The following story is based on the true events from 9/11 and focuses on two LGBT characters and is intended to represent what is undoubtedly a reality for so many members of the LGBT community that was never talked about.
Be advised, this story is very accurate to the events of that day and recreates the events in a literary since. Reader discretion is advised.
I appreciate any comments and thoughts you have on the story. Please feel free to contact me at mailto:ncboy1982@juno.com ncboy1982@juno.com.
9/11: An Untold Gay Love Story
By: R. Jason Collett
Chapter 1
Zack was running late for work as always. He had just a few minutes to get into his office on the eighty-second floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. It was a beautiful Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001.
Rushing to the elevator in the main lobby, he checked his watch. It was eight am. He had thirty minutes until his office's weekly staff meeting. He was an accountant for a newly formed accounting company and had been working there for six months. He enjoyed his job and loved working in the World Trade Center.
A recent transplant from North Carolina, he had always dreamed of visiting New York. He never expected that after one visit that he would fall in love with the city and would make the move there two months later.
During his first visit, he met his now partner, Maurice, who was the hotel manager of the hotel Zack stayed at during his visit. Maurice was everything that Zack liked in a man. Maurice was originally born in Mexico and moved to New York six years ago when he was twenty years old.
When Zack had walked in the lobby to check in, Maurice knew he was the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. They instantly hit it off and eventually Maurice worked up the courage to ask Zack on a date and for the last two days of Zack's trip, they were inseparable.
Zack made it to his desk and logged into his computer to check some emails and prepare for his meeting. Every Tuesday, his team met to discuss the week's accounts to keep everyone apprised of how the company was doing. It was within it's first year and a crucial time for the developing company.
First email he saw was from Maurice telling him to have a good day and that he loved him. When Zack moved to New York, he had stayed with Maurice for a few days until the apartment he rented was ready. Zack didn't want to add the stress of them living together to their forming relationship and Maurice agreed.
With a smile, Zack hit reply and typed a quick response and then hit send. He checked a few other emails and gathered his notes for the meeting. He got up from his desk and walked to the break room to fill his water cup before heading to the meeting.
He was the first one to the meeting room and took his usual spot at the oval shaped cherry table. After setting his notes and water cup on the table, he walked over to the window and stared at the view from the eighty-second floor.
It never ceased to amaze Zack the view that he had from this room. It was one of his favorites. From here, he had a bird's eye view of the second tower of the World Trade Center. There was barely a few clouds in the sky and he could see the cars below looking like toy cars, everyone speeding their way to their destinations.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Nelson said as he walked into the room, setting his notebook on the table.
"Morning Nelson, how are you?" Zack asked, taking one last glance at the window then returning to his seat at the table.
"Oh, you know, tired as usual. Was up most of the night with Gloria." Nelson said, referring to his two month old daughter.
"Oh I bet that was fun." Zack said. Nelson smiled and they chatted about the weather and the joys of a newborn as others walked in and took their seats.
The team manager, Walter, walked in and shut the door and started the meeting. Everyone went around the table and gave updates on their accounts and what was on their schedule for the following week.
It was now Zack's turn. He glanced at his watch before speaking. It was 8:46am. Zack began to speak but was interrupted from a loud crash as the entire building shook and swayed slightly. Everyone in the room jumped to their feet.
"What the hell was that?" Zack yelled.
"Felt like something exploded up there." Walter said.
"Look!" Nelson exclaimed and pointed towards the window. Everyone rushed to the window to see papers floating down to the ground like giant snowflakes. Walter dashed to the phone hanging on the wall and dialed to the front lobby.
"What is going on?" He asked.
"We don't know. We are figuring that out now. Please keep your staff calm and remain in your office. The voice on the line said and hung up.
"They don't know what's going on either." Walter informed his co-workers.
"That had to be a big explosion." Carson said.
"Should we evacuate?" Nelson asked.
"No, they told me that we should stay in our offices." Walter answered.
"So we just stay here?" Kathryn asked.
"I guess so." Walter said.
Chapter 2
MAURICE HAD FINISHED his email to Zack and walked into the living room to watch some TV before heading to work.
