[meteorite-list] Brother, if you don't mind

From: Michael Casper <Michael_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:49:01 2004
Message-ID: <000c01c1409d$23b21100$0200a8c0_at_Domain>

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My name is Usman Farman and I graduated from Bentley with a Finance =
degree last May. I am 21 years old, turning 22 in October; I am =
Pakistani, and I am Muslim. Until September 10th 2001, I used to work at =
the World Trade Center in building #7. I had friends and acquaintances =
who worked in tower #1 right across from me. Some made it out, and some =
are still unaccounted for. I survived this horrible event.=20

I'd like to share with you what I went through that awful day, with the =
hopes that we can all stay strong together; through this tragedy of yet =
untold proportions. As I found out, regardless of who we are, and where =
we come from, we only have each other.=20

I commute into the city every morning on the train from New Jersey. =
Rather, I used to. I still can't believe what is happening. That morning =
I woke up and crawled out of bed. I was thinking about flaking out on =
the train and catching the late one, I remember telling myself that I =
just had to get to work on time. I ended up catching the 7:48 train, =
which put me in Hoboken at 8:20 am. When I got there I thought about =
getting something to eat, I decided against it and took the PATH train =
to the World Trade Center. I arrived at the World Trade at 8:40 in the =
morning. I walked into the lobby of building 7 at 8:45, that's when the =
first plane hit.=20

Had I taken the late train, or gotten a bite to eat, I would have been 5 =
minutes late and walking over the crosswalk. Had that happened, I would =
have been caught under a rain of fire and debris, I wouldn't be here =
talking to you. I'd be dead.=20

I was in the lobby, and I heard the first explosion; it didn't register. =
They were doing construction outside and I thought some scaffolding had =
fallen. I took the elevators up to my office on the 27th floor. When I =
walked in, the whole place was empty. There were no alarms, no =
sprinklers, nothing. Our offices are, or rather, were on the south side =
of building seven. We were close enough to the North and South Towers, =
that I could literally throw a stone from my window and hit the North =
tower with it.=20

My phone rang and I spoke with my mother and told her that I was =
leaving, at that moment I saw an explosion rip out of the second =
building. I called my friend in Boston, waking her up and told her to =
tell everyone I'm okay, and that I was leaving. I looked down one last =
time and saw the square and fountain that I eat lunch in, was covered in =
smoldering debris. Apparently, I was one of the last to leave my =
building, when I was on the way up in the elevators; my co-workers from =
the office were in the stairwells coming down. When I evacuated, there =
was no panic. People were calm and helping eachother; a pregnant woman =
was being carried down the stairwell.=20

I'll spare the more gruesome details of what I saw, those are things =
that no-one should ever have to see, and beyond human decency to =
describe. Those are things which will haunt me for the rest of my life, =
my heart goes out to everyone who lost their lives that day, and those =
who survived with the painful reminders of what once was. Acquaintences =
of mine who made it out of the towers, only got out because 1000 people =
formed a human chain to find their way out of the smoke. Everyone was a =
hero that day.=20

We were evacuated to the north side of building 7. Still only 1 block =
from the towers. The security people told us to go north and not to look =
back. 5 city blocks later I stopped and turned around to watch. With a =
thousand people staring, we saw in shock as the first tower collapsed. =
No-one could believe it was happening, it is still all too-surreal to =
imagine. The next thing I remember is that a dark cloud of glass and =
debris about 50 stories high came tumbling towards us. I turned around =
and ran as fast as possible. I didn't realize until yesterday that the =
reason I'm still feeling so sore was that I fell down trying to get =
away. What happened next is why I came here to give this speech.=20

I was on my back, facing this massive cloud that was approaching, it =
must have been 600 feet off, everything was already dark. I normally =
wear a pendant around my neck, inscribed with an Arabic prayer for =
safety; similar to the cross. A hesidic Jewish man came up to me and =
held the pendant in his hand, and looked at it. He read the Arabic out =
loud for a second. What he said next, I will never forget. With a deep =
Brooklyn accent he said "Brother, if you don't mind, there is a cloud of =
glass coming at us, grab my hand, lets get the hell out of here". He =
helped me stand up, and we ran for what seemed like forever without =
looking back. He was the last person I would ever have thought, who =
would help me. If it weren't for him, I probably would have been =
engulfed in shattered glass and debris.=20

I finally stopped about 20 blocks away, and looked in horror as tower #2 =
came crashing down. Fear came over me as I realized that some people =
were evacuated to the streets below the towers. Like I said before, =
no-one could have thought those buildings could collapse. We turned =
around and in shock and disbelief and began the trek to midtown. It took =
me 3 hours to get to my sisters office at 3 avenue and 47th street. Some =
streets were completely deserted, completely quiet, no cars, no nothing =
-- just the distant wail of sirens. I managed to call home and say I was =
okay, and get in touch with co-workers and friends whom I feared were =
lost.=20

