By Joe Winter
Catholic Herald correspondent
Hudson native describes terror in New York
HUDSON -- After witnessing two jets crash into the World Trade Center from her apartment building three blocks away, Marie Salzman is relying on church and God for solace.
Salzman, who attended St. Patrick Parish with her family before graduating from college three years ago, said the second jet came so close to her apartment building she thought it would be hit. She then scrambled to the street and joined many others racing for safety.
The daughter of Gene and Betsy Salzman still hasn't been able to get back into her apartment. She works for the Ocean Group advertising agency and was able to see the center's twin towers from her apartment building before they were destroyed.
"I needed to be connected with people and with God. I had to feel that support," said Salzman, her voice cracking with emotion. "My faith is as strong as it's always been. It's so important to believe, in times like this." Salzman didn't lose any loved ones because of the terrorist attack, but some friends of friends were among the dead.
"I hope it never happens again," Salzman said, adding she's asking God to guide the important decisions being made by world leaders, and by the mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani. Salzman said it's readily apparent that God has been guiding the mayor. As for the hijackers, "I'm sorry they never found Christ. Now it's in God's hands," Salzman said.
She added the wall of prayer, candles and flowers in neighboring Battery Park have become a constant reminder of the tragedy. She and friends visited the memorial three days after the tragedy to pay respect to the dead.
On the day of the crashes, Salzman was working out in an exercise area on the apartment building roof at 8:45 a.m. She intended to go into work at 10 a.m. A woman came over and asked if Salzman had heard of the terrorist attack. Salzman checked the television in the gym, then headed downstairs to her apartment. "I thought it was some sort of accident," Salzman said. "There was a huge hole in the building and it was burning."
Then the building manager arrived and said it was unsafe. That's when everyone heard the second plane hit and there was a huge explosion behind the apartment building.
People came running off the roof of the building and down the stairs and to the elevators. One woman was screaming her husband's name.
When Salzman got to her apartment, there was only time to grab her purse and get dressed. Once at street level, she saw scores of people trying to run away from the World Trade Center for safety.
Salzman said people were trying to call co-workers and friends on cell phones, but the lines were dead. "My instinct was just to get away," Salzman said. "I was shocked. I was shaking. It was unbelievable."
Salzman walked 60 blocks in high heels to get to a friend's apartment, with whom she has stayed. A few days later, she tried unsuccessfully to get back into her apartment to retrieve clothes, among other things.
On Saturday, Sept. 15, Salzman went back again, showed her identification at three checkpoints, and after standing in line for six hours was let inside the building for only 30 minutes. She led the way up those stairs for many of the 200 residents of the apartment building.
Salzman found that since she'd taken time to shut her windows that Tuesday, her things weren't covered with soot, as was the case with many residents.
The building won't be opened until next month because there still are fires burning and the gas can't be turned on. Salzman said she's going to try to get out of her lease and move away from the memories of the carnage.
"It was too much," Salzman said. She soon returned to Hudson for the solace of home -- and her mom's home cooking. One of those afternoons was spent at the Hudson Middle School, talking to a class for which her mother is a teacher.
Salzman attended a memorial at St. Patrick's a week after the tragedy to pray for the victims and their families -- and be thankful that she survived.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001