He still worked at the hotel where he met Zack six months ago. He was up for a promotion and was really hoping to get it. This would mean a Monday through Friday schedule with better hours. This week he was working second shift and that meant he couldn't see Zack during the evenings until Maurice got off work. Even though they didn't live together, they would take turns spending the night at each other's apartment. Maurice understood Zack's apprehension about moving in with someone during the first few months of dating, plus he was new to the city and so much change at once could be overwhelming.
Plopping down on the couch, he grabbed the remote from the table and turned on the TV and tuned into this favorite news channel. The anchors were discussing the breaking news from the night before and that morning. Reports of traffic jams and the weather filled Maurice's ears as he started to doze off.
He was jolted awake when he heard the male anchor state that there was an explosion at the World Trade Center. Instantly awake, he sat up and stared in disbelief at the images of the fire coming from one of the towers.
ZACK STARRED OUT the window in shock at what he was seeing, still unaware that a plane had hit the tower eleven floors above. Sheets of paper and other office debris light enough to float, was slowly dancing its way to the ground below.
Deciding to try and redirect everyone's focus, Walter decided to try and resume with the meeting. After all, he had been told by security to remain calm and in their office. But one look at the faces in the room, he knew that resuming the meeting wouldn't be productive.
"Ok, everyone go back to your desks until we have been told otherwise." He said. Everyone slowly gathered their stuff and made their way out of the room except Zack. He remained at the window, staring outside.
"We shouldn't be in here." He said. "Something bad has happened and I don't have a good feeling about this."
"I know, but security says to remain in the building and I think we should stay here until otherwise." Walter assured him. "Go to your desk until they tell us otherwise. I am going to call again and see if there are any updates."
"Ok. I'm going to call Maurice and see if he knows what's going on. Surely this is on the news." Zack said as he gathered his stuff and returned to his desk. He picked up the phone but there was silence. "Does anyone have a line?" He yelled across the floor. Several people replied no.
Zack reached in his pocket for his cell phone but was disappointed when the display read "No Signal." He looked at his computer screen and frantically moved the mouse to wake it up, hoping to see that there was an Internet connection still. When the screen came on, he saw that he had one email and it was from Maurice.
MAURICE WAS GETTING extremely concerned since he wasn't able to get Zack on the phone. He had tried his office number and cell phone several times and kept getting a busy signal.
They had already announced on the TV that a commercial airliner had crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower. Maurice knew that this was the tower that Zack worked in and his anxiety was building. He rushed to his computer to send an email to Zack, hoping that this would get through to him.
It was short and to the point. "Plane hit North Tower. Huge fire towards top of building. Don't know if this is an accident or not. Please respond if you're ok. My love, M."
He hit send and went back to the living room in time to see the second plane hit the South Tower on live TV.
ZACK READ THE email several times from Maurice before reality set in.
'How could a plane hit the tower on such a clear day? I didn't even think planes could fly this low?' He thought.
He hit reply and typed a quick message that he was ok and hit send but received an error message. Looking closer at the screen, he realized that the Internet connection had been severed with the phone lines. His face fell as he realized Maurice wouldn't know that he was ok.
Frustrated, Zack got up from his desk and walked to Walter's desk where some other co-workers had gathered. They had also heard that it was a plane that had caused the violent shaking of the building and were discussing what to do next but before anyone could say anything, the building shook again and there was a loud, thunderous boom as the windows in the meeting room that Zack was in just minutes ago, shattered, letting debris and dust come inside the office.
The office door had been shut and was keeping the flying debris inside the room. When the noise died down, everyone looked at each other in disbelief.
"That couldn't have been another plane?" Carson asked.
"What else could it have been?" One person asked.
"Another explosion?"
"In this building or the South Tower?"
"Two explosions in both towers?" Walter asked. "That is too coincidental."
Zack ran into the meeting room to look out what used to be the windows. There was still dust flying around the room as several co-workers followed him. From their view, they could see smoke and flames rising from below them from the South Tower.
"It had to have been a plane that hit the South Tower." Zack said, and then
with realization, "This is a terrorist attack." Many people gasped in shock as they realized what this meant.
"What do we do now?" Nelson asked, panic in his voice.
"I say we leave and get to the roof for help." One person said.
"I think we should stay here. I think we'd be safe in here." Another said.
"No, we need to evacuate and head down. There is no telling what could happen next and we are sitting ducks here." Zack said. Some agreed and other disagreed and caused everyone to talk louder over everyone.