We managed to get a ride to new jersey. Looking back as I crossed the =
George Washington Bridge, I could not see the towers. It had really =
happened.=20

As the world continues to reel from this tragedy, people in the streets =
are lashing out. Not far from my home, a Pakistani woman was run over on =
purpose as she was crossing the parking lot to put groceries in her car. =
Her only fault? That she had her head covered and was wearing the =
traditional clothing of my homeland. I am afraid for my family's =
well-being within our community. My older sister is too scared to take =
the subway into work now. My 8 year old sister's school is under =
lockdown and armed watch by police.=20

Violence only begets violence, and by lashing out at each other in fear =
and hatred, we will become no better than the faceless cowards who =
committed this atrocity. If it weren't for that man who helped me get =
up, I would most likely be in the hospital right now, if not dead. Help =
came from the least expected place, and goes only to show, that we are =
all in this together -- regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity. =
Those are principles that this country was founded on.=20

Please take a moment to look at the people sitting around you. Friends =
or strangers, In a time of crisis, you would want the nearest person to =
help you if you needed it. My help came from a man who I would never =
have thought would normally even speak to me. Ask yourselves now how you =
can help those people in New York and Washington. You can donate blood, =
you can send clothing, food, and money. Funds have been setup in the New =
York area to help the families of fallen firefighters, policemen, and =
emergency personnel. The one thing that won't help, is if we fight =
amongst ourselves, because it is then that we are doing exactly what =
they want us to do, and I know that nobody here wants to do that.=20

My name is Usman Farman and I graduated from Bentley with a Finance =
degree last May. I am 21 years old, turning 22 in October; I am =
Pakistani, and I am Muslim, and I too have been victimized by this awful =
tragedy. The next time you feel angry about this, and perhaps want to =
retaliate in your own way, please remember these words: "Brother, if you =
don't mind, there is a cloud of glass coming at us, grab my hand, lets =
get the hell out of here."=20




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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT color=3D#0000ff>My name is Usman =
Farman and I=20
graduated from Bentley with a Finance degree last May. I am 21 years =
old,=20
turning 22 in October; I am Pakistani, and I am Muslim. Until September =
10th=20
2001, I used to work at the World Trade Center in building #7. I had =
friends and=20
acquaintances who worked in tower #1 right across from me. Some made it =
out, and=20
some are still unaccounted for. I survived this horrible event.=20
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#0000ff>I'd like to share with you what I =
went=20
through that awful day, with the hopes that we can all stay strong =
together;=20
through this tragedy of yet untold proportions. As I found out, =
regardless of=20
who we are, and where we come from, we only have each other.=20
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#0000ff>I commute into the city every =
morning on the=20
train from New Jersey. Rather, I used to. I still can't believe what is=20
happening. That morning I woke up and crawled out of bed. I was thinking =
about=20
flaking out on the train and catching the late one, I remember telling =
myself=20
that I just had to get to work on time. I ended up catching the 7:48 =
train,=20
which put me in Hoboken at 8:20 am. When I got there I thought about =
getting=20
something to eat, I decided against it and took the PATH train to the =
World=20
Trade Center. I arrived at the World Trade at 8:40 in the morning. I =
walked into=20
the lobby of building 7 at 8:45, that's when the first plane hit.=20
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#0000ff>Had I taken the late train, or =
gotten a bite=20
to eat, I would have been 5 minutes late and walking over the crosswalk. =
Had=20
that happened, I would have been caught under a rain of fire and debris, =
I=20
wouldn't be here talking to you. I'd be dead. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>I was in the lobby, and I heard the first explosion; it =
didn't=20
register. They were doing construction outside and I thought some =
scaffolding=20
had fallen. I took the elevators up to my office on the 27th floor. When =
I=20
walked in, the whole place was empty. There were no alarms, no =
sprinklers,=20
nothing. Our offices are, or rather, were on the south side of building =
seven.=20
We were close enough to the North and South Towers, that I could =
literally throw=20
a stone from my window and hit the North tower with it. =
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>My phone rang and I spoke with my mother and told her =
that I was=20
leaving, at that moment I saw an explosion rip out of the second =
building. I=20
called my friend in Boston, waking her up and told her to tell everyone =
I'm=20
okay, and that I was leaving. I looked down one last time and saw the =
square and=20
fountain that I eat lunch in, was covered in smoldering debris. =
Apparently, I=20
was one of the last to leave my building, when I was on the way up in =
the=20
elevators; my co-workers from the office were in the stairwells coming =
down.=20
When I evacuated, there was no panic. People were calm and helping =
eachother; a=20
pregnant woman was being carried down the stairwell. =
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>I'll spare the more gruesome details of what I saw, =
those are=20
things that no-one should ever have to see, and beyond human decency to=20
describe. Those are things which will haunt me for the rest of my life, =
my heart=20
goes out to everyone who lost their lives that day, and those who =
survived with=20
the painful reminders of what once was. Acquaintences of mine who made =
it out of=20
the towers, only got out because 1000 people formed a human chain to =
find their=20
way out of the smoke. Everyone was a hero that day. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT =

