"Where were you (on 9/11)?"

Vinnie: 00:00:04

This is Vinnie

2

: 00:00:09

Oh, hi.

3

: 00:00:11

I have a guest today.

4

: 00:00:13

Um, where were you on September 11th?

5

: 00:00:20

That was yesterday, but it wasn't.

6

: 00:00:22

Yeah, it was yesterday,

but 25-year yesterdays

7

: 00:00:28

Um

8

: 00:00:31

Everyone has been impacted

by it, some degree of it.

9

: 00:00:35

And it's kind of ironic that we're

mentioning it yesterday that there are

10

: 00:00:38

about 100 million people that weren't

even born yet in this country who

11

: 00:00:43

have no clue, have no vision of it.

12

: 00:00:47

You know, they see it on TV, but

it doesn't have the, the impact

13

: 00:00:51

it had, that it had for those of

us that were a little b- up in

14

: 00:00:55

years that actually got to see it.

15

: 00:00:58

Uh, growing up in New York, I

remember the big thing was going

16

: 00:01:01

to the, uh, Empire State Building.

17

: 00:01:02

That was the big thing

as a kid growing up.

18

: 00:01:05

And then the World Trade Center

19

: 00:01:09

Been to New York many a time.

20

: 00:01:10

Seen it.

21

: 00:01:12

Been in it once back in, gosh,

early two thou-- Oh, geez, '90s.

22

: 00:01:18

My brother and I were

up there with my nephew.

23

: 00:01:22

Uh

24

: 00:01:26

I'm just thinking back on that

day when I woke up, turned the

25

: 00:01:28

TV on, grabbed a cup of coffee.

26

: 00:01:31

I was living in Clearwater, and

for some reason, I, I was up

27

: 00:01:36

earlier than normal and just had

the TV on in the background and

28

: 00:01:43

It, then the prompt came up, "The

World Trade Center has been hit."

29

: 00:01:50

You kind of go, "Huh?

30

: 00:01:51

What?"

31

: 00:01:52

You know, and then they came back and at

first it was suspicion that it was maybe a

32

: 00:01:57

little, uh, private aircraft that hit it.

33

: 00:02:00

And then after that, it was pretty

much apparent that it was not a little

34

: 00:02:05

plane, but a bigger plane deliberately.

35

: 00:02:08

And, and it was interesting 'cause

the president was in Sarasota at a

36

: 00:02:13

elementary school at the time of the, uh

37

: 00:02:19

attack.

38

: 00:02:20

And I can remember watching him on

TV 'cause they cut to him, and one

39

: 00:02:25

of his, uh, aides, you know, went

over his shoulder and basically came

40

: 00:02:28

on and said, "We've been attacked."

41

: 00:02:29

And he kept his composure,

didn't frighten the kids.

42

: 00:02:35

He was reading to them.

43

: 00:02:35

They were reading to him.

44

: 00:02:38

Finished the session with the

children, and then got up and

45

: 00:02:42

left and did a press briefing.

46

: 00:02:45

That was in all, all in a matter

of just moments that morning.

47

: 00:02:48

I mean, no one knew what was going on

until he came on and made his comments,

48

: 00:02:55

and immediately they flew him out of

Sarasota to get him away from anywhere.

49

: 00:03:00

And pretty much the rest of

the day was just basic shock

50

: 00:03:05

of, "How did this happen?"

51

: 00:03:07

You know, and years later, I was

living in, uh, Sarasota, and I was

52

: 00:03:11

down in Venice one time, and one of my

students in one of my classes, my real

53

: 00:03:15

estate classes said, "Yeah, I taught

one of those guys how to fly a plane."

54

: 00:03:22

He was an instructor in Venice, and

there was two of my guests that were in

55

: 00:03:25

Venice getting their pilot's license.

56

: 00:03:29

And he said that he just, he felt

something was squirrely about him.

57

: 00:03:32

This was years later, after the

9/11 had originally hit, and I was

58

: 00:03:36

living in Sarasota years later.

59

: 00:03:37

And he goes, "Yeah, we just kinda

had a funny feeling about it."

