Experiencing Hell First Hand...in His Own Words

My name is Bert Morgan, Sr. I'm an alumnus of Art & Design, (Class of 1974).
____On September 11, 2001, I experienced Hell first hand. My company, a Japanese Bank, recently merged with two other Banks and over the Labor Day Weekend we moved into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center. Just five days later we were faced with the ultimate evil.
____I was one of the lucky ones. I survived. Many of my coworkers and colleagues did not. I'm still affected by the entire experience, and realize that I will be forever changed because of it.
____The day after the attacks, I sat down to write a thank you letter to the many people who were worried about me. I must have had over 85 voice messages and over 70 emails from concerned friends and family, all wondering if I was alive or dead. Below is that letter. It tells my story.

____I know this helps somehow.


Hello my dear friends:

I first want to tell you all that I am alive and well, physically. I'm so sorry to have put you all through this. But knowing now how much of a family we all are is truly a blessing.
____Forgive me, for I am holding back tears while I respond to the overwhelming show of love and prayers that you all have bestowed upon me during this time.
____I can't begin to tell you all what kind of a day it has been here. It's been like a bad dream. I guess I'm truly having problems with this because in reality I should not be writing this posting, I should be DEAD.
____I was late to work today by ten minutes. I was scheduled to be in the office at 8:00 AM but 9:00 would have been acceptable. When I awoke, I was in no hurry. I missed the train that would have put me in the office at 8:30 AM. I exited the train at 8:40 AM. Normally, I would have entered the WTC via the underground concourse, but today I exited outside onto the street, as I wanted to take a look at the gym that was nearby.
____I saw a shadow on the ground that blocked out the sun. I looked up and saw the first 767 plane at a very low altitude. I watched in horror as it flew over my head in the direction of my tower, my office.
____The plane struck the tower right on or about what appeared to be the 50th floor and disappeared inside. Had I been on time I would have been sitting with my back to the windows when the plane crashed. I guess I would have been vaporized. My body immediately went into shock. I could not move. My feet were glued to the tar of the street. Everything rained down on me. I stood in the middle of the street as garbage, monitors, metal and body parts flew over and around me. Finally, I was struck by a human head. It bounced once, twice, struck me on my leg and stopped in front of me... I jumped behind a car and stayed there until it stopped raining.
____I looked up, the street and the spot where I once stood was covered with steel, glass, people, fire. I saw people leaping out of windows and out of the hole created by the jetliner. Some were covered in flames. An injured woman ran by -- her arm almost falling from her shoulder. I stopped her and used her jacket to try to contain the bleeding. The police came a short time later and removed her from the scene. 15 minutes must have gone by. It felt like 15 seconds.
____Then the second plane struck. Minutes later the South tower collapsed. It was gone. Minutes later the North tower was gone. It, too, imploding before my eyes.
____It was like a war zone, a bad movie. People running, screaming, bleeding, dying. I tried to help some of the injured until help arrived.
____Cell phones were not working. Lines for the few working pay phones were long and people were nervous, frightened -- pushing and shoving a bit to hurry people up.
____When I finally got to a phone that worked I tried to call my son's school. I knew he must have heard about this by now and must be going crazy, thinking I was one of the dead. The line was busy. I continued to walk. Another phone made itself available and still nothing. I saw the actress Susan Sarandon walk past me. The look on her face said everything. Finally I got a call in to my brother's home. His wife answered and told me that my son called and said he'd gone to look for me. Now I lost it. Where, how, would I find him? I told my sister-in-law if he calls again to tell him if he's in a safe place to stay put and I'd get to him.
____I walked the sixty-something blocks back to midtown. I saw people pile into buses and I thought, what if a bomb... I continued to walk.
____Another phone. On the third attempt she answered the phone and said my son called back and that he was back at the school. Thank God, I thought. I hurried up 6th Avenue through the craziness. I stopped at my cousin's work place. He was there. He thought I was dead, too. We both walked to the high school.
____After being told that my son left the building my heart was about to stop. Then I saw him. He was crying, he told me "I thought you were gone, Daddy. You're all I have."
____I moved them to a hotel room and walked back toward my old office in midtown, thinking if anyone made it they would be there.
____So far, 125 from my building are missing and from the office in the 2nd tower all 400 are missing. I spent the rest of the day making phone calls, trying to reach cell phones of staff members and/or their families.
____My brother and his son, both EMT's, called me back and forth to tell me about the rescue effort.
____I I can't thank you all enough for your kindness and concern. Thank you for the phone calls and the emails.

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