color=3D#0000ff>We were evacuated to the north side of building 7. Still =
only 1=20
block from the towers. The security people told us to go north and not =
to look=20
back. 5 city blocks later I stopped and turned around to watch. With a =
thousand=20
people staring, we saw in shock as the first tower collapsed. No-one =
could=20
believe it was happening, it is still all too-surreal to imagine. The =
next thing=20
I remember is that a dark cloud of glass and debris about 50 stories =
high came=20
tumbling towards us. I turned around and ran as fast as possible. I =
didn't=20
realize until yesterday that the reason I'm still feeling so sore was =
that I=20
fell down trying to get away. What happened next is why I came here to =
give this=20
speech. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#0000ff>I was on my back, facing =
this massive=20
cloud that was approaching, it must have been 600 feet off, everything =
was=20
already dark. I normally wear a pendant around my neck, inscribed with =
an Arabic=20
prayer for safety; similar to the cross. A hesidic Jewish man came up to =
me and=20
held the pendant in his hand, and looked at it. He read the Arabic out =
loud for=20
a second. What he said next, I will never forget. With a deep Brooklyn =
accent he=20
said "Brother, if you don't mind, there is a cloud of glass coming at =
us, grab=20
my hand, lets get the hell out of here". He helped me stand up, and we =
ran for=20
what seemed like forever without looking back. He was the last person I =
would=20
ever have thought, who would help me. If it weren't for him, I probably =
would=20
have been engulfed in shattered glass and debris. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>I finally stopped about 20 blocks away, and looked in =
horror as=20
tower #2 came crashing down. Fear came over me as I realized that some =
people=20
were evacuated to the streets below the towers. Like I said before, =
no-one could=20
have thought those buildings could collapse. We turned around and in =
shock and=20
disbelief and began the trek to midtown. It took me 3 hours to get to my =
sisters=20
office at 3 avenue and 47th street. Some streets were completely =
deserted,=20
completely quiet, no cars, no nothing -- just the distant wail of =
sirens. I=20
managed to call home and say I was okay, and get in touch with =
co-workers and=20
friends whom I feared were lost. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#0000ff>We =
managed=20
to get a ride to new jersey. Looking back as I crossed the George =
Washington=20
Bridge, I could not see the towers. It had really happened. =
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>As the world continues to reel from this tragedy, people =
in the=20
streets are lashing out. Not far from my home, a Pakistani woman was run =
over on=20
purpose as she was crossing the parking lot to put groceries in her car. =
Her=20
only fault? That she had her head covered and was wearing the =
traditional=20
clothing of my homeland. I am afraid for my family's well-being within =
our=20
community. My older sister is too scared to take the subway into work =
now. My 8=20
year old sister's school is under lockdown and armed watch by police.=20
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#0000ff>Violence only begets violence, and =
by lashing=20
out at each other in fear and hatred, we will become no better than the =
faceless=20
cowards who committed this atrocity. If it weren't for that man who =
helped me=20
get up, I would most likely be in the hospital right now, if not dead. =
Help came=20
from the least expected place, and goes only to show, that we are all in =
this=20
together -- regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity. Those are =
principles=20
that this country was founded on. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff>Please take=20
a moment to look at the people sitting around you. Friends or strangers, =
In a=20
time of crisis, you would want the nearest person to help you if you =
needed it.=20
My help came from a man who I would never have thought would normally =
even speak=20
to me. Ask yourselves now how you can help those people in New York and=20
Washington. You can donate blood, you can send clothing, food, and =
money. Funds=20
have been setup in the New York area to help the families of fallen=20
firefighters, policemen, and emergency personnel. The one thing that =
won't help,=20
is if we fight amongst ourselves, because it is then that we are doing =
exactly=20
what they want us to do, and I know that nobody here wants to do that.=20
<BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=3D#0000ff>My name is Usman Farman and I =
graduated from=20
Bentley with a Finance degree last May. I am 21 years old, turning 22 in =

October; I am Pakistani, and I am Muslim, and I too have been victimized =
by this=20
awful tragedy. The next time you feel angry about this, and perhaps want =
to=20
retaliate in your own way, please remember these words: "Brother, if you =
don't=20
mind, there is a cloud of glass coming at us, grab my hand, lets get the =
hell=20
out of here."</FONT> <BR><BR><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Tue 18 Sep 2001 07:53:36 PM PDT