Americans or Canadians.

It's very difficult to accept what I see. But I thought I can clarify that just as a few white guy killing children and government workers in Oklahoma City doesn't make all white guys bad and racist and terrorist; the same is true for Arabs. It's not because of a few people with evil values and an uncanny ability to use youth, poverty and pain in the middle east to enroll and train people to kill, that all Muslims and "Arab-looking" people are happy. On the contrary, I am in tears because of the hurt. And I am angry. Although many Americans probably think I am trying hard to pretend.

Thanks for reading!

Alim

Barry - wow - amazing story from you and Bill - I'm forwarding my commentary that I had sent to my friends below... Tis a good thing to get out there - a lot of my co-workers are all over the country, and I've sent this to some of them, which gave them a grasp on what actually happened compared to what you saw on television...

Thanks again, Tom

Unbelieveable recollection. Thank you so much for sharing. We had clients here from New York who couldn't get home. The firm called in lunch for everyone Tuesday. It was like comfort food or something. Bless Bill and his family. His purpose here on earth was not up yet.<

Barry, Your writing of your friend, Bill, has touched me and I've shared it with many of my friends also. I'm not sure, but I think I got to it from YAHOO, but I'm not really sure anymore with the amount of 'surfing' I've done since Tuesday... at last the week is ending, but somehow and in spite of this, we will all be changed forever by the actions of these terrorists. I'm thankful that I didn't have to be in the thick of it. But, I'd like to think that I'd have the courage to do what I think the passengers on the flight which crashed in PA did. Hopefully, I'll never be tested.

Again, my thanks for your vivid portrayal of Bill's experiences in NYC on Tuesday, September 11th, in the year of our Lord 2001.

God bless us all,

Betty San Antonio, TX

Please share this message with my American Brothers and Sisters.

One Canadian's message to his American brothers and sisters,

I am not an American, but a landed immigrant to this great country. I am Canadian, and my family and I, have been hear for 5 years. Even though I wasn't born here, I spent my entire youth walking it's shores and it's borders. I am from a small town in eastern Ontario, which borders the state of New York.

I can't tell you what complacency feels like, I haven't been here long enough. I can tell you what it is like to walk upon the land of the free and the home of the brave, and to call it home.

I am honored and I am proud.

I can tell you how I feel about this atrocity. I am outraged. I am hurt. I can not express the sorrow that I feel for those who lost there lives and for the families who lost their loved ones on 11 September 2001. I can only wipe away my tears.

If I could, I would paint an American flag that would cover every roof top in America. I would cover everything American in the world with an American flag, until those factions are brought to justice and until they realize that they can never take from us what is the spirit and kindred called America.

Your Canadian Brother, Allan

Barry, thank you for sharing this story. I am grateful that you, Bill and your other coworkers made it. I have spent much time in the WTC and fear I have lost many friends. I have worked with military factions of this government. I assure you bombing the WTC and the military's "holy grail", the Pentagon, has incensed the strongest military force the world has ever known. We are already at war behind the scenes. Bush will declare it as soon as they get the rest of their ducks in order.

All the best,

Tony

Thank you for you eloquent writing. The love you have for your city and your friend shines through the report. I love New York City. When I was a drama teacher for twelve years, I chaperoned students on spring break theatre tours every chance I could get. I traveled alone on several occasions to stay with a girlfriend in Brooklyn and just be a tourist for a few days now and then.

My first trip to New York was as a barely eighteen-year-old in my first year of college at Trinity University in San Antonio. The trip was a class that would earn 2 hours of credit in just six days over the Christmas holidays. All we had to do was write reviews of the six plays we would see. Sounded like a snap to me, so I jumped at the chance.

It put me into the best theatres in the world, the best stores, the best downtown experience of my life. I remember being in Times Square on New Year's Eve on that trip with killions and jillions of other people watching the ball come down and confetti, noise, people kissing, and my chaperone herding us swiftly back to our hotel.

I had a free morning, so I bought some daffodils from a flower shop, got a cup of coffee and a danish, and walked to Tiffany's, imitating Audrey Hepburn, hoping I'd be discovered for some movie role! A great trip, beautiful experience, and wonderful introduction to the best city in the world.

On subsequent trips, I've visited Radio City Music Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Empire State Building, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Greenwich Village, Central Park, the Staten Island Ferry, and the top of the Statue of Liberty, countless theatres and shops, too many to remember. My favorite restaurant is The Crab House on 8th and about 59th or so. My favorite store is, of course, Bergdorf's, being born and raised in Dallas and practically baptized at Neiman's.

On one of the theatre trips with my students, we got to go to the top of the World Trade Center. We took in the indescribable view. We bought some souvenirs, and at least, peered into the windows of the Windows of the World restaurant. It was a goal of mine to eat there someday.

My baby brother, who's actually in his 30s now, but will always be my "baby brother", e-mailed me his company's news release on Wednesday of this week.

He works in Seattle for ABM, which is the largest janitorial and maintenance firm in the country. It is traded on the stock exchange. It does over a billion dollars in business in the U.S. and $60 million is, was, from the World Trade Center alone.

Three hundred employees, maintenance workers, elevator, janitorial, lighting, and more, were in those towers. Now, 95% have been accounted for and they are hopeful that the others survived somehow.

I am not sure why I'm writing you all of this. It helps with my sorrow and grief for the people, the city, and the country.

I did want to thank you for the opportunity to share my connection with NYC. Thank you for putting your words on the web. My family just came on-line this summer, and it has opened up a rich and rewarding chance to broaden our minds and hearts.

I wrote my brother of the fact that I'd only gotten to peer into the windows of the Windows of the World on that one trip. He answered back that he got the chance to eat there with our father several years ago. Somehow, that was good enough for me. And, now, that will have to do.

My hope is that the two towers will be able to be rebuilt, so that the skyline can be back to what it was last Monday, September 10th.

My prayers are with you.

With love,
Joslyn

This was the first page of six. To see more email responses, please go here.