Scott Diamond, Linda Diamond, and Jamie Diamond

00:04 My name is Jamie Diamond. I'm 21. Today is July 23rd, 2005 or at the World Trade Center, and I'm here with my parents.

00:14 My name is Linda diamond on 53.

00:18 Today is July 23rd. 2005. I'm at the World Trade Center with my husband and daughter name is Scott Diamond. I'm 54. Today is July 23rd 2005 at the World Trade Center storycorps Booth with my wife and daughter here to tell my story about surviving the 9/11 disaster.

00:47 At the on 911 I work for guy Carpenter & Company a subsidiary of marsh Inc.

00:55 We had our headquarters in the south tower on the 50th to 54th florist. My office was on the 50th floor facing the north side of the building and I actually had a window that I looked out on from the north side of the building. I was in my office today to that day and I was sitting there doing work when all of a sudden I heard a whooshing sound and then an explosion.

01:28 I looked out the window looked up at the North Tower which had been hit first and saw Flames coming and coming out of the windows and debris raining down from the tower Quest not knowing what happened at that time. In fact, if I had actually looked up at the right time. I probably would have seen the plane, but I was concentrating on my work at the time.

01:57 Soon as shortly after the plane hit the department I work for was also responsible for the security and one of the security people came running in and said get out almost too many of these people had experienced in the original 1993 bombing. So they were new basically what to do. I stopped long enough to shut off my computer which was a futile task that's too turned out and then grabbed my bag and headed for the lobby. We actually got an elevator from the 50th floor down to the 44th floor, which was one of the staging areas of the Trade Center from their past security people were directing this to the stairways.

02:55 We headed down the stairway on mass whole bunch of strangers basically and there was no Panic there was no real sense of concern and someone at that point because nobody really knew what happened walk down about the 30th floor. We heard an announcement over the loudspeaker that said the South Tower was Secure and you can return to your desks.

03:30 Of course at that point everybody was heading down so that was no way to get back up. So everybody just kept going down my thoughts were you know, I'd see what happens when I got to the lobby. Everything was okay. I would come back up.

03:46 That the 16th floor actually exactly on the 16th floor.

03:51 The building shook the lights flickered and apparently that was when the second plane hit at that point. I don't think anybody was going back to their desk week. You people started to get more upset more concerned at that point, but Panic still hadn't set in.

04:13 We finally we kept going down and the stairway and exited on the Plaza level of the Trade Center and we could see the plaza was just this littered with debris some of the Flaming some of it just blowing around it look like a war zone the

04:38 Security people were directing his down to The Concourse and so we just followed along got down to The Concourse and there were people there saying just go north. So we headed north. I stopped at a phone booth to call my wife.

04:59 I knew first. I got her switchboard and said you'll put me through and then first they put me through to the wrong person, but finally I got to her and just society as she's picking up the phone a police officer is coming up and saying get out of here and was practically dragging me out of the phone booth. I told my wife and I always forget the exact words. So, what did you what did I say? I'm okay. The police are getting me out of that time. She had no idea what why they were getting it out why I was coming home. What and what was going on, but I had to hang up.

05:41 I then proceeded North until I got to the E train platform. Now the E train at that point it was like there was always a train there. The next train did not leave until you're going north until a southbound train came in there was no train there and then that was another scary thing, but I went into the platform and stupidly swipe my MetroCard but everybody else but I went through and then I heard a train coming through on one of the other lines so I ran over and ran up one stairway down another one and got on those the A train platform just as the train was pulling in and it was probably the last train to go north underneath the Trade Center at that point I got on that train.

06:40 And people were starting to talk about it because I mean most people on the train had gotten on the train before anything it started happening. So they didn't know what was going on. But I got the train up to Penn Station and there was a 9:33 train out of Penn Station to home and I got on it and it was probably one of the lessons trains out of Penn Station is when I was just in Northern Italy lucky to make all those connections.

07:11 I eat once a week. Once the LIRR train got out got into queens and started moving you up outside. I buy Blackberry my boss to make sure that he wasn't coming in. I didn't have a cell phone at that time. And the people with cell phones were talking about Washington and other problem things going on and I wasn't really interested in listening to rumor at that point. But the I got the I got to my station. Of my car and the first my first thought I had been was to stop in my daughter's school to let her know that I was okay.

08:07 And I stopped in the school went into the main office.

08:14 Do you ask that? You should be brought down to the main office?

