This weekend will mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, one of the most horrific days in my life. At the time, I lived and worked in Hoboken and still remember every detail as clear as if it had happened yesterday.
As a former New Yorker, living on the Jersey side had an ideal view of Manhattan until I witnessed the destruction and the second plane hit the Twin Towers. I remember being down at Frank Sinatra Park all day into night, crying and hugging friends and worried about all those people lost. Like most that were there live, we were in shock from the sensory overload. The visuals (buildings destroyed, gone and smoldering), the sounds and feelings, (the ground rumbling), and the smells (burning, smoke, and who knows what else).
Last week, I attended a photographic exhibition and film documentary by Sandra Sweider, titled, “From Across the River” at Art House Productions. It was hard to look at 9/11 images again, but Sandra showed her artistic expression and perspective as she focused on the waterfront, the local community gathered, emergency workers, and changing skyline. Her documentary includes interviews with the emergency workers talking about their experiences and was so moving.
I plan to visit WTC just as soon as possible to see the memorial space. For now, I watch over NYC from the Heights section on the hill of Jersey City as a new Skyscraper emerges.
Read the interview I did with Sandra Sweider and share her story.
