Remembering 911

Closure

By Patrick Oliver-Kelley    

Selected by NRCC
2004 Businessman
of the year

WTC Ground Zero- Closure

10:29am, 10 May 2002. squinty-eyed brightness shines down into the 16 acres concrete enclosure called the bath tub that housed the twin towers.

The surround is lined with victims' families, fire, police, military personnel and politicians signaling the end of clean up- what was estimated to cost 7 billion dollars and take over a year, is complete in eight months and at a cost of 800 million dollars.

One and a half million tons of debris was taken from the site. Watching from atop the tub I saw few tears- there had been floods of them in past months, by this time, I think everyone is cried out.

All agree it is time for closure- not forgetting, but for closure. It was a somber ceremony- beginning with the traditional ringing of a solitary bell five times, four times in a row, to signify the loss of a fireman.

Followed by a symbolic flag draped stretcher was a 50-foot, 50 ton flag draped steel beam quietly hauled from the site. Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Christians solemnly watched. Nearly 3000 lives lost, nearly 3000 families inalterably altered, Nearly 300 million people wondering that a foreign group could envy American freedom and prosperity enough to plot such a heinous crime.

45 minutes later, as the Police bagpipe corps whaled 'America the Beautiful,' each participant moved slowly to the center of the ramp leaving the site. No political harangue, no preacher preaching, not even a baby crying, we said a quiet good-bye. Americans don't have the knack of solemnity, like, say the British.

We don't have chips on our shoulders; and we don't envy anyone. We share the largess. But we don't forget either. We're optimists. We're doers. We're on the field rather than in the stands. We are the world's locomotive- in industry, in economy, in power and in fact.

After the slight cough of 11 September, we licked a few wounds; asked a few questions; prayed a few prayers. But we didn't ask anyone to be sorry for us. We are cranking up. Watch out evil doers! We are building a head of steam.

If a group, a people, or a nation, dosen't want to join us, fine. They will be left in the station. We will try to persuade them to follow us, if they don't, it's their look out.
If we are convinced of the correctness of our decision, they will only see our taillights. Make no mistake....We are not going to wait.  They are welcome to join us, but we write the rules; we decide what the chips are worth; we deal; and we're in the game for keeps. 

My eye witness account 100 yards from the World Trade center Sept 11, 2001
by Patrick Oliver Kelley
Falcon Financial Advisors

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