60

: 00:03:40

And I go, "Wow, that's,

that's close to home."

61

: 00:03:46

Uh, I think about all these kids that have

been born in the last 25 years who see

62

: 00:03:55

it on TV and they really don't realize.

63

: 00:03:57

It's just like us, you know, older,

you know, we weren't impacted by

64

: 00:04:01

the Civil War, the World War I.

65

: 00:04:03

World War II, our families,

you know, were part of it.

66

: 00:04:06

My parents and others, you

know, were part of that.

67

: 00:04:10

And that just, uh, the

calamity of, of death.

68

: 00:04:15

All those people who, uh, were

in the Trade Center that day

69

: 00:04:19

got up, go to work, kissed their

families goodbye and see you later.

70

: 00:04:23

Well, there was no later for a lot of them

71

: 00:04:29

I don't know how else I can

express it except it was just one

72

: 00:04:32

of those days in history that,

you know, no one will forget.

73

: 00:04:36

I hope no one forgets.

74

: 00:04:38

I mean, 100 years from now, uh,

you know, it's, it's history.

75

: 00:04:42

I just hope we don't

ever see it repeat again.

76

: 00:04:46

Uh, that's just a little bit

I have to share about it.

77

: 00:04:48

I have someone else here with me that,

uh, she would like to, uh, maybe make

78

: 00:04:54

some comments about her day, her feelings.

79

: 00:04:58

Marie?

80

: 00:05:00

Marie: Thanks, Ben.

81

: 00:05:02

So you asked me where I

was on September 11th.

82

: 00:05:05

Vinnie: Mm-hmm.

83

: 00:05:06

Marie: And I told you I was in Columbia,

South Carolina, and I was working at an

84

: 00:05:12

apartment building, and I was at work.

85

: 00:05:16

And I really didn't think much

as far as like it clicking in

86

: 00:05:20

that anyone that I knew could be

affected by what was going on.

87

: 00:05:25

But then I heard from one of my siblings

that my mom was supposed to be at the base

88

: 00:05:32

of the World Trade Center that day, going

to the farmer's market to pick up a plant

89

: 00:05:37

for her boss because it was his birthday,

and she didn't work too far from there.

90

: 00:05:44

And so, of course, then

your head starts spinning.

91

: 00:05:47

Vinnie: Mm-hmm.

92

: 00:05:48

Marie: And I'm so far away

and absolutely powerless

93

: 00:05:55

And, you know, just devastated at the

thought of possibly losing my mom.

94

: 00:06:00

Because once those towers fell, you

knew that nothing around it, and

95

: 00:06:04

surely nothing underneath it, like

the trains, the subway trains that run

96

: 00:06:07

underneath there, um, could actually--

no one could actually survive that.

97

: 00:06:13

And so we waited, and then we

talked to each other, my siblings

98

: 00:06:19

and I, and we thought, "Well, maybe

she got a hotel room somewhere.

99

: 00:06:23

Maybe she got away.

100

: 00:06:24

It might be a day or two," 'cause

all the communications were down,

101

: 00:06:27

"but hopefully we'll hear from her."

102

: 00:06:31

And eventually we heard from her

later in the day and, um, I don't

103

: 00:06:37

know, maybe it might've been six

hours, might've been eight hours,

104

: 00:06:39

but, you know, she fortunately…

105

: 00:06:42

She's very, um,

106

: 00:06:45

what's the word?

107

: 00:06:46

She's a woman of solutions and ingenuity

and, you know, she did take the train

108

: 00:06:51

down to Manhattan, but she couldn't

get all the way down to the World Trade

109

: 00:06:55

Center because the first tower had

already been hit and the trains weren't

110

: 00:06:58

running that far down into the city.

111

: 00:07:02

And, um, so she had, uh, taken the

train down and was fortunate enough

112

: 00:07:08

to be the last person on a bus over

a bridge to get back from New York

113

: 00:07:15

City to Queens, where she lived.

114

: 00:07:18

And so we were one of the fortunate

ones in that she survived and, um,

115

: 00:07:25

she did see some of what happened,

which, you know, you'll hear about.

