I planned on going to work in Fort Lee, NJ (just over the Hudson) a bit late that day. A friend came over that morning and immediately told me, “A plane just hit the WTC.” I thought to myself it must have been a small prop plane.

While driving in the enormity of what happened hit me while listening to 1010 WINS. I was in my car on the Jersey side of the GW bridge when the reporter screamed that the building collapsed. My thoughts then turned to my pregnant wife who worked in midtown and how I could get her out. It became immediately clear that there was no way I could get into Manhattan to get her. The phone lines were all jammed so I could not even reach her.

I got to the office in time and we watched the second tower fall from the top floor windows. Surreal. I finally got through to my wife and she walked from 41st and 2nd to 86th and West End to our friends’ apartment.

I walked through Edgewater, NJ on River Rd down close to Hoboken with about 100 people and we watched the flames and smoke for most of the night, mostly in silence.

My wife finally got home the following night.

I’ll never forget the awful smell.