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Six years ago today.........

September 11, 2007, 2:16 PM ET [ Comments]
Sam Woo
New Jersey Devils Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
I still remember it like it was yesterday. Before the terrorist attacks, I had attended a Devils charity softball game with the Devils fan club and Penn State/Miami football game in Happy Valley that weekend. Probably one of the most memorable weekends of my life and my best friend and I even made it back to our men’s league hockey game that Sunday night back in New Jersey. We played against the top team in our league and we wanted to win badly. But we lost that game in a heated match filled with cheap shots, anger, and no respect. But we lined up and shook hands at the end of the game knowing we would face each other on Friday the same week.

I remember watching Monday Night football when the Giants played the Broncos and as the game was winding down, I fell asleep on the couch. The next morning, I woke up to my mom calling my cell phone and told me what had happened. My mother worked in the city every Tuesday that year and would take the PATH trains to WTC around the time the first planes hit. Luckily, my mother had a change in her work schedule and was not in city that day. I was relieved.

You have to remember. New Jersey residents were as equally effected by the 9/11 attacks. Many New Jersey commuters take the bus or train into the city for work and weather-wise, it was a beautiful September day. As the day went along, the worse it got. Like many friends of mine, we started to make a list of people that worked in lower Manhattan and tried calling to see if they were okay or needed assistance in leaving the city or a place to stay for the night. Chaos cannot even describe it. Getting a phone call through was a blessing because “all circuits are busy” always came up when I dialed. Friends that lived in higher elevation could see the buildings burning and then falling. I was worried for my extended family and friends that were still in the city as I kept on dialing. Then my one friend called and asked for help. His brother worked on the first floor never made it into the city but was stuck in Newark and needed a way out because the trains had stopped.

I left my house only to find that the banks were closed, every radio station was broadcasting strictly news with some not transmitting because of the transmitter being knocked out, and to be honest, and I was scared for the first time in my life. I picked up my friend and we tried driving to Newark to find his brother, which again was somewhat impossible because all the cell towers were being used at the same time. As we took Route 78, we started to see American flags come out as I was dialing around making sure if anyone else needed a ride home. And then we came to a toll booth.

I will never forget this image of seeing our New Jersey State Troopers lined up in uniform with machine guns with at least one officer blocking a toll booth. They were not allowing anyone getting close to New York City and directing every car away. No one argued and our attempt to help out was thwarted, but eventually the trains started to run later in the night and my friends and family were able to make it home. Countless stories came about that day of everyone’s experience. But one thing was certain. Petty little things did not matter anymore. We were all unified as one and whenever possible, we would help anyone that needed it without hesitation. My one friend was able to help out by getting close to New York City and using his ham radio equipment as repeaters to help with communication at ground zero.

As days followed, our country was in mourning but we knew eventually we have to move forward the best we can so we did not allow these terrorists to get the best of us. With a heavy heart, I had that hockey game on Friday night and maybe we can try to ease the pain. When I drove to the rink, our towns asked everyone to light a candle around 7:00PM that Friday and the streets were lit with candles. American flags were displayed proudly and many memorials were seen along the way for those that past away or were missing. It was a sad drive and when I did get to the rink, I read on the schedule board: Game canceled due to two players still missing at WTC.

That hit home. Less than a week ago, we were competing hard against each other and probably didn’t care for one another. But now, we were friends and much sympathy went out to their team. In a weird sense, I was feeling somewhat guilty because of the nasty game we played on that past Sunday. But then I realized. We all play the game hard and that’s what we expect everyone to do. At the end of each game, we shake hands in good faith. From that point on in my life, shaking hands after each game I played in is not just formality, it truly means a sign of respect and honor after a great competition.

Our team captain asked the league to give each team a tie for that game, rather than a forfeit. When we played that team during the playoffs later that month, their team captain came into our locker room and we chatted for awhile. It must have been hard for them to move on without their teammates but they did just that and I believed they won the league championship that summer season.

I’ll never forget all the American flags on the boards during the pre-season Devils games. The chant of “USA USA USA” still gives me chills and when Lisa Beamer dropped the ceremonial puck on opening night, she was cheered. Lisa’s husband, Todd, was the one on Flight 93 that was quoted in saying, “Let’s Roll” before taking down that plane. As we mark this anniversary, it was tough to write this blog because it’s very personal. Again, it's something I will always remember.
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