[rescue] Staggering Events

[Kurt Mosiejczuk]

DISCLAIMER: I'm probably going to ramble a bit, and am not expressing
	opinions on how we should go forward.  I'm mainly just trying
	to get out some of my shock and put words to my feelings. You
	might consider just deleting this message.  But, some of you
	might find it interesting.

I just thought I'd share my experiences of yesterdays events.

A co-worker and good friend of mine was at the DeutscheBank
building across the street from the WTC doing a software
upgrade.  After my wife called me and started telling me
about it, I realized he was in danger.  I'll start with
saying that he is fine and on his way back to his family
as I write this.  That said, I spent a harrowing morning as
myself and my co-workers tried to find out if he was okay.

Here's a good account of his story:

http://www.rochesternews.com/0912story3.html

I spent part of the morning "knowing" that he was 4-5 blocks
away before the first tower collapsed.  Turns out that wasn't
true.

Watching the news yesterday was a rough experience.  Beyond the
fact that my friend was in danger, I spent a week down there a
few months ago.  As a matter of fact, that software install was
originally supposed to be assigned to me.  The hotel I stayed
in (Marriott Financial Center) was only a block away.  I watched
video of a man on a loading dock exclaiming about the planes
hitting the tower as they happened.  I travelled right by that
dock every day for a week.

It's one thing to hear of such a horrific attack.  I found it
that much more stunning that I had BEEN to these places.  Heck,
I could've been there when it happened.  And I can't help but
wonder if I would've been as lucky as my friend.

And while I feel very shaken, there are those who HAVE been hit
hard by this.  People I know.  A good friend of mine works at
Akamai, a company that lost one of its co-founders who happened
to be on one of the planes.  The best man at my friend's wedding
has known this man for many years and was close friends with him.
I can't imagine his loss.  And at least he KNOWS the fate of his
friend.

And then, still reeling, my wife found out that her Aunt (who is
a flight attendant) was supposed to be on one of the two flights
to hit the towers, heck, she was on the plane until 10 minutes
before takeoff.  She was bumped off the flight because the plane
wasn't full enough to justify that many flight attendants.  I get
confused about how I feel about it.  I am mixed between being
relieved that she was spared and terrified that she was that
close to it.

...

--Kurt