My 9/11 story

Twenty years ago on this day I walked into a new job as editor-in-chief of Insurance & Technology magazine. My office was on the 92nd floor if 2 World Trade Center. I remember being immediately impressed with my view of the Verrazano Bridge. And later I was equally amazed as the windows popped in and out with the weather and the rain literally appeared to be going up. ‘Nuff said there.

While I only worked in 2 WTC for seven months before I met an ignominious demise thanks to the most evil boss I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a few), the memories of that time have stayed with me—only to be amplified and elongated by what happened 20 years and one day later, on Sept. 11, 2001. I can’t stop thinking “What if I had worked there then?” I think I know the answer.

I had one harbinger moment while working in the twin towers. One afternoon there was a power outage at the substation at nearby Fulton Street Fish Market. We didn’t know that was what it was at the time, but all of a sudden the lights in our offices went out. My aforementioned devil of a boss went around the office telling us all to keep working—even though the temperature inside went from its usual comfort to sweltering in a matter of 30 minutes.

Eventually we left for the day, but that was easier said than done. No power meant no elevators. So we started our 92-floor trek down. I recall the masses of humanity in the stairwells being orderly and moderately paced with little pushing or talk. It was a long march, taking almost an hour to feel the cool air of the lobby and then the refreshing breezes that blew through the open area between the twin towers. I never imagined what it would be like to make that trip under serious duress or panic.

I had lived in California less than a year when the bomb exploded in the underground garage at the World Trade Center on Feb. 26, 1993. I recall a co-worker asking, “How could that happen?” Easy was my answer. There were many levels of parking under the building—with no security checks—and someone had driven in a rental truck with 1,500 pounds of explosives inside. The intention was to knock the north tower (1 WTC) into the south tower (2 WTC) and kill 250,000 people. Luckily, only six died but 1,042 were injured. But I don’t think anyone thought this could happen again.

Knock over one of the World Trade Center towers! How could that happen? Still, I was horrified on that fateful day when I watched on TV as not only did the towers come tumbling down but were literally pulverized. And the memory of 9/11/01 will remain one of the most memorable days of my life.