Tragedy+10: Surreal emotions, and feeling ‘the world was ending’

Scott Stubblefield was a terminal auditor with Arkansas Best Corp. on Sept. 11, 2001. Marcie Salamone, who lived for many years in New York City, lost two college friends when the World Trade Centers were attacked.

The City Wire recently asked readers to submit their thoughts about the tragedy that struck America on Sept. 11, 2001. Several readers responded, and their notes and stories about their experiences will be posted each day through this week and possibly into next week. Link here and here to the previous two Tragedy+10 submissions.

Stubblefield, who is now an state employee, submitted answers to The City Wire Q&A about 9-11. Salamone provided a brief narrative about her experience and thoughts.

Scott Stubblefield
The City Wire: Where were you and who were you with when you first heard of or saw the tragic events of Sept. 11?

I was driving into NYC. I was in a rental car and on a business trip. The first plane had hit but I did not see the impact or know about it. I did, of course, see the smoke. The WTC was a dominant landmark that could be seen from most areas in NYC. My window was down because I was enjoying the cooler northern temps! I yelled out to a guy standing on the corner when I caught a red-light to see if he knew what had happened. He yelled back to turn my car radio to 1010 WINS, which is a long time news-talk format station in NYC.

At that point the commentators were stating that it was a terrible accident. I then saw the second plane and then the impact. That vision is frozen in my mind. The commentators then switched tack to saying that it surely was not accidental, etc. I went on to where I was conducting business in Brooklyn. From where I was, I could clearly see the WTC but was in no way ever in any danger. I eventually saw both towers fall while surrounded by New Yorkers/fellow onlookers. What I remember about the collapse was the “sparkles/gleams” in the air all around the WTC as the glass and other debris was mixed in the billows of smoke and ash. I remember watching the smoke which on the first day, seemed to all be blowing out to sea. To use a very overused word; it was surreal.

I stayed at my place of business for a good part of the day. It should be noted that my cell phone was useless as I could not get a line. I also could not get an outbound land-line until late in the evening. My family was relieved to finally hear from me. Local rumors were many and varied. Immediately people were saying that more waves of planes were headed our way which, thankfully, turned out not to be true. Many at the business I was at knew local Police and Fire personnel that were involved in the rescue.

I did not speak to this particular driver but was told by the local manager that he had lost his brother. I am not sure how they knew so quickly but based upon the time, he would have had to have been one of the first confirmed firefighter deaths. I left my place of business and travelled to a hotel in Queens. I had my windows open at the hotel and also spent time at the public patio and coffee room watching the television coverage. However, even more than the TV, I was drawn to watching the constant stream of people coming out of Manhattan over the various bridges. I assumed that they were evacuated and displaced people and many were walking and in the back of trucks or other vehicles. Lots of emergency vehicles as well.

The next day the wind had shifted and the smoke that the day before was going out to sea was all over the city. I distinctly remember the acrid, electrical fire-type smell as it burned both my nostrils and throat. I kept a sore throat for at least a week.

All the rest of the week I spent trying to get out of NYC. I had flown into Newark on Sunday, it happened on Tuesday and I could not get out until Friday. I tried trains, Buses, Flights to no avail. Eventually Hertz allowed me to keep my rental car with no drop charge or penalty and I was allowed to drive it to Arkansas.

I have many recollections but three distinct/dominant ones of that time in NYC. The second plane hitting and the collapse, both described above and one additional memory. Because of continued terrorist alerts and rescue efforts that week, at any time, the bridges and tunnels in and out of NYC were being opened and closed with little or no notice. I was finally able to drive out over the George Washington Bridge into Fort Lee, New Jersey.

The image clearly burned into my head forever is looking in my rearview mirror as I passed mid-bridge. A huge Garrison Flag was hanging vertically down from the center span of the bridge. In my rear view mirror I could see NYC and the immense flag blowing in the wind. I immediately had this weird and uneasy feeling that I had abandoned New York. It was an odd combination of emotions and I knew at the same time that I had witnessed history.

TCW: What were your first thoughts of the terrible events?

I was very angry and “spoiling” for a fight! I am a huge history buff, so I was thinking back in my mind to the old newsreels of the announcer at the time of the “Hindenburg” fire. Remember him yelling “Oh the humanity”…….? I had the exact same feeling and also a weird sense of history because that had coincidentally happened in nearby New Jersey, albeit long ago.

TCW: At the time, what did you think of the country’s military response to 9/11?

I was all for striking back at the time …

TCW: Upon reflection, have those thoughts changed, and if so, how?

Yes and no. As a general rule I do not think that 1,000 Muslim extremists are worth the lives of one of our military men or women. I was in the military for a short time, reserve and active and know that is what all the training is for. However, if you look at all the conflicts going on the world at any given time, a “Sit Rep” as the military would call it, most if not all involve Muslim extremists. I do not know if we can ever eradicate the problem. We get rid of one and ten more will take their place.

There are places in the world that have always been unstable and will continue to be no matter what we do. After a while, keeping the lid on unstable regimes or terrorist organizations is like playing a game of “Whack a Mole” at Chuck E. Cheeses. A lot of folks think that we cannot be the world’s policeman and I can understand a lot of their points. However, the cost for doing nothing could end up being much greater. As the Muslim extremists will always be; that debate will always be around as well.

TCW: Do you believe the country is more or less safe from terrorist attacks now than on Sept. 10?
 
I know that we have stopped many subsequent plots both publicized and not. I know some people in the Special Operations community and the work they do is superb. The American people will never understand how much “In harm’s way” a lot of folks are on a daily basis. However, it is just a matter of time. It is close to impossible to stop a extremely determined individual. Larger more involved plans are much easier to foil. Our distance, as it has historically, offers us some buffer zone. I do share the military’s opinion that it is better to engage our enemy as far from these shores as possible.

Marcie Salamone
Having lived and worked in Manhattan for many years, the realization that the Towers weren’t there anymore was almost incomprehensible. When you flew back into NYC, they were there to welcome you home. Upon ascending out of a subway, you looked for them to get your bearings. They were by no means the most attractive buildings in NYC, but they certainly helped define NYC.

What haunted me then and haunts me to this day are the individuals who jumped. I have been at the top of the Towers many times. I have watched the Fourth of July fireworks from the Towers and looked down on the fireworks! What kind of hell was inside those buildings that jumping was your best option?

Two of my friends from college died in the Towers that day. Between them, they left five children behind. It is hard to believe that most of those children are teenagers now.  Time marches on but we must not forget what happened that day.

On a personal note, my daughter, Alexandra, was 2 1/2 and attending a Mom’s morning out program at a Montessori school in Tampa, FL. I attended the first four weeks of school because she was scared. On 9/11, she finally allowed me to leave. I remembering sitting outside and it was eerily quiet. There were no planes flying and no traffic on the highway in the distance. I was thrilled that she allowed me to leave her at school but it felt like the world was ending. I let her stay a little while but then took her home.