116

: 00:07:29

But, um, you know, fortunately she

had a friend that normally your friend

117

: 00:07:36

keeping you on the phone, keeping

you late for work is not a good thing

118

: 00:07:40

'cause you're gonna be late for work.

119

: 00:07:41

But, you know, fortunately that

saved her life, and 25 years later,

120

: 00:07:47

thank God we still have her with us

to love and to make memories with

121

: 00:07:55

Vinnie: Yeah.

122

: 00:07:57

Yep

123

: 00:08:00

Had the honor of meeting her a

couple of times and wonderful lady

124

: 00:08:06

Marie: Yeah, she's definitely

an interesting character and,

125

: 00:08:09

you know, her, her-- I don't

know what the word is, moxie?

126

: 00:08:14

I don't know.

127

: 00:08:14

Vinnie: Mm-hmm.

128

: 00:08:14

Marie: Just the way that she goes

through life is not emotional.

129

: 00:08:19

You know, I'm getting emotional

talking about it, but she's not.

130

: 00:08:22

She's just like, "Well, I just had

to power through it," you know.

131

: 00:08:25

"I just had to keep on going," you know.

132

: 00:08:26

That's just who she is.

133

: 00:08:28

Vinnie: She sounds familiar.

134

: 00:08:28

Marie: And she has, um, a lot of life

experiences that have been like that.

135

: 00:08:35

There are some that have, you know,

gotten her down, but, you know, not

136

: 00:08:39

much, not for long, and she's not one to

ruminate over it and lament her situation.

137

: 00:08:46

She's a strong, brave, incredible woman.

138

: 00:08:49

Uh, my kids joke around and

call her the Highlander.

139

: 00:08:53

And, um, she's overcome a lot.

140

: 00:08:56

Mm-hmm.

141

: 00:08:56

And she's 91, and she hasn't slowed down.

142

: 00:09:00

She hasn't stopped.

143

: 00:09:00

You know, maybe slowed down a little

bit because life slowed her down.

144

: 00:09:04

But, you know, mentally, I

mean, she just looks amazing.

145

: 00:09:08

She looks like she's aging

in reverse, thank God.

146

: 00:09:10

She's thriving and, you know, she--

the most important thing is that

147

: 00:09:14

she's still here with us, and she's

still able to make memories with us.

148

: 00:09:18

And, you know, I moved to Florida last

year to be closer to her so that we

149

: 00:09:24

could have as much of that as possible

before her time is over on this earth.

150

: 00:09:31

And this is really important every year.

151

: 00:09:34

I thank the lady that kept

her on the phone, and I wish

152

: 00:09:39

my mom a happy anniversary.

153

: 00:09:43

Vinnie: Yeah

154

: 00:09:46

There are lots and lots of stories of

people just like that, that a circumstance

155

: 00:09:52

happened and they were fortunate not to

be right in the middle of it, but there

156

: 00:09:57

and were able to tell their stories

'cause there are a lot of families,

157

: 00:10:02

over 3,000 of them, that didn't get

an opportunity to, to say goodbye or

158

: 00:10:09

Heal wounds.

159

: 00:10:11

Wow.

160

: 00:10:12

Marie: And the thing is that, you

know, I'm-- I was born in and grew

161

: 00:10:15

up in New York, took many friends

on tours of the World Trade Center.

162

: 00:10:20

And I know that the world

knows what happened.

163

: 00:10:22

You know, they know that the Twin Towers

were attacked and fell, but I really

164

: 00:10:27

do feel like unless you've actually

been to those buildings before, the

165

: 00:10:31

center of business for the world at

the time, you don't understand the

166

: 00:10:36

enormity of what was lost because

those buildings were humongous.

167

: 00:10:41

And, you know, just looking at them, you

know, they're just so big, and it's hard

168

: 00:10:51

to describe for anyone who hasn't seen it.

169

: 00:10:54

But I just really feel like if you

hadn't ever been in it or seen it or

170

: 00:10:58

walked by it, you know, walked by them,

you wouldn't understand the enormity

171

: 00:11:03

of what was lost that day, aside

from lives, aside from businesses.