Everyone jumped in surprise when the main door to their office from the hallway was thrown open.
MAURICE STOOD IN shock as the second plane hit the tower. The anchors were just as confused as he was, as confused as anyone watching the news right now would be. Maurice ran to the phone and tried calling Zack again but received a busy signal on both the office and cell phone. Saying a quick prayer, he ran back to his computer to send a quick email to let him know what was happening, now knowing that Zack wouldn't receive the email.
Chapter 3
"IS EVERYONE OK in here?" A strange man's voice asked. It was an officer with Port Authority. Walter stepped up to talk to him.
"Yes, we are fine here. Just a little shaken up and trying to figure out what is going on." He said.
"Good. Just remain calm and here. We are investigating and will make an announcement shortly." With that, he shut the door. Everyone turned to look at Walter for guidance.
"I say we listen to them but that is everyone's choice. If you want to evacuate then go for it." He said and stepped back towards his desk.
The group looked at each other started discussing their options. Some liked the suggestion of going to the roof, especially now that smoke was starting to come in to the office. Zack insisted that going down would be the best option since no one knew what was going on in the upper levels.
Others thought that staying in the building was best. After several minutes discussing, a unanimous decision had yet to be made. Zack left the group and returned back to the office to look out the now missing windows. The scene outside was devastating.
There was debris all on the ground and still falling from the South Tower. Although Zack couldn't see them, people in the streets were still staring at the towers in disbelief. Firefighters and police officers were trying to keep the people back as far as they could.
The mayor had issued an evacuation order for lower Manhattan. More firefighters were still climbing the steps with the intention of putting the fire out, not realizing that most if them would never reach the impact zone.
MAURICE QUICKLY CHANGED out of his gym shorts into some jeans. He decided since he couldn't get Zack in the phone that he would go down to the World Trade Center complex. He didn't know what he'd see when he got there, but he knew that this was where he needed to be.
He fastened his jeans, grabbed his hat and a jacket and ran out his apartment. He hopped into his car and took off. He didn't live too far from the towers but just after a few minutes of driving, he had to stop and abandoned his car as a result of traffic and the staggering number of people walking in disbelief.
He took off jogging towards the towers. They were within his sight and he could see the fire, smoke and debris coming from the top of the towers.
The look of panic and shock on people's faces as Maurice jogged by was not lost on him. He knew his face had to reflect the same look although the cause of the panic may have been different.
ZACK AND HIS office mates and finally decided that it was time to evacuate. There was still discussions of either going up or down and that's what was being discussed when the building began shaking and a loud rumble started.
Zack glanced through the window wall of the meeting room in time to see the second tower collapsing, the dust and debris quickly filling the meeting room. He glanced back at his co-workers who were looking back at him, momentarily at a loss for words, panic starting to read on their faces.
Without a word, everyone headed for the only door to the hallway. Zack stayed back for a second and glanced back at the meeting room. It was full of dust that it looked pitch black in there.
He looked back at the door as the last person in the office made their way to into the hall.
He quickly ran to the door and exited behind his coworkers. In the lobby area he saw people from other offices running towards the stairs and elevators, and saw some some of his office mates getting into the elevator. Before he could say anything, the doors shut.
He decided against using the elevator, not knowing how long the power would last and decided to take the stairs instead.
MAURICE MADE IT a few blocks from the towers when the South tower fell. Like others around him, he froze and stared at the tower crumbling down. Before he could even process what was happening, the debris cloud was fast approaching them. Everyone frozen in place took off running to seek shelter, including Maurice.
Some people found shelter in abandoned cars and stores. Maurice headed into a coffee shop with several others as the cloud passed them, turning the day into night. He could hear some people crying and talking to others around him. All he could think about was Zack, wondering where he was and if this could happen to his tower as well. He pushed that thought from his mind and tried to get control of his emotions.
He turned back towards the door and just watched as the cloud continued it's assault on the street and everything in it's path.
ZACK KEPT AN EVEN pace as he descended the stairs. It wasn't as fast as he wanted to and had only cleared 10 floors. His chest hurt, he was already winded but he couldn't stop. He knew that this was the only way out. He knew Maurice would be worried about him and the thought of seeing him again is the only thing that kept Zack going.
