Blocks away from the twin towers, Iowan recalls 9/11 attack

LETS HER REMEMBER THE PEOPLE WE LOST DAN THE PEOPLE OUT THERE STILL FIGHTING THE FIGHT. ACST -- STEVCC KI’S MARCUS MCINTOSH SPOKE WITH A FORMER NEW YORKER TERRORIST AAC THAT CHANGE THE COUNTRY, AND THE NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE. THIS MEANT WAS LIVING IN NEW YORK IN SEPTEMBER 11, TWO NEW THOUSAND ONE, WORKING ABOUT FOUR BLOCKS FROM THE SECOND TOWER. INITIALLY THINKING WHAT HAPPENED TOHE T FSTIR TOW WAS >> A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. I TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK TO WALL STR, AND TNHE THE SECOND PLANEIT H AND THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING. IT WAS SLOW-MOTION. WE COULD HEAR IT COMING OVER. THEY HUSTLED DUSTIN TO THE BUILDING -HUSTLE- S U INTO THE BUILDING, BUT MY MIND WAS VERY SLOW. HIS THOUGHTS WERE WITH HIS FATHER RICHARD, WHO WAS COORDINATING RESCUE EFFORTS, CAUGHT ON CAMERA BY A FRENCH DOCUMENTARY CREW. EFFOSRT BY ALL FIRST RESPOERNDS INVOLVED ARE HONORED NATIONWIDE EVERY SEPTEMBER 11 DURING THE 5K RUN AND WALK. >> RUN IT EVERY TIME. IT’S VERY MOVING. >> FEFIRIGHTER STEENPH SILLER FINISHED HIS SHIFT, BUT WENT CK ON-DUTY TO HELP. SHETRAPPED ON HIS GEAR AND RAN THROUGH THE TUNNEL TO THE TWIN TOWERS, WHEREE HLOST HIS LIFE-SAVING OTHERS. >> IT’ANS IMPORTANT DAY, BUT THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY, COMING TOGETHER WITH FIRST RESPONDERS IS IMPORTANT. IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE0 2 YEARS HAS PASSED. HE SAYS THERE IS A DRAMATIC DIFFERCEEN IN HOW HIS DAY STARD TETWO DECADES AGO. >> WHEN I CAME OUT OF THAT SUAYBW, IT WAS A CSTRYAL CLEAR BLUE SKY. >> AND WHAT HE THOUGHT LEAVING THE STOCK EXCHANGE BUILDING. >> TAXI CAB DOORS OPEN, DUST EVERYWHERE, I STARTED HEADING NORTH. YOU GET PAST THIS POINT WHERE THE SKY OPENS UP AND IT IS A CRYSTAL CLEAR BLUE SKY, YOU TURN AROUND, AND IT IS JUST DARK AND BLACK. CLOUDS BILLOWING SMOKERO FM THE TOWER COLLAPSE. STACEY: A 5K RUN AND WALK SHINES THECEY: A 5K RUN AND WALK SHINES LIGHT ON FIRST RESPONDE.RS THEUN R STARTS SEPTEMBER 11 THAT 8:30 A.M. OUTSIDE A FIRE STATION ON

Updated: 5:57 PM CDT Sep 10, 2021

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Blocks away from the twin towers, Iowan recalls 9/11 attack

Updated: 5:57 PM CDT Sep 10, 2021

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Twenty-three New York police officers and 343 New York firefighters died on Sept. 11, 2001, trying to save those at the World Trade Center. "I walked up Broadway and saw where the first plane had hit," Matthew Sheirer said.Sheirer grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He was living in the city during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He was working at the New York Stock Exchange about four blocks from the second tower. Originally, he thought the plane that struck the first tower was a tragic accident. "I turned around and went back to Wall Street," Sheirer said. "That is when the second plane hit and changed everything."Sheirer said time all but stood still as they were grabbed by security and ushered back into the stock exchange building. "The second plane coming in was in slow motion. We could hear it coming over and they hustled us into the building. In my mind it's all very slow," Sheirer said. His thoughts focused on his family, especially his father Richard who at the time was the director of the New York City Office of Emergency Management, coordinating rescue efforts. Efforts by all first responders involved are honored every Sept. 11 during the Tunnel to Towers 5K run and walk. "I've run it a bunch of times. It's really moving," Sheirer said. Tunnel to Towers started in NYC after Firefighter Stephen Siller, who had finished his shift on Sept. 11, 2001, and went back on duty to help. Not able to drive through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, he strapped on his gear and ran through the tunnel to the twin towers where he lost his life saving others."It's an important day, but I think the sense of community coming together with first responders is really important," Sheirer said. He said it's hard to believe it's been 20 years. He said there is a dramatic difference in how his day started 20 years ago. "When I came out of the subway that morning for work, crystal clear blue sky," Sheirer said. And what he saw after leaving the stock exchange building..."As soon as I exited it was just out of a movie. Taxi cabs stopped. Doors opened like people scrabled. Dust everywhere. I just started heading north. You get past a certain point the sky opens up and it is crystal clear. And you turn around and it is darkness. Just black clouds billowing smoke from the tower collapse," Sheirer said. The 5K run and walk nationwide shines the light on first responders. Locally, the Tunnel to Tower event starts Saturday, Sept. 11, at 8:30 a.m. outside Fire Station No. 1 in Ankeny. Click here for more details. For more stories about Sept. 11, 2001, click here.

Twenty-three New York police officers and 343 New York firefighters died on Sept. 11, 2001, trying to save those at the World Trade Center.

"I walked up Broadway and saw where the first plane had hit," Matthew Sheirer said.

Sheirer grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He was living in the city during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He was working at the New York Stock Exchange about four blocks from the second tower.

Originally, he thought the plane that struck the first tower was a tragic accident.

"I turned around and went back to Wall Street," Sheirer said. "That is when the second plane hit and changed everything."

Sheirer said time all but stood still as they were grabbed by security and ushered back into the stock exchange building.

"The second plane coming in was in slow motion. We could hear it coming over and they hustled us into the building. In my mind it's all very slow," Sheirer said.

His thoughts focused on his family, especially his father Richard who at the time was the director of the New York City Office of Emergency Management, coordinating rescue efforts.

Efforts by all first responders involved are honored every Sept. 11 during the Tunnel to Towers 5K run and walk.

"I've run it a bunch of times. It's really moving," Sheirer said.

Tunnel to Towers started in NYC after Firefighter Stephen Siller, who had finished his shift on Sept. 11, 2001, and went back on duty to help.

Not able to drive through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, he strapped on his gear and ran through the tunnel to the twin towers where he lost his life saving others.

"It's an important day, but I think the sense of community coming together with first responders is really important," Sheirer said.

He said it's hard to believe it's been 20 years. He said there is a dramatic difference in how his day started 20 years ago.

"When I came out of the subway that morning for work, crystal clear blue sky," Sheirer said.

And what he saw after leaving the stock exchange building...

"As soon as I exited it was just out of a movie. Taxi cabs stopped. Doors opened like people scrabled. Dust everywhere. I just started heading north. You get past a certain point the sky opens up and it is crystal clear. And you turn around and it is darkness. Just black clouds billowing smoke from the tower collapse," Sheirer said.

The 5K run and walk nationwide shines the light on first responders. Locally, the Tunnel to Tower event starts Saturday, Sept. 11, at 8:30 a.m. outside Fire Station No. 1 in Ankeny.

For more stories about Sept. 11, 2001, click here.

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