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Community Corner

Changed by 9/11: James Crossan

Memories of how Financial District was scarred remain.

Few things have affected modern America, or even the world, such as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Massapequa resident James Crossan was working in Manhattan only a quarter of a mile from the Trade Center that day 10 years ago, and his remembrances of the attacks still affect him to this very day.

Like many, when the initial terrorist-commanded jet plane crashed into the first tower of the Trade Center, Crossan thought it was merely an accident and nothing more.

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"It would not have been the first time that a small plane had crashed into a skyscraper, I paid it no mind," he said. "As I was walking back to my office a few minutes later, I passed the TV and saw the second plane hit the south tower quite vividly. Then, news of the Pentagon hit came over the wires and on TV. I knew then that we were under attack."

"Over the next few hours we were able to see the tragedy play itself out both on the TV and looking out a window that gave us a good view of the top third of the south tower," Crossan continued. "I recall at one point looking at that view and seeing the tower collapsing as if it was a telescope being folded up. Then it was dark as the ash and dust spread over all of the financial district."

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Crossan and his co-workers stayed at work despite the chaos unfolding outside their very windows, mainly because there was no way to commute out of the city at that point.

"Eventually, I was able to get a ferry boat ride out to Glen Cove and was picked up and driven to my house in Massapequa," he said. "While I was waiting for the ferry, WTC building 7 collapsed and the dust crawled over downtown once again. We were using tissues to cover our mouths but they were not much use."

After the attacks ended, the true breadth of the destruction began to unfold.

"In the ensuing weeks, like everyone else, I learned of colleagues and acquaintances that had been lost," he said.

Like all affected by the events of 9/11, there is one vision above all others that Crossan carries around with him, even to this day.

"The most vivid memory I have beyond seeing the south tower go down is walking around lower Manhattan in the weeks after the event," he said. "Walking past the ground zero site with the skeletons of the buildings sticking up in the air and the odor of death that was lingering. Eventually, like most, my life went on, but I am still unable to watch a documentary or news show about that day without choking up. It will no doubt be that way for the rest of my life."

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