Written by Kim Johnson

I really think I have PTSD because I can’t even talk about September 11th without crying.

A friend and I were talking about 911 today and his experience, and I began crying. He had to change the subject just so I could take my mind off of it. Who would think after all these years it would still affect me so much.

Even now, as I finally decided to write my story I’m crying. That day, I was in a supervisor training class on the 10th floor of my job when the two planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York City. When the second plane hit the towers my classmates and I were passing notes to each other about the planes hitting the building, I can’t remember how we found out, but we ran to the window and watched the hole in one of the towers widen. We had no idea that we were under any type of attack. Our teacher did everything that he could to get us to move away from the window, but to no avail.

I remember thinking to myself that I had better call my husband to tell him what was happening. When I did, he was watching also, but from the other side of the river. As we were watching the towers burn the second tower that was hit by one of the planes collapsed first. I just remember screaming “did you see that! did you see that!” There was so much brown dust and so much confusion going on at the same time. The head of the Clerk Union had a bullhorn demanding that we leave the building (because even though we were in a supervisor training program, we had not graduated and were still craft employees technically). While management was still trying to figure out what to do, they eventually decided to move us into a center room where we couldn’t look out the window anymore.

Finally the Union won the battle and we were told to take the stairs down to the ground floor. As we were leaving I told my husband that we were evacuating the building and that I would call him when I got downstairs, but by the time I reached the ground floor, the first tower that was hit, collapsed and my cell phone didn’t work anymore (at that time, the cell phone towers were located on the collapsed buildings). Also, none of the pay phones in the street worked either. When I couldn’t reach home I began to panic.

Anyhow, I could hear the military planes flying low, there was no train service, buses, or taxi’s, just an airy silence that is hard to describe even now.

People were all over the place trying to figure out what was happening and how to get home. There were only two bridges that we could cross to leave the city (because bridges and tunnels to Manhattan were closed to non-emergency traffic in both directions). As such, my classmates and I separated into two groups, those that lived in Brooklyn went over the Brooklyn bridge and the rest of us that lived in Long Island and Queens went over the the 59th Street bridge.

As we were walking on 42nd Street, we saw the News on one of the buildings and learned that there were other places that were being attacked too. I was sooo frightened. We walked from 33rd street and 9th Ave to 59 Street and 3rd Ave. I had to be lifted over the barriers that were on the bridge because I had on a dress and high heels. I remember we were running and walking briskly over the bridge because we didn’t know if the bridge would be attacked next.

After crossing the bridge I was able to walk many many miles in heels, home. When I finally walked through my front door I collapsed on the floor and cried and cried. So happy to be home with my family and so happy to be alive.

My family was sick with fear and worry about me, because no one could reach me. Once home, I was able to find out the magnitude of what happened. When I think of all the families and lives that were lost that day it tears me apart inside and I can’t forget…still…

My life has truly changed. I no longer take my safety for granted and I put ALL of my trust and faith in God. I gave my life to Jehovah shortly after that, and I am proud to believe that Jesus Christ died for me.

Thank You God for everything! Thank you for protecting me and getting me home safely. There is no One like You Lord, no One! 🙌🏾

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