My memory of that day.
It was a beautiful day. Fall was in the air. Normally I would be walking my dogs in the woods at that time of the morning. For some reason I was waiting for later in the day.
I was having breakfast. On my table was a small tv with the Today show playing. I wasn't really watching, it was just background noise. Looking at my newspaper while I ate, I heard the special announcer break in on the TV show. A plane had crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The Today show hosts came back on the air and video from a camera somewhere in NY that looks south was showing the burning building. The hosts were trying to decide what type of plane it was and if it was an accident.
Then live, on air, we saw the second plane crash into the South Tower. The gasps from the hosts were frightening. No doubt now that this was not an accident.
Like many others, I was glued to my TV for the next several hours. I thought of all the people I knew who lived in NY and hoped they were ok. I tried to contact a few, but could only get though via a text message. Thankfully, they eventually answered me that they were alright.
While I never lived in NY, I spent a lot of time there working on sitcoms. 20 years of traveling back and forth between my home in MD to work at various studios in NY. If we had still been shooting Spin City that season, I probably would have been there that day. We had changed our schedule the year before to a Monday/Tuesday shoot days to accommodate Michael J. Fox and his health condition. Our studio was at Chelsea Piers just a few blocks north of the Trade Center. I read somewhere later, that our studio was turned into a triage center, but never used. There was no one to triage.
As I watched the Towers fall I could feel the horror of those trapped inside. I knew they all probably died. I knew the first responders who went in to help probably all died. It was sickening.
Seeing footage from the Pentagon and hearing the news of Shanksville and those brave souls who crashed that plane, I felt our country would be going to war. I remember talking to my niece and telling her to be prepared.
Emotionally spent, I took my dogs for a walk down the country road next to my house. We passed a jogger who gave a happy greeting. I asked is she had seen the news. She hadn't. I told her to go home and turn on the TV. Later that day I would walk the dogs in the woods with my friend Maureen. We both needed some peace.
As for work that week, I was scheduled to fly to Chicago on Wednesday to work on a sitcom. With all flights canceled, I assumed we would not be working. To my surprise the production manager called me the next morning and said they would be shooting and asked if I could get to Chicago. The only way was to drive the 700 miles. I arranged for the care of my dogs, packed my bags and started to drive around 4 pm.
The PA turnpike was empty. Huge American flags flew from the over passes. I went past the Shanksville exit and felt awful. The bravery of those people never fails to amaze me. I drove until I felt I was in the danger zone of falling asleep. It was around 1 am. I believe I was in NW Ohio. I found a small motel and got a room.
The next day I left around 7 am and reached my studio just in time for the lunch break. The production executives were happy I got there. They were missing several crew regulars who always flew in from Los Angeles. We blocked and shot the scenes for the next two days. It was not the normal happy set. I still wonder why they felt the need to shoot that week.
On Friday we finished production just before sunset. Everyone went outside to the parking lot to participate in a prayer circle. It was very somber and the tears flowed freely. As we finished we saw planes flying again in the sky.
To all those who lost loved ones that day, my heartfelt condolences. To the brave first responders, thank you for everything you do. You honor us with your presence and fortitude. May the unity this country felt in the following days and weeks return to us again.