Chapter 4
WHAT SEEMED LIKE hours was only minutes until the debris cloud had dispersed. Everyone in the coffee shop slowly made their way out to the streets, which were covered in debris and dust making it looking like a nuclear disaster.
Maurice looked up at the remaining tower, the tower Zack worked in, only to see it still burning. Panic caught in his throat as he realized that if one tower could collapse, the other could collapse too and that it was only a matter of time.
With a new determination, Maurice set of towards the tower, dredging through inches of debris on the ground.
He wasn't alone. There were others that were out there, lost and confused with the new landscape. People who hadn't found shelter during the dust cloud were covered in the dust, almost making them look like walking snowmen.
People were coughing and having a hard time breathing as a result. The air was still thick with some remaining dust and Maurice felt it in his lungs as he continued his light jog towards the tower.
When he got to the World Trade Center complex, he was taken back with the level of destruction that he saw. The remains of the South Tower along with fire trucks and other emergency vehicle laid covered in white and gray dust.
There were people running out of the tower. Maurice tried to scan their faces to see if any them were Zack but there was just too many faces coming out for him to process.
Amidst all the confusion, Maurice heard loud thumps hitting the ground around him. Slowly looking up at the tower, he realized that it was the bodies of people who had jumped or fell to their deaths to escape the horrible reality that was above them. He quickly looked down and covered his face, fighting the urge to vomit.
Reluctantly, he looked back up at the tower with a new determination and tried to calculate which one was the floor that Zack worked on. He knew it was pretty far up there and for a brief moment, he thought about entering the tower to search for Zack. Before he could even tell himself that was a bad idea, he heard an explosion and saw the tower starting to collapse.
As others started to scream and run, Maurice was frozen in place, wondering at this point if he'd ever see Zack again. With that haunting thought, he took off running with the crowd, looking for shelter again.
ZACK COULD SEE the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. He'd made it to the 10th floor. He'd picked up the pace and had been able to get around some of the slower moving people. He couldn't explain it but he had a feeling that he had to get out of the building as soon as possible.
Taking two steps at a time, he'd cleared five more floors before the steps shook and what sounded like a freight train coming at them. People started screaming in panic. Zack knew that the tower was collapsing and he only had seconds to make it out. He took three steps at a time, moving around anyone that was in his way.
He made it to the lobby by the time the top of the tower reached the bottom. He felt a blast of air pick him off the ground for a few seconds before he was slammed back down on the ground. His last thought was of Maurice before he slipped into the darkness that was taking hold of him.
MAURICE DUCKED UNDER an abandoned car as the dust cloud covered him. He tried to hold his breath to prevent from breathing in the dust but was too winded to hold it. Coughing, he pulled his shirt over his mouth and nose and closed his eyes and just waited for it to be over.
It felt like an eternity before Maurice climbed out from under the car. Everything was caked with another layer of dust, much like another layer of snow had fallen. Other people had come out from wherever they could find shelter, coughing and wiping their eyes and staring at where the towers used to be.
Maurice followed their gaze in disbelief. In all the years he'd lived in New York, he, like many others, had looked at the towers everyday. It was like the North Star in the sky. All that was left was a jagged skeleton if the North Tower.
Maurice looked around. He could hear chatter from the other people surrounding him and that sound of the wind blowing the last bit of the dust out and daylight was returning. The most chilling sound were the beeps from the fallen firemen, their transponders that are set off when they are still for too long.
He sat on a nearby curb as the emotions got the best of him, the tears flowing down Maurice's face. The destruction of the city and the feeling of loss was unbearable with the assumption that Zack had not survived.
He flashbacked to their first date. It hadn't been easy to get him to go. Zack had turned him down cause he didn't want to lead Maurice on since he didn't live there. But after some persuasion, he convinced him to go on just one date with no expectations.
He'd taken Zack to the Windows on the World restaurant on the 106th floor of the North Tower. The dress code was strict and Zack didn't have a suit jacket to wear. Even though the restaurant could provide a loaner jacket, Maurice had a jacket that Zack could wear and he had to admit, he looked quite dapper wearing his jacket.