172

: 00:11:08

You know, you just think to

yourself, "How could anything

173

: 00:11:10

possibly take those buildings down?"

174

: 00:11:14

But they did, and it was really sad.

175

: 00:11:19

It was a very sad time.

176

: 00:11:21

Sad time for the world, sad time

for the victims, and, you know,

177

: 00:11:26

definitely a stressful time

for the almost victims and- Mm.

178

: 00:11:31

… a time of gratitude for them

not becoming victims as well.

179

: 00:11:38

Vinnie: Well, we're hearing a lot

about people who worked on the pile.

180

: 00:11:42

Now it is 25 years later who, when

they w- when they all jumped in

181

: 00:11:46

there, they didn't know the toxins.

182

: 00:11:49

And, and you see a lot of them

now that are becoming ill because

183

: 00:11:53

of some of that, 'cause it took a

few years for it to, to transpire.

184

: 00:11:57

And, uh, that's, that's the other

collateral damage of people who

185

: 00:12:01

went in to help, and they didn't,

they didn't conceive that they

186

: 00:12:06

were gonna have problems after.

187

: 00:12:07

They just went in and did what

they knew how to do is save people.

188

: 00:12:10

Fire demen- fire department, the police,

all those people just, you know, gave

189

: 00:12:15

their all to, to, to find people and

not giving up until the last moment.

190

: 00:12:19

Marie: Mm-hmm.

191

: 00:12:19

Yeah, didn't hesitate.

192

: 00:12:21

And then the people that lived in the

immediate area breathing in that air-

193

: 00:12:24

Vinnie: Oh, yeah

194

: 00:12:25

Marie: as well.

195

: 00:12:25

Vinnie: Yeah.

196

: 00:12:26

Yeah.

197

: 00:12:27

You could see it.

198

: 00:12:27

I mean, it, it, it…

199

: 00:12:28

Some of the videos or some of the

live stuff they saw, it, it just

200

: 00:12:31

this white dust, and it was all of

the, you know, the chemicals and the

201

: 00:12:35

solution, all the stuff that those

buildings were built by, just totally…

202

: 00:12:40

I, I've been in real estate a lot of

years, and I've seen construction, and

203

: 00:12:42

I just cannot see or I cannot comprehend

how that building melted to some points.

204

: 00:12:49

I mean, it-

205

: 00:12:50

Marie: Well, and then of

course you have the, the fuel-

206

: 00:12:53

Vinnie: Yeah

207

: 00:12:53

… Marie: also from the airplanes.

208

: 00:12:54

Vinnie: Yeah, yeah,

209

: 00:12:55

Marie: yeah.

210

: 00:12:55

Fuselage.

211

: 00:12:56

Vinnie: Yeah.

212

: 00:12:57

Yeah, and the stories you

hear about the ones that were

213

: 00:12:59

able to get out and be saved.

214

: 00:13:00

There was one on- online,

a gentleman who was blind.

215

: 00:13:03

His dog guided him out of the building.

216

: 00:13:05

Marie: Mm.

217

: 00:13:06

Vinnie: Uh, you know, there

were people who just were in the

218

: 00:13:09

right place at the right time.

219

: 00:13:11

And I should say, those other people

that were there were there at the right

220

: 00:13:14

time for themselves and the people that

were around them to give them comfort.

221

: 00:13:17

I mean, you watch the videos of that

day, people jumping out of windows.

222

: 00:13:21

I mean, it's a toss-up.

223

: 00:13:23

Do I die jumping or do I die here?

224

: 00:13:25

I mean, I don't know.

225

: 00:13:30

Marie: I think the thing that's

most haunting for me is just hearing

226

: 00:13:32

those thuds of the people who jumped.

227

: 00:13:34

Yes.

228

: 00:13:35

Vinnie: Yes.

229

: 00:13:35

Marie: The sound of their

bodies hitting the roofs.

230

: 00:13:37

Vinnie: Yes.

231

: 00:13:38

Yeah.

