9-11-26 SHORT HILLS: It’s a day much like the day 25 years ago when the towers fell after the attack. I remember the day well, watching it on TV, talking to friends and family, awed by the horror. Family from other parts of the country were worried about any of us being there. We had children in NYC at the time in lower Manhattan, who got dusted by the cloud of debris.
I remember thinking the the first hit was probably an accident, but the second hit revealed the truth of the attack. I had no idea how bad the attack was until the towers fell, one and later the other. In WWII a plane crashed into the Empire State Building, an accident that did damage, but the building stood so I thought the towers would stand.
Judy worked at the NJ center for the victims families at Liberty State Park with Fanny, one of our therapy dogs. She was there many times to aid and comfort the workers and families of the victims. Liberty State Park is directly across the Hudson from Ground Zero.
Judy writes about it—
"Fanny and I were privileged to join a cadre of therapy dogs teams working after the World Trade Center attack at the NJ 9/11 Family Assistance Center at the massive, cavernous Victorian railway station at Liberty State Park. The station overlooks lower Manhattan, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and had been the way west for many immigrants. Driving to the park, we went down a long allee that was lined with hundreds of police and who were all were thrilled to see the dogs.
"At the center itself, each family was paired with a professional grief councilor who escorted them for their entire stay. These counselors came from prosecutors offices from all over the US and its territories, as were so many of the professionals working at the center. Families were given emotional support by chaplains of all faiths and practical aid with financial issues, and psychiatric support.
"A church group from Ohio provided round the clock day care and the Salvation Army, continuous food. There were pink and blue teddy bears for the children and for the spouses and parents of the fallen. Generic ashes taken from the site were distributed by the clergy.
"These services were co-ordinated by the state of NJ which did an amazing task of providing a myriad of services, which included the beginning of identifying remains. A giant kiosk outside of the station was plastered with hundreds of photos of the missing. For those families who wished to go to the site itself, ferries were provided non-stop by NY Waterways and Imperatore Ferries. Embarking and returning families were greeted by bagpipers.
"NJ families who went to Manhattan were greeted by therapy dogs from the NY Family Assistance Center. Also riding the route back and forth were the tireless workers from the site. One of those most deeply impacted was the Liberty State guard who was on duty and watched the towers as they fell.
"Fanny and I met many people from all walks of life, a Somalian guard, an Ecuadorian family who were here on the victim’s work visa, a dishwasher at Windows in the World, that included a pregnant wife, and her toddler and his parents. His mom’s name was Fanny and she sat for a half an hour stroking my Fanny and repeating the name endlessly.
"These folks and many more were going to be deported. They were here because the loved one who died had a work visa which was now gone. While the dogs were a huge comfort to families, they were equally embraced by the professionals who were, frankly, doing their jobs while trying to digest all they were seeing and encountering, as were we all.
"It was an intensely patriotic environment. The entire country came together in one place out of deep sorrow, to try to be of comfort to any and all.
No comments:
Post a Comment