Taking a quote from this local resident just would not be enough, one has to hear the whole story.

Clint Haynes’ account of September 11, 2001

I arrived at World Trade Center 2, the south tower, at about 7:15 that morning. I was

to be in New York City for a three-week training session at an investment firms world

headquarters in the World Trade Center. I graduated from college in May of 2001 and

started working as a financial advisor in Overland Park, Kansas, two days following my

graduation. After studying and passing the necessary tests, I was really looking forward

to the opportunity of finishing my training in New York City.

We arrived in New York City on Sunday, September 9. Our hotel, The Southgate, was

a really neat old place with plenty of tourist attractions surrounding it. On the morning

of September 11, 2001 our bus dropped us off at one of the many entrances to the World

Trade Center and we began our long walk to Tower 2.

That morning I remember I stopped by the drug store to pick up earplugs to drown out

the street noise that went on all night outside my hotel. It took about five minutes to

finally get to the elevators after walking through the mall and various shops located in the

Trade Center. At the elevators I had to show my security pass in order to board; it didn’t

seem like a big deal, and I never really thought much about it.

We took the elevator up to what I believe was the forty-fourth floor where we had to

transfer to another elevator to continue our ascent to the sixty-first floor, which would

be our destination for the duration of the training program. The elevators were like no

others I’d ever seen; they were huge and seemed to travel at about 10 stories a second.

At the sixty-first floor we had an incredible view of the entire city or at least it seemed

like the entire city. The Statue of Liberty was right outside the window as well as a

number of other landmarks unique to New York City. I would say there were roughly

300 other trainees in the same program on our floor. The first session began at 7:30 a.m.

with our Chief Technical Analyst as the first speaker of the day. It was by no means an

entertaining, action-packed session, a bit dry in places, and very tough to stay focused on

the message. Basically it was boring as hell.

At about 8:40 a.m., our first session ended, and most of us gathered in the break area.

I was talking with a few others while looking out the window towards the Statue of

Liberty. At about 8:46 a.m., we heard a loud noise but really didn’t think too much of it.

Seconds afterwards, however, it seemed as if it were snowing papers outside. It was

strange seeing papers on fire flying everywhere through the sky.

My first thought was that maybe an air conditioner or something else had exploded

accidentally. We had no idea if it had occurred in the tower we were in or in Tower 1.

I don’t think anyone was really worried at that point, just kind of in the dark on what

had happened. I would say two or three minutes passed when someone came over the

PA system and announced that we should evacuate the building. I went back to the

classroom, grabbed my briefcase, and headed for the stairs.

While on the stairs I remember thinking, This is going to take forever to walk down 61

flights of stairs. The stairs really weren’t crowded, and everyone was very calm but

walked at a steady pace.

Eventually we made it down to the forty-seventh floor where we could hear something

else being announced over the PA system. I casually opened the door to the main floor

where we could hear a man announcing, “Building Two is secure. Everyone can return

to their offices.” I think there were about 10 to 12 of us that stepped onto the floor to

listen to the announcement. I think the company located on this floor was called the

Fireman’s Mutual Fund or The Fireman’s Fund. I don’t remember exactly, but I know

the word, Fireman, was in the name of the company. There were about four other

employees from that company still on the floor.

While on the forty-seventh floor, we were able to view exactly what had happened to

Tower 1 through a window. Part of the tower was engulfed in flames, and black smoke

poured from the enormous hole in it about three-quarters of the way up. There were

debris and other indescribable items flying from the gaping hole in the building and

soaring through the air. It was a pretty gruesome sight that I’ll never forget.

We still had no idea what had happened or even what to think at that point. I would say

about one to two minutes passed when I overheard someone say a plane had run into

the building. My first thought was that a small Cessna probably ran into the building by

accident. Still, we all knew something wasn’t right and instinctively knew we should not

go back up to our offices. I could tell just by looking at the others I wasn’t the only one

getting a little scared.

A few of us decided we should catch an elevator to the first floor to actually find out

exactly what was happening. The first one came by packed full of people, the second

full, and finally the third, still full. I would guess about ten seconds after the third

elevator stopped and descended that the second jetliner hit our building. Other than

uncertainty and fear, my thoughts and feelings at the time were indescribable.

There was a horrendous crashing noise, the building shook violently, and then it began

swaying back and forth. At that point, I honestly didn’t think we were going to make it

out of the building. There was no doubt in my mind the building was going to collapse

right then and there. I had never been that scared in my life. We still had no idea what

just happened, but assumed it had been some type of explosion and knew we needed to

get down to the ground, so we took off for the stairs.

When running for the stairs, we passed the elevators and heard the most awful noise.