08:18 And his office and whatever attendance office and a few minutes later, she came in stormy jumped on me. Grab me wouldn't you have to let go for it for the immediate future?

08:39 And at that point one of the

08:43 I'm sorry, one of The Oddities of this situation occurred the system principal came out and as soon as accurate to say that I assume the tears of joy, and we said yes, and then she made a nice gesture offering us a private office to you'll go into and come down which we did and after a few minutes with a knock on the door and she came in and she said can I ask you some questions and I said sure I thought that she was wanting to get a first-hand account. So she says to me.

09:22 You were in the Trade Center this morning, and I said yes, and she then said and you got here so quickly and I and I said, yes, and she said it's strained my credibility to believe that you were there. I was shocked. I couldn't believe the hubris of this woman to question that I that I would do something like this and I was just so nonplussed by it that I didn't know what to say at that point. But Jamie decided that you wanted to stay in school. So I left and went home and called my wife to let her know that I was home.

10:09 But my turn and I just spent the rest of the afternoon watching the news as hard as it was scary as it was scary scary as it was as emotionally wrenching as it was couldn't turn it off. It was I just had to keep watching it.

10:35 My company was very lucky. Our parent company was not so lucky marshank lost the second had the second largest loss of life. I think over 300 people I'm with lost my company only lost about eight or nine people who had offices in the North Tower.

10:57 We were at sea for a while actually didn't go back to work for a couple weeks. Then we were in temporary quarters until about two years ago when we finally got more permanent quarters. I'm so I'm still with the same company you want to lend do you want to talk about you are at the end of it all day. And then I got the call saying I'm okay. The police are getting me out to somebody else pick it up by accident 1st and I'm going what are you? Okay, I mean I'm in line was dead at that point. Okay, then all of a sudden between the radio and the computer the role of the World Trade Centers attacked and everything. I'm going to what at that point. I mean in making everything so loud when something is bad. I don't want to know till the end.

11:57 Result so I just got up I had work to do if I said I can't I got up I went into the break room and I put my head down and your people came any other while talking about an in to see me sitting here like 10 to go live with stamatis. I did my husband works at the World Trade Center and then I heard somebody say don't let her drive and then then two of the women said the the discussion is it will take you home and then I cleaned up my dad can in the world going crazy cuz the cell phones aren't working at the blessing. I don't want to hear any missed house phone. That's how his phone so I left two voicemails. I don't even know what I said those fighting us trying not to cry and I know one of the women said, you know, you know, that's up to you. But you know going home going to be going crazy by yourself. Lisa's people here on if they know you got a point, so I went back to my desk and I said, you know, just go slow doing what you was always like I finally decided we punch out at 12.

12:57 That's what I'll do if I don't hear anything on this punch out at 12 and go home. And then some of the people were really nice one of them. I just took her hand natural, you know, she was holding my hand whatever and then whatever space of time pass cuz I was numb I had no clothes what was going on and it was going through my head already called but with all that was going on. I mean you could have gotten hit by a piece of the Ring. That's the end of it. How am I going to know? All right, then finally after a while. I guess I must have been within an hour I get another call and it's him and where are you? I'm home. I said you're home. And that's what I was crying. And I told a couple of people and then I felt better and I should have to leave at 12. I I can't do this. I just can't do this. But before he called and told me he was okay. Jamie calls me from school. I can hear it in her voice. And I said you want me to come and get your sister I said to her or do you want me to come and get you and she said no, I have a quiz I said, okay listen to take it easy, whatever.

13:57 And the rest of the conversation so and then and then and then he called later little bit later than 12:00. I just punched out and I went home and

14:08 We were just watching it on TV. It looks like a lady called it the typical disaster will be here waiting for credit to come which of course we're never going to come. It was such a horrible horrible day, Forget it forget it and then when time came in to pick Jamie up from school we went to get to get her and at that point we went back to your photo stores. All right, but we went back to the dead stupid the assistant principal rate very patiently for half an hour. So she got off the phone and then God showed her his business card and instill the woman says that the district closest to school at 3, like you're not supposed to be like in an apology nothing and it's a shame. This has to be part of the story and every time we've told the story to anybody about that woman that they they just stymied this year tire. That's my story.

15:08 I was sitting in third. AP English.

15:17 Anyway, I was sitting third. AP English when suddenly the p a stand Sarah crackling and the principal the principal never addresses student body.

15:30 And he came over the loudspeaker and said I don't know what rumors you've heard but a planet has hit the World Trade Center. My immediate thought was my dad's gone.

