http://www.ftci.com/memorial_book/lim_arnold.htm
Its been 4 years to the day… the pain and sense of loss is as fresh as the day it happened. September 11, 2001 the US witnessed one of the most heinous attacks on American soil since Pearl Harbor. The only difference is that this was attack on it’s citizens and not a military outfit.
I was just about to leave for work that day, already running late, leaving my house, about turn off the TV and then the North Tower was hit. I was shocked, glued to the TV debating whether or not to go to work. I called up Linette letting her know what was going on. I think time was going by really quick that day, because the next thing I know was that the South Tower was hit, running around looking for Arnold’s business card to try to give him a call to see if he was ok, but the lines were already dead. Still watching CNN and on the phone with Linette, the South Tower collapses and a sound that I will never forget comes from the phone. It was a combination cry, shriek, scream and yell, filled with dread that came from Linette, it’s hard to replicate how it sounds, but if I ever heard it again, I can tell you what it is. I just hope I never hear that again.
Watching the 4 year anniversary brings back a lot of memories of that day and the days that follow. Talking to my dad on the phone saying that I’ll pick him up from work and just trying to get from my house to the Grand Central Park and 164th st took almost an hour, which is normally less than 2 minutes to get to. Finally getting to the cross section I can clearly see the plume of smoke coming from Lower Manhattan. Decided to go home and watched the news the rest of the night.
The days following were spent in NYC helping Linette and her family going from hospital to hospital putting hope missing signs for Arnold as well as checking to see if he was checked in to any hospital. We were interviewed quite a few times by different news agencies with Linette being the spokesperson for us.
I remember first walking out of the 14th St/ Union St subway station, walking along 14th St towards 1st Ave and seeing NYS State Troopers patrolling the streets, one of the few sights that I will never forget, along with the sights of seeing the myriad of missing posters plastered at all the area hospitals. I hope this never happens again.
Arnold…. We miss you very much, I know that Linette does, although she’s your cousin, she thinks of you as a brother she never had.
We will see you again someday…
A little excerpt from The Return of the King. I thought it was fitting, giving us hope for those that has passed on.
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Pippin: I didn’t think it would end this way.
Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn’t end here. Death is just another path… One that we all must take.
Gandalf: The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass…
Gandalf: …And then you see it.
Pippin: What? Gandalf?… See what?
Gandalf: White shores… and beyond. The far green country under a swift sunrise.
Pippin: Well, that isn’t so bad.
Gandalf: [Softly:] No… No it isn’t.
