9/11 In New York City

This post is a little late coming.
About four months late, to be exact.

Well, at that time, I was still working in our administrative offices.  September 11, 2013 was a Wednesday.  I had already planned to miss church that evening and go to the September 11th memorial along the north shore of Staten Island, directly across from Manhattan.  What I didn't know were the stories that awaited me in the office.

I've come to grow quite fond of the three men with whom I shared an office.  One is Demmis.  He's an international intern from Guatemala, working as PH's Volunteer Coordinator.  He wasn't here when 9/11 occurred, nor was he in the office that day.  Not that he's a bad guy or unimportant, because he is exactly the opposite... but let's ignore him for today.
Another one is FR (or as I refer to him when talking to my mom, "the funny father").  As I sat with him on 9/11, he shared with me some pictures.  At the time, he was a practicing priest (as others refer to him, he is non-practicing - but I am of the school that one does not just leave their 'practice' as a spiritual guide, but that's another story for another day).  Anyway, he was overseeing a Jesuit retreat center on Staten Island at the time.  Because of the shut-down of transportation to and from the city, people were stranded on Staten Island.  That retreat center opened the doors for them.  FR was also called upon to be on hand as the rubble was delivered to the landfill.  In the case that remains were discovered, he would be there to pray over them.  It's safe to say that he was on the front lines in the aftermath.
My other office companion was S.  S used to work in Manhattan, for a telephone company.  On 9/11, he was at work.  He told me his story and says that day, he almost lost his life.  He worked in the same area as the two towers and when the first plane hit, his building evacuated.  He left and started walking northward.  As the second plane hit the towers, an enormous fireball was created... and headed straight toward him.  It came down the same street that he was walking up and had he not found a quick place to get out of its path, it would have killed him.  He ended up wandering around Manhattan that day after finding his daughter, and reflecting on his life.

I'm thankful for these stories.  I'm thankful for those who gave their lives trying to save others that day.