9/11 memories
Lakeland alum recaps his personal NYC experiences
Hughes, Dawn
Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Features
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David Hillstrom graduated from Lakeland in 1987 with a BA in writing. He has just returned to get his teaching license. He was living in the Bronx during the attack on the World Trade Center, Sept. 11, 2001. Looking back, he said, "It felt surreal. I was confused and scared."
Dave was unemployed at the time of the attacks, and only found out there was an attack when his girlfriend, who lived in Manhattan, called and woke him up around 9 a.m. He listened to the events on a radio and had to imagine what happened, which only added to the surreal feeling.
He left the island to be with his girlfriend on one of the last trains allowed into the city. Both of the towers were already collapsed, and he could see the smoke rising as he rode closer to Manhattan. Another man on the train started a conversation with Dave. As they left the train, they shook hands, something that on any other day would never have happened. For the next two to three weeks, the city was different. People looked at each other, made eye contact, and were friendly. There was a shared sadness and camaraderie.
That day, Dave called his brother in Chicago. His brother didn't recognize his voice. When his brother realized he was speaking to Dave he said, "Get out of there. They're attacking New York."
A close friend of Dave's and another Lakeland alum, Ivan Comer, worked for the city during Sept.11 and was radioed to take a van down to the World Trade Center after the first collapse. He was not even told what was happening. He was confronted with a crowd of panicked people, and he fled with them across the Brooklyn Bridge. To this day, Ivan hates large crowds.
The destruction of those two buildings completely changed not only the New York skyline, but the area on the ground was vastly different. Dave would walk down the streets in Manhattan that used to be in shadow but now are sunny. It was almost like living in a different city, Dave said.
When he was looking at returning to Lakeland, a part of him didn't want to leave New York. Many people moved after the attacks, and Dave didn't want his friends to feel like he was deserting them or ditching out.
Dave said the experience was different for everyone across the nation. For some people it meant a tragic event. For others, it meant the death of a loved one and the complete alteration of their lives. The fear that followed the attacks was not only of possible hidden bombs and that it might happen again, but also that in the years to come, people would forget or stop caring.
Across the nation there were memorial services and special events. Dave, however, says, "I don't need to be told to remember because I could never forget."
Dave was unemployed at the time of the attacks, and only found out there was an attack when his girlfriend, who lived in Manhattan, called and woke him up around 9 a.m. He listened to the events on a radio and had to imagine what happened, which only added to the surreal feeling.
He left the island to be with his girlfriend on one of the last trains allowed into the city. Both of the towers were already collapsed, and he could see the smoke rising as he rode closer to Manhattan. Another man on the train started a conversation with Dave. As they left the train, they shook hands, something that on any other day would never have happened. For the next two to three weeks, the city was different. People looked at each other, made eye contact, and were friendly. There was a shared sadness and camaraderie.
That day, Dave called his brother in Chicago. His brother didn't recognize his voice. When his brother realized he was speaking to Dave he said, "Get out of there. They're attacking New York."
A close friend of Dave's and another Lakeland alum, Ivan Comer, worked for the city during Sept.11 and was radioed to take a van down to the World Trade Center after the first collapse. He was not even told what was happening. He was confronted with a crowd of panicked people, and he fled with them across the Brooklyn Bridge. To this day, Ivan hates large crowds.
The destruction of those two buildings completely changed not only the New York skyline, but the area on the ground was vastly different. Dave would walk down the streets in Manhattan that used to be in shadow but now are sunny. It was almost like living in a different city, Dave said.
When he was looking at returning to Lakeland, a part of him didn't want to leave New York. Many people moved after the attacks, and Dave didn't want his friends to feel like he was deserting them or ditching out.
Dave said the experience was different for everyone across the nation. For some people it meant a tragic event. For others, it meant the death of a loved one and the complete alteration of their lives. The fear that followed the attacks was not only of possible hidden bombs and that it might happen again, but also that in the years to come, people would forget or stop caring.
Across the nation there were memorial services and special events. Dave, however, says, "I don't need to be told to remember because I could never forget."
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