We heard the elevators dropping and screeching. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, and I am

thankful I didn’t get on those elevators, but I felt sorrow for those that had. Much too my

relief, I later learned that many on the elevators had survived.

We eventually made it to the stairs and began our long, strenuous journey downward. It

was amazing that the stairs weren’t overly crowded. Everyone walking down was very

calm, and although we were all walking at a good pace, no one panicked or rushed down;

however, it seemed like we might never make it to the safety of the bottom floor.

So many thoughts and questions were rushing through my head on each step I took.

What had just happened; what was going on; were we safe; would we ever make it to the

bottom? The odors that permeated the stairwells were pretty disturbing. I do not know

what that smell was, and I don’t think I really ever want to know. At about the seventh

or eighth floor we saw two firemen, along with another man, walking up the stairs. They

were the only firemen we saw going up the stairs.

Finally, we made it to the bottom floor where we were instructed by firemen and

policemen how to exit the building. Swarms of people were running around everywhere.

I didn’t know it at the time, but when we reached the bottom of the stairs, we were

actually below ground level. There was debris everywhere. We had to run through the

lobby doors, past the shopping mall, and then finally up an escalator to where we exited

the building. I am so thankful and grateful to those policemen and firemen who directed

us out of that crippled building.

As we exited through the glass doors, we were instructed by a police officer not to look

up at the building. Of course, I couldn’t help but look up for a second and could see that

the building we were just in was engulfed in flames and smoke. I’m thankful I didn’t

witness any of those poor victims who had jumped to their deaths rather than endure the

intense fire that trapped them.

Outside on the streets, it was utter chaos. People were running around franticly. The

streets were jam-packed, and debris was flying through the air as well as strewn out

everywhere on the ground. All I can remember hearing was the constant sounds of

sirens. I didn’t look back again and just kept walking in the direction of my hotel.

So many things were rushing through my mind. At that point, I still had no idea that two

747’s had just crashed into the World Trade Center towers. It was probably a half hour

or so before someone told us what actually had happened to the towers. I didn’t know

what to think and was in disbelief over what I’d just experienced.

I was in desperate need to get hold of my family, but not a single pay phone or cell phone

was working. We were told that all phone lines were jammed. However, I just kept

dialing time after time after time trying to get through to someone and let them know I

was safe and out of the building. I think it was about an hour to an hour and a half later

that my mom somehow got through on my friends cell phone. It was a relief to finally

talk to her and let her know I was safe.

Something that really hit home and I will never forget is my mom telling me that she still

felt I was safe when the plane hit but was really shaken and broke down when she heard

our building had collapsed, since she really had no idea I had already gotten out.

We were far enough away from the towers by the time my mom reached us that we had

no idea Tower 2 had actually collapsed. I think it fell about 30 minutes after we walked

out the doors. Although we were only a few blocks away from the World Trade Center,

we didn’t hear it collapse over the intense noises generated from the streets.

It seemed like we were never going to make it back to the hotel. My calves and feet

hurt for a few days afterward from walking down 61 full flights of stairs and walking

about five miles to the hotel. I do remember stopping at a furniture store about half

way back to the hotel. The employees were really helpful in letting us use their phones

and offering to help us with anything else we needed. It was there we learned what had

actually happened and what events were still unfolding. We found out about the attack

on the Pentagon, as well as the plane that had crashed in Pennsylvania. However, the

most shocking scene on TV was actually witnessing the plane crash into the building we

had just fled, time after time after time.

Eventually we made it back to our hotel, which was across the street from Madison

Square Garden, at about 11:30 a.m. At the hotel, I must have talked to a hundred

different people, some I hadn’t talked to in years. It really made me feel good to know so

many people were thinking about me and checking to make sure I was safe.

Later that afternoon, I had some time to reflect on what I’d just experienced that morning.

It made me realize we have no idea what can happen in life and that it can be taken from

us in a matter of seconds. Before September 11th, I know there were a lot of things and

people in my life I really took for granted and didn’t think much about. But now, I have

learned to appreciate the many great things I have in my life that I’ve taken so lightly

over the years. My friends, my family, as well as my colleagues, mean more to me than

they will ever know. Although this has been a horrific experience, I think the things I’ve

learned have made me a better person.

The reason I have written my accounting and involvement of that fateful event of

September 11, 2001, is to document my experience and feelings of the inconsequential

part I played in perhaps the most devastating event in our country’s history. I hope

anyone reading this will stop for a moment and realize that one’s life can change within

a matter of seconds. My advice to anyone reading this is that we all need to appreciate

what we have been given, because we never know when it might be taken away. Never

take anything or anyone for granted, and let your friends and family know how much

they mean to you today, because there may not be a tomorrow.
Stay tuned for Part 2, written By: Blake Smith