On the 20th anniversary of September 11th, we remember all the first responders, firefighters and law enforcement officers from NY and NJ especially. We will never forget. We honor your courage and selfless sacrifices.
Every year we plan to post memories of someone who lived through that day.
This year, we asked Sandi Shindler to share her memories of September 11th with us.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001: Gorgeous morning, I was living in Ridgefield Park and working in NYC . I left for work as always around, 7:00 AM taking the train into Hoboken and picking up the PATH train into the WTC. When we got to the Trade Center, the doors did not open, people were standing waiting to exit the train to go to work.
After a few minutes people started to get annoyed, saying they had to get to work. This was 9:02 AM. The first plane had hit the tower, and the second plane was on its way. As we were underground we had no phone service or internet and had no idea what was happening above us.
The train master announced that due to a ‘POLICE ACTION” in the Trade Center they could not let us off the train and decided to pull the train out of the station and take us to 33rd Street. That train master and the people involved in making that decision saved me and hundreds of lives that day.
So, September 11th for me was the day I was meant to live another day, it was not my time.
The lives that were lost that day, people who simply went to work and did not return haunt me always. With all the respect in my heart, I bless those souls and pray their legacies will be carried on.
America became a beacon after 9/11 and the lights that symbolize the trade center towers give me hope and courage to carry on.
Your neighbor,
Sandi Shindler
Related Article
NJ.com. (Associated Press) Decisive action by PATH employees kept 9/11 riders from danger.
