One of the most accomplished public servants in the nation, for
more than 30 years, Mr. Kerik served his country – most notably as an
advisor to the U.S. Presidential Envoy of Iraq, and New York City's
Police and Correction Commissioner. His term in the NYPD was marked by
dramatic reductions in crime, improved community relations, and his
oversight of the rescue, recovery and investigation of the World Trade
Center attack on September 11, 2001.
September 11, 2001 began like most mornings. It was around 6 a.m. that I
gave my wife Hala and 11 month old daughter Celine a kiss before
walking out the door of our apartment. Given it was New York City’s
primary election day for the mayoral candidates, Hala and I had plans to
watch the election results with the Mayor at The Dylan Hotel, on East
41st Street, that evening. I confirmed our plans and told her I’d see
her later. Little did I know no one would be voting that day.
I was in sweats, ready for my daily work out in the gym in the back to the Commissioner’s office at NYPD headquarters. The drive from my apartment took about 40 minutes. By the time I arrived, I had read through the crime stats from the night before and had been briefed by the detectives in my car. Nothing, that I recall, was out the ordinary. If we all were lucky, it would be a peaceful day with the election going smoothly.
I went to my office, put a few things on my desk, and then started running on the treadmill while watching the news. It was a blue sky day, the kind you’d want for any election. I finished my workout about 0745 and then went over some paperwork in my office. When I finished, I went to take a shower and was standing in my bathroom shaving when John Picciano, my chief of staff, and Detective Hector Santiago started banging on my outer door. When I opened it, I still had shaving cream all over my face and a white towel around my waist. “A plane has just hit Tower One,” they said, almost in unison. I looked up at the TV over my treadmill and saw the news coverage. I walked quickly through my office to my conference room to look at the Towers...a clear shot from my windows. I was horrified by what I saw.
READ MORE HERE~
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REFLECTIONS OF 9/11/2001
I was in sweats, ready for my daily work out in the gym in the back to the Commissioner’s office at NYPD headquarters. The drive from my apartment took about 40 minutes. By the time I arrived, I had read through the crime stats from the night before and had been briefed by the detectives in my car. Nothing, that I recall, was out the ordinary. If we all were lucky, it would be a peaceful day with the election going smoothly.
I went to my office, put a few things on my desk, and then started running on the treadmill while watching the news. It was a blue sky day, the kind you’d want for any election. I finished my workout about 0745 and then went over some paperwork in my office. When I finished, I went to take a shower and was standing in my bathroom shaving when John Picciano, my chief of staff, and Detective Hector Santiago started banging on my outer door. When I opened it, I still had shaving cream all over my face and a white towel around my waist. “A plane has just hit Tower One,” they said, almost in unison. I looked up at the TV over my treadmill and saw the news coverage. I walked quickly through my office to my conference room to look at the Towers...a clear shot from my windows. I was horrified by what I saw.
READ MORE HERE~
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