[A while back, I wrote a story about my 9/11 experience -- One of a Thousand Stories to Tell. The story took me two years to write, but I never realized that so many would be touched by it. Thank you for all the heart warming comments. Below is a follow-up story.]
When I went back to New York in April of 2002, we went to the Port Authority Command Center to offer the money that
our local firefighters had raised -- $31,600. They took us down to Ground Zero in 2 of their police vans to present the check.
"Where are you from?" the driver of police van asked all of us. I said, "Michigan." He was very moved by what we were doing for them, and the families of the Port Authority Police would benefit a lot from the money.
As we were presenting the check at Ground Zero, the Police Officer that drove me down there said that on 9-11 he was on duty and had seen the people jumping from the towers. He then said the next day he was put in the command center because they did not want him at Ground Zero because of the things he had seen.
And then, he told me that there was a firefighter from Michigan that kept calling the command center on 9-12-01 asking for directions. "He gave me his name, so when he did call back, I could talk to him," he said.
He looked at me, and at the same time I looked at him; I asked him his name he told me. I then looked down at his name tag; it was the same name I wrote down on a piece of paper back on September 12, 2001.
You see, I had to call the command center several times to find my-own-why to Ground Zero; I still have that piece of paper with this Port Authority Police Officers name on it. When we both realized how small of a world this planet really is, we hugged and shook hands. What are the odds that the same police officer (out of thousands) that gave me directions on September 12, 2001, drove me back to Ground Zero in April of the next year?!?
I believe we all have a purpose in life; there is no way to tell the feeling I have about September 11, 2001 and the lives that have been touched by the hands of God.
When I went back to New York in April of 2002, we went to the Port Authority Command Center to offer the money that
"Where are you from?" the driver of police van asked all of us. I said, "Michigan." He was very moved by what we were doing for them, and the families of the Port Authority Police would benefit a lot from the money.
As we were presenting the check at Ground Zero, the Police Officer that drove me down there said that on 9-11 he was on duty and had seen the people jumping from the towers. He then said the next day he was put in the command center because they did not want him at Ground Zero because of the things he had seen.
And then, he told me that there was a firefighter from Michigan that kept calling the command center on 9-12-01 asking for directions. "He gave me his name, so when he did call back, I could talk to him," he said.
He looked at me, and at the same time I looked at him; I asked him his name he told me. I then looked down at his name tag; it was the same name I wrote down on a piece of paper back on September 12, 2001.
You see, I had to call the command center several times to find my-own-why to Ground Zero; I still have that piece of paper with this Port Authority Police Officers name on it. When we both realized how small of a world this planet really is, we hugged and shook hands. What are the odds that the same police officer (out of thousands) that gave me directions on September 12, 2001, drove me back to Ground Zero in April of the next year?!?
I believe we all have a purpose in life; there is no way to tell the feeling I have about September 11, 2001 and the lives that have been touched by the hands of God.
3867 Reads
- Posted by David G. Nadeau
- Sep 11, 2019
- Comments (12)
Readers Comments
eckyssister wrote: Thank you for sharing your story, beautiful connections.
Nankers wrote: What a beautiful story; it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for your kindness and your community's kindness, giving such a lovely gift to these amazing and wonderful 9/11 heroes. Thank for lifting me up this morning!
Cherrie wrote: Yes, the world is small. And, we are all connected. Thank you for sharing this story of synchronicity.
Ode2Joy wrote: What a beautiful surprise. Thank you for sharing this beautiful coincidence.
Rajni wrote: Miracles happen their own way. Some take it for granted and someone like you always remember with grateful heart. Thanks for sharing this heart warming story.
mindyjourney wrote: Truly, was no accident you connected â¤ï¸. Thank you for your kind fund-raising and for being there to help support. Bless you.
Margarita wrote: Reading this story makes me realize that there is NO such thing as coincidences. Everything MUST happen for a reason. God always knows when-why-where...
babynurse wrote: I always say everything happens for a reason, and God brings people into our lives at certain times, to meet a particular need. God just let you know that He is so great and awesome that He could at a later time, let the two of you meet. He is always in control!
rayan wrote: All the details of daily life have meaning .This means also that many a fact occuring in a different space would have a parallel counterpart/s in an other different part of the universe .In short , the world is worked as a text in which each word has got some thing to say.....thank you for sharing this fabulous experience..
Tigerlily wrote: Oh David... that is amazing.
The Lord doth move in mysterious ways!
Thank you for thinking to share this continuence of your story.
God bless you and all you do. Believe me, though you may not hear it often.... some of us are thankful for people like you and pray for you guys often. :)
The Lord doth move in mysterious ways!
Thank you for thinking to share this continuence of your story.
God bless you and all you do. Believe me, though you may not hear it often.... some of us are thankful for people like you and pray for you guys often. :)
