[RemydeHaviland]

In San Francisco airport waiting at the gate to board our flight home from our honeymoon. We were scheduled on the first flight out, so with the time difference it was 9-ish here.

All of the sudden a report was broadcast "due to the unfolding events in new york all flights are grounded across the country. " that was it. disturbing does not event describe the feeling. immediately everyone was reaching for their cell phones, trying to find out more information. people would stand up on their seat and shout out an update. since it was so early in CA most of the airport vendors / tvs were not on. i was trying to reach all of our family in maryland, and could reach no one. we heard the trade centers were hit, the white house, the pentagon, the capital, etc. etc. obviously some of the info was inaccurate.

One of the airport bars finally opened, the tvs were all turned on and it was just in time for us to watch the second tower get hit, live. directly in front of me was a man in white arab garb, he was squatting down, rocking back and forth and laughing. the bar area was jammed with people and quite a few were noticing his behavior and you could see anger in their eyes. i was very close to saying something to him when an announcement was broadcast: "SFO is being closed and immediately evacuated. please proceed to the nearest exit. do not stop for food, beverage. please get out now"

jack grabbed me and we started running down the corridors toward baggage claim / the exit. fortunately jack had the foresight several minutes before to re-book our courtyard hotel in san bruno, so we had a room. (we had driven in the night before, returned our rental and had stayed at an airport hotel since our flight was so early).

we got down to baggage claim and literally found a mountain of luggage. everything was just piled one bag on top of each other. people were climbing the baggage tower, throwing bags around in an attempt to locate theirs. fortunately we each found our bag.

we now headed outside, and were trying to find the courtyard shuttle to get off the airport property. we tried to get our rental back but were unable to do so.

at this point every vehicle was being individually searched prior to being allowed on the airport property. we stood outside on an elevated drive for over an hour with several hundred other people. we could not go anywhere.

when the shuttle finally arrived about 50 people were rushing to get on a 15 passenger van. we were lucky to get on board. people were on top of each others laps, laying down, etc. we probably had 35 on board. finally got back to the hotel and our room (luckily) was awaiting us.

we spent the next 4 nights there.

once we got somewhat settled into the hotel i was finally able to track down my relatives - who were all at a maryland hospital because my sister in law gave birth to my nephew between the first tower and second tower attack. it was our only good news of the day

i will never, ever forget that awful day.

a good friend was an investment banker who worked in the 2nd tower. she was delayed getting to work that day and just arrived on the property as the strikes occurred. she lived on the upper east side and literally took her shoes off and ran all the way home. she now lives in oregon.