Photo courtesy of: andrelevy.net
I love New York City. And as Letterman says, “it’s the greatest city in the world…”
Like many, I will never forget that morning. On September 11, 2001, I was having breakfast with my friend, David Knauff, at the Einstein Bagels, in downtown Evanston, Illinois. We were sitting at the first table by the door when a man walked in, and walked hurriedly up to his friends at the table near ours and said… “A plane just flew into the World Trade Center!”
I immediately looked up and said, “it was a terrorist.” He responded with, “no it must have been some guy in a small plane.” I said, “no way.” I got up, left David sitting there, got in my car and turned on the radio. In a matter of minutes I was at my art gallery in Wilmette and, with the television turned on, I stood there with tears streaming down my cheeks as I watched the second plane fly into other WTC Tower. Never, ever to be forgotten…
Photo courtesy of: andrelevy.net
We all watched, horrified at the initial impact of what was taking place, not even aware that shortly thereafter, a third jet would crash into the Pentagon and a fourth would crash into a field in Pennsylvania, when the male passengers on flight 93 tried to retake the cockpit. Risking their own lives and the lives of their fellow passengers, they possibly saved hundreds if not thousands of other lives, with two simple words… “Let’s roll.”
I cried that day and many days since. And visiting the new 9/11 memorial in NYC in May 2015, took my breath away. So in my own special way, I’d like to dedicate this weeks column to the 15th anniversary of 9/11. It’s so very personal for me, because I have always loved New York City. I hope you will take a few minutes, to watch and listen, to the links below and to what cuts straight to the core of this proud American.
Watch one or two today, maybe another tomorrow or the next day. Watch what you want, when you want. Watch them all after this reading if you’re so inclined. And maybe watching only one of the three will be enough. It’s never easy. But let us never forget…
Watch and listen: David Letterman’s monologue, one week later, September 18, 2011 Click here to view video
Watch and listen: York Police Officer Daniel Rodriquez sings God Bless America in Yankee Stadium, October 30, 2001 Click here to view video
Watch and listen: Lady Gaga sings New York, New York on television, at the Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Celebration Click here to view video
The bottom line…
I had a chance to visit friends in New York in March of 2002, and it was so heart breaking to see the WTC Towers down and gone. There were workmen and trucks still working endlessly to clear the wreckage and begin anew. Freedom Tower is there now, the Memorial Exhibit, inside and out is beautiful, but still now and forever, heartbreakingly sad.
Photo courtesy of: andrelevy.net
There are so many memories of that time, still fresh in my mind. And it’s still very hard for me to talk about it without getting emotional. But by far the most gut wrenching thing I remember about being there, that March, was the look on the faces of the New York Police Department men and women, and the New York Fire Department men and women I saw on the streets, or in front of their stations… There was a lost stare, almost a hollowness in their eyes that seemed to want to say something. But what was there to say? So I will say it now, and again, and again… Please, I implore you, never, ever, forget!
Peace. I am Bob Danon, and integrity does matter.
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