In 2001, a plane flew by my window at 8:46am and crashed into the North Twin Tower. I wrote a poem called “50 Blocks Away” a few days later but was not ready to share it until recently. Now, it’s over 20 years since the most horrific terrorist attack this country has ever seen and many are still in awe that I’ve never left.

The truth is that, for those of us who survived the world trade center attack that day, we got to see the people of this city come together in a way that I still can’t quite describe. It was on that day that we all started to make eye contact and smile at the stranger that prepares our cup of coffee. We stand up for the pregnant lady who needs a seat on the subway. We pick up the garbage that the wind blows out of the trash can and we give our apple to the homeless guy that lives outside our door.

New York City is extraordinary because of the passionate, diverse and special individuals that make up its soul. No one is here by accident. I mean, even if you were born here, you’ll eventually leave if you don’t want to BE here. We are a city full of intentional people and, on this anniversary, I intend to remember those we’ve lost by celebrating who we’ve become. Above all, I hope to hear some fellow NYC stranger’s story and to share mine. Here’s my story for you: A poem entitled “50 blocks away”.

50 Blocks Away

There's a rumble outside 

Oh, thank God, it's just thunder 

Not that plane that flew by so low the other day. 

It was so low and so loud and I thought 

"Oh my God that plane's low. I hope it's not crashing" 

Wonder what the beautiful people on it were thinking as I heard them pass my window

 

My window. Oh my God. My window. 

50 block away 

50 block away 

50 blocks away.

It's so close 

I can smell it. I can smell them 

Makes me nauseous 

It's so plastic, so electric. So awful. 

I cannot escape. 

Step out my front door and see the smoke 

See the cameras 

See the families in the missing person's line 

It wraps around my block

I had to walk through them to get into Staples today. 

I had to get my business supplies 

"Oh, excuse me, missing person's line, do you mind if I cut through? I have to go buy some pens" 

Didn't really say that - just felt like an Asshole 

I need some pens and you need your 

Husband/Wife/Son/Daughter/Sister/Brother/Friend 

Excuse me, I need some pens.

 

They have been there all day and now all night long. 

It's raining. Now they will be wet, waiting. 

I am going to go and give them our umbrellas.

 

Well, there were no people in the rain 

Just paper - missing posters - bleeding 

So, I covered them with clear recycling bags and tacks.

 

A woman came by, she hanging her posters 

I gave her a tack 

She said thank you 

She was crying with the raining sky. 

I covered her poster with a clear plastic bag.

 

All those beautiful people 

All ages - one 18 

He was last seen outside the WTC at 10am 

Where is he? 

18

 

I wonder if the rain feels good to the living in the wreckage

I wonder if God answered their prayers for the rain. 

Our chef at work used to work at Windows of the World

15 of his friends from that restaurant are missing. 

There were servers up there, servers like me. 

Now his server friends are missing. 

Servers like me.

 

I wonder if I was in the WTC, how would I have died 

A girl asked me at work "which way would you choose?"

 

Would I jump to my death, or would I stay and be burned? 

Would I hope to have been hit quickly by the plane?

 

Would it be better to have been on the plane?

If I were in the stairwell, would I have held a stranger’s hand

Or would I have been alone

Well, I guess I couldn't have been alone with God by my side

"As you walk through the valley of death, do not fear, ‘cause I am by your side"

By their side 

He was by their side 

If I had had time to call, who would I have called?

God?

Matt? 

My Mom?

But I wasn’t there 

I was 50 blocks away

50 blocks away

50 blocks away

I called my mom 

When I was 50 blocks away

She said "Oh thank God" 

Then she stayed on the phone while I watched, "LIVE on TV", the 2nd tower fall 

50 blocks away

I went outside and looked down the street 

There it was; it was real

Not just on TV

It's still there. It’s still real. It's not going away. 

I live in NYC. Came here to follow my dreams.

 

They're burning down there 

They're burning 

50 blocks away.

 

There's a rumble outside 

Oh, it's just thunder...