15:44 He then said that anyone who had anybody there could go to the library and I figured get to the library then let it out and I didn't even make it halfway down the hall. I was so lucky to have the girl that was sitting next to me. Help me gather up mess up so I can get there and

16:02 Went and when I got there, I just

16:07 Started crying and I couldn't down myself and then one of the special ed teachers.

16:14 Let me call my mom and she said that he had called and he was okay and did I want to go home and I was like not like I have a quiz and I'd rather just be here be distracted with people then be home freaking out.

16:36 I went to the nurse's office jail. Most wanted to send me home via doesn't shock, but I wouldn't go home and visit me to the nurse's office and they had a radio playing to saying that a plant. Is it the Pentagon that has hit the South Tower collapse and has any if you wasn't gone before he's gone now in the bell rang, and I went to my next class and Page me dance. He's at his office and I was thinking they're going to tell me he's gone. They're going to tell me he's gone and then I walk in and there he was it.

17:13 I don't think I was ever morally.

17:28 Is a list of questions here and a couple of the questions kind of bear answering one question is do you feel lucky and very much so Not only was I lucky to be not not to be in the target areas, but I was lucky to get out as quickly as I did. I was lucky to get away from the Trade Center as quickly as I did. I was lucky to get out of Manhattan this quickly as I did.

18:05 But then the next question here is do you feel guilt and I think that's probably

18:15 Well, actually the next two questions do you feel guilt in? What's the hardest part about surviving 911?

18:24 And that's probably the thing that

18:28 Sticks in my craw the most is

18:32 Should I have stayed around should I have tried to help should I have done more than just run away run away run away with the way I answer myself is because the way I rationalize it and it's not really rationalization. It's real it is truth is that I had a family to consider and no they were and she should have been and where uppermost in my mind but there's still that nagging bit of guilt about whether I should have done more more could have done more and probably I will live with that for the rest of my life.

19:35 Then nothing to feel guilty about

19:41 Honestly, I feel I feel like I'm one of the luckiest people alive because I remember all through that morning thinking that I had lost. My dad is just scariest feeling is feeling I've ever known and

20:01 And I'm just so glad that you survived and

20:14 I already said something.

20:22 I don't think we really have cash. I mean the experience.

20:32 It's always there. I mean that it happened is always there and I can kind of colored some things that that we do, but it's really I mean, I don't think we've sent you been nicer or worst.

20:53 Snooze you see on the TV news in the printed paper and we've been both after him tell you story. That's why I'm going to the families that they're telling us stories other survives until disorders rest of our mortality.

21:09 I mean it by like I died to get a cell phone that was like going to do it actually did the reason I got the cell phone was because about a year later and do I I've been asked and I don't think that had anything to do with my experience of 9/11, but we could have but it is part of my recovery. I started bike riding again and I felt it going out on rides without some way of Albert or communication was foolish and that's why I got the cell phone.

22:05 It really it really hasn't done much to I mean sad to say that he really hasn't done much to bring us closer. I don't think I

22:20 I why we may not be the closest family. There is a closeness underneath the the normal bickering and and an interaction that a family has and I don't think that's gotten any unique. We gotten any closer already farther apart because of it cuz it's not 11.

22:51 I mean, of course, I I was scared out of my mind.

23:04 And yet the afternoon just even with the release said my dad had survived I'd physically seen him. Of course. They're there was still the rumors about that that another planet hit all the other rumors and applying for a while. Do I know anybody else that was there? Is there anybody else that I have to wonder if they survived or if they Dieter or what and every time I see the numbers 911 together even on the clock on the clock. I still freaked out that morning just keeps running through my mind over and over and over again and

23:55 Every anniversary at school, they run through they run through a list of balls at school. They showed on TV they run to the list of the people that died and the less I made it. I just had to walk at the Student Center.

24:20 It's one of the things I don't recall ever.

24:26 Anytime during that morning. I don't recall ever feeling fear. It was gone over it obviously have gone over it a lot of times in my mind.

24:42 But I just don't recall ever being scared. I was probably a bit angry. I kind of thought you know, we were attacked by by a truck by a country not in the terrorist attack in one that brought the anger, but you don't make me tea reaction with we were at War but I just never felt or a I just do not recall ever feeling any sort of fear. I just knew follow you follow the crowd to get away and you never really thought more about what was actually happening. I'm just about you being away from the point of impact.