232

: 00:13:38

Marie: And they replayed that

over and over again on the news-

233

: 00:13:41

Yeah … and over the years.

234

: 00:13:42

Yeah.

235

: 00:13:42

And that to me is- Yeah … you know,

the most, um, horrifying in my memory.

236

: 00:13:47

Vinnie: Yeah.

237

: 00:13:48

Yeah.

238

: 00:13:50

Yeah.

239

: 00:13:50

' Marie: Cause it's exactly what you said.

240

: 00:13:51

Do I let myself die here or

do I take a chance and jump

241

: 00:13:57

and hope that I'll survive?

242

: 00:13:59

But-

243

: 00:13:59

Vinnie: Yeah

244

: 00:14:00

… Marie: obviously they didn't and, you

know, they chose to go their own way.

245

: 00:14:04

Vinnie: Yeah.

246

: 00:14:05

And the ones that ran in, the firefighters

and the policemen, and there was a, a

247

: 00:14:08

Jesuit priest that ran in there to…

248

: 00:14:10

He was one of the first that was killed.

249

: 00:14:13

He ran into, into the, in there

to try to save people and didn't

250

: 00:14:17

even think about his own life and-

251

: 00:14:19

Marie: I'm sure a lot of people did … a

252

: 00:14:20

Vinnie: lot of people did that, yeah.

253

: 00:14:21

Yeah, you've heard of that over the time.

254

: 00:14:23

Yeah.

255

: 00:14:25

Okay.

256

: 00:14:25

Well, that was tough.

257

: 00:14:29

Marie: We'll have other stories with

more levity in the future going forward-

258

: 00:14:32

Vinnie: Yeah

259

: 00:14:33

Marie: I'm

260

: 00:14:33

Vinnie: sure.

261

: 00:14:33

I mean, you know, there, there are

things in history that, you know,

262

: 00:14:36

you, you see it and you go, "My gosh."

263

: 00:14:40

Uh, I can remember when

President Kennedy got shot.

264

: 00:14:42

Marie: When Princess Diana died.

265

: 00:14:43

Vinnie: Diana got shot, you know, when-

266

: 00:14:45

Marie: Not, not got shot, chief.

267

: 00:14:46

Vinnie: I mean, not shot, but, you know.

268

: 00:14:49

Marie: When Princess Diana-

269

: 00:14:49

Vinnie: Yeah

270

: 00:14:50

… Marie: those are the questions

over time in our generation

271

: 00:14:52

Vinnie: that people ask.

272

: 00:14:52

Yeah, Martin,

273

: 00:14:52

Marie: Martin,

274

: 00:14:52

Vinnie: yeah, Martin Luther King,

you know, and, and- Where were

275

: 00:14:54

Marie: you?

276

: 00:14:55

Vinnie: Yeah, where were you

when these things happened?

277

: 00:14:56

Yeah.

278

: 00:14:56

You know, uh, I, I can think back of

all these instances over the years

279

: 00:15:00

as, as you grow up and you go, "Wow."

280

: 00:15:04

Marie: Yeah.

281

: 00:15:04

Vinnie: Well, I don't wanna leave

it totally, uh, on a cliff note,

282

: 00:15:10

but, you know, there are other

things that we're gonna talk about.

283

: 00:15:14

Um, if you had any family,

friends, or relatives that were

284

: 00:15:17

involved that passed, I'm sorry.

285

: 00:15:19

I'm, I'm sorry for your loss.

286

: 00:15:21

It's not easy for your families.

287

: 00:15:24

And for all those who were on the

pile helping all those days and now

288

: 00:15:29

are feeling the repercussions 25

years later, think about all them.

289

: 00:15:33

They all, you know, they

gave their lives too.

290

: 00:15:35

They jumped into something that had

no clue what they were gonna find

291

: 00:15:42

Okay.

292

: 00:15:43

Well, this is Vinnie

293

: 00:15:47

Go ahead

294

: 00:15:47

Marie: Anne Marie

295

: 00:15:48

Vinnie: Anne Marie.

296

: 00:15:50

Uh, thank you for listening