By Howard Bischoff

Perspective

Town Crier Associate Publisher

Walking around Manhattan a few weeks ago, it was apparent New Yorkers are still hurting from the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Based on the magnitude of what happened, it’s not too surprising.

As we know all too well, thousands of families have been affected. I spent my first 28 years living in the New York area, and I took my family back there for the first time in mid-August. All over the city, from lower Manhattan’s financial district to Grand Central Terminal in midtown, we saw fliers with pictures of missing loved ones, and firehouses draped in purple and black memorial bunting along with flowers and cards dropped off by visitors from all over the world. American flags are everywhere.

The fliers were the hardest for me to read. Several were simply heartbreaking

One fireman’s family had a poster with a picture of the fireman helping a woman to safety. The family was trying to locate the woman because she may have been the last person to see their son alive.

At Ground Zero itself, we joined hundreds of other onlookers winding our way around the massive city block which is now a hole.

Being there gave us a totally different perspective from what we see on television. Many buildings surrounding the World Trade Center site are still unoccupied due to damage. Some have drapes over them to protect passersby from falling debris and to cover the gaping holes. Many windows are still boarded up. At the surrounding local churches, notes are still being left in the fences. Most of these have a victim’s name or picture saying “… we will never forget you.”

Firehouse Ten, on the perimeter of the WTC, was also destroyed. As we were leaving the site, a brand new ladder truck with a big number 10 and an American flag painted on it drove up and the firefighters started selling T-shirts. The proceeds would go to a foundation benefiting the families of their fallen comrades. The truck was quickly surrounded by a crowd. Within minutes, the entire supply sold.

Economically, the city is hurting, with tourism way down. We went to see “Oklahoma” on Broadway and the theater was only half full. Cabbies were complaining their business was very slow and restaurant prices appeared to be lower than I remembered.

Psychologically, the usually tough New Yorkers took a very big hit. It will take them, as well as the rest of the country, time to heal. In the meantime, they are very grateful for any support we can give them.

Helping New York to recover is a wonderful way to help us recover as well. We hope to get back for another visit sometime in the future and see a city healing from its wounds.