25:37 Like the first plane hit hit like besides thinking that I had lost my dad what kind of malfunction like, I thought it was I thought it was an accident. And even when the second plane hit I thought it was an accident even think of terrorism until until they actually said it and like when they first start saying it like terrorists, why would terrorists hit hit that why why would they attack civilians? Why would they do that? And it still kind of boggles my mind?

26:21 Wow, 4 years later, it still boggles my mind to believe that.

26:28 They were going even with everything else that's happened. Since they said that they were going taxes aliens like that. I never thought of a plane at until I didn't mean to I saw the new stories as I said initially I heard a whoosh that we just before the explosion and might what I was thinking of was in terms of a shoulder-mounted rocket and that that's what I thought it may have been used until I actually saw the the film

27:14 How does it feel to be here today?

27:20 I've been here before we did we did try to come down here that winter before they had clear the air we came down on Christmas if we don't do Christmas, so we decided to do it on Christmas and I went back.

27:47 Last year, maybe two years ago. Sorry doctors I get I guess reading all the signs and

28:07 Maybe maybe all the emotions from that dangerously let out that was like the memory ran through my mind that I didn't feel anything. It was weird not to feel anything. I just said I've been back a couple of times but not really specifically. I mean that one time that we tried to come back that winter and really couldn't get close enough was was an intentional visit, but if they mentioned them a cyclist and there is a New York City event called the Five Boro Bike Tour and the tour State you the people go up Church Street New to the starting point from Battery Park, and I had totally forgotten about this the first time I did the 5 Boro after

29:07 9/11 and I'm riding up Church Street and then all of a sudden my God that was kind of emotional next time I did the fibroids more prepared until I was actually a boy and I'm here.

29:48 Whenever I look at postcards or posters that still like the old ones pre 9-11.

30:01 I will wait a minute. That's not there anymore. And then I look at it. Like I look at pictures of the skyline now, it's just like

30:13 It used to be there and I don't know if I ever be worth it or they would suit quite they weren't the tallest but close to it.

30:34 Wow, look what they did to us.

30:39 Let's

30:42 Actually, I'm not I'm not a fan of the Freedom Tower.

30:52 Don't think that.

30:55 Building a huge building is the answer because first of all, I don't think people are going to want to rent the Opera florist. I don't think I think that financially any sort of building like that is going to be a disaster and

31:16 And it's crafts and and heartless as it may sound I think that's got to be a consideration. I don't think my my idea was to build for duplicates but smaller maybe in the 50 to 60 story range, That was your idea proposed that idea.

31:50 The Amin obviously any development of this site has to be developed around a memorial stories too. Many things happened too many people lost their lives to not do that, but and I do agree with the idea that

32:13 Building something commercial

32:17 Is a statement that we are not succumbing that life goes on and that we will survive and thrive have been there so I can use resin they were talking about rebuilding the towers in just just back to the way it wasn't like. I understand the Defiance that goes with those ideas. But the defiant is all well and good if it is practical you rebuilding the towers rebuilding or building a freedom tower is just not practical and what good is a memorial. What good is a Defiance if if it's not going to work, I mean if if they do build the Freedom Tower and the top floor

33:17 Don't get rented that I have to be rented that it would just be for show to show that like that. They may have not it down, but will still be there even though I don't agree with the Freedom Tower. I'm just saying like I wouldn't think the top for the necessarily have to be rented in order for it to work. But I don't I think I wouldn't even say something commercial even though that's what they're going. I would say definitely a memorial.

34:05 I mean, yeah, they're Central Park but do something like like that. This is not necessarily like the site because that is the statement that you knock it down. We will rebuild it or we or we build something like it take to just leave the site as a memorial is in a way admitting defeat.

34:45 They need they need a commercial development. It's a big site and they can easily work around a memorial service or whatever and they get all upset about the plan. I agree with them and if it's like a massacre a real site.

35:17 Even if they just do like a moth not even like like we're Originals like a big finance and Executive Center, even if it's just a mall or something like that.

35:35 As we're getting our cue I just want to close it up.

35:44 By thanking story Corp for this opportunity.

35:51 This idea is very important to give survivors relatives and someone the chance to memorialize or two.

36:08 We leave their own Feelings by putting them into a permanent record.

36:22 Thank you whom you go on and on and on.

36:27 And I didn't think you could what cause sweet.

36:34 What are you? Oh, I was fearing from the original with his to be 30. That's what I was wondering why we're still

36:43 I could either one. The funny one.