The look on Zack's face was priceless when they had been seated and he saw the view of lower Manhattan from their table. There they discussed many things and really enjoyed each other's company. Maurice could tell Zack had been nervous until he'd seen the view of the city and later, Zack would tell him that the view was what made Zack fall in love with the city and eventually want to move there, playfully blaming Maurice for bringing him there, saying that it was part of his master plan to get Zack to move to New York.
When Zack came up a few months later for a visit and, to Maurice's surprise, job and apartment hunt, they'd eaten again at the restaurant. This time Zack had been prepared and had brought his own jacket to wear.
While in town, Zack had a job interview with the accounting firm that was based in the World Trade Center. He was so excited when they liked his credentials so much they hired him on the spot. Two weeks later, Zack was living in New York and starting work in the World Trade Center. Their relationship grew stronger and Zack never regretted moving.
Maurice shook his head from the flashback with a smile that quickly faded as the thought that he may never see Zack again nor could they ever eat at the Windows on the World again. He glanced at the rubble that would be known as Ground Zero, helpless and lost and watched while dust covered police officers and firefighters started checking the area for any survivors.
Chapter 5
THE PAIN WAS intense. Darkness was turning into light. Sounds were coming in from the distance. Sounds of fire, people talking, and constant beeping were coming into focus. The smell was atrocious. Jet fuel, burning paper, and dust were unbearable. Thirst. The desire for water was strong.
Zack opened one eye but couldn't see anything. He blinked a few times till the dust caked in his eyes cleared and he could see his surroundings. He was laying face down on what remained of the North Tower lobby. It took him a few moments to recall the last few moments.
Steps. Hundreds of steps. Crying. People crying. Loud bang and a freight train. The sound of the train chasing him. Running for dear life and then flying in the air. That was the last thing he remembered before now.
Taking in a deep breath made him cough. He slowly started moving his hands and legs to make sure everything worked. Although the pain was intense, it didn't feel like anything was broken. With effort he rolled over in his back and sat up. He looked around him and was shocked. The ground was white from the debris that looked like snow. He could see other people that weren't moving.
Not having the strength to stand, he crawled to the closest person and checked for a pulse but not feeling one. He crawled over to the next person and could feel a faint pulse as the person moaned.
Finding strength he didn't know he had, he yelled for help. The pain in his throat was intense from breathing all the dust. Pushing that pain aside, he yelled again.
He heard footsteps and voices and turned and saw a police officer and firefighter heading his way.
"Are you ok?" The officer asked.
"Yes." Zack croaked out. "That person isn't and I haven't checked the others." He said he pointed the other motionless figures out. The firefighter reached for his radio and requested for additional support and gave their current location.
"Can you stand?" He asked.
"I think so." Zack answered. The firefighter grabbed Zack's left arm and helped him up. Within seconds, more firefighters came around the corner with some paramedics. The wanted to check over Zack but he insisted they check on the other survivors.
The paramedics rushed to check in the others and discovered that the only survivors were Zack and the person closest to Zack. The medics worked on loading the stranger onto a stretcher while the firefighter and policeman that found them helped Zack to the closest ambulance so that they could look him over.
Once they had cleared the former lobby, Zack looked back and saw what was once the tower. Only then did the realization of what he just survived hit him as the tears started streaming down his face. He felt the arms from the firefighter and police tighten around him as the continued walking towards the ambulance. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw something familiar.
MAURICE DIDN'T KNOW how much time had passed since he'd been sitting on the curb. So many thoughts had been going through his head but a familiar sound caught his attention. It was a voice yelling for help. Standing up he listened again.
After a few moments, he heard it again. He knew that voice. That was Zack's voice. With a new found determination, he started walking towards the rubble but didn't know where to start looking. He listened again for the call that didn't come.
He started to doubt what he'd heard. Was he wanting to hear Zack's voice again that he was imagining it? He shook the thought away as he kept walking towards the rubble but there was no sign of life from where he was. But he kept walking to where he heard Zack's voice.
As he got closer to the lobby, he saw two medics pushing a stretcher towards an ambulance and as he started walking towards them, he saw the arms of a firefighter and a police officer wrapped around a man's waist as they helped him walk towards the ambulance.
There was no mistaking that figure. He knew that was Zack and he was alive. Before he could say anything, he heard the sweetest thing he could hear.
"MAURICE?" ZACK SAID weakly. The men to his left and right were confused until they saw a dust covered figure walking towards them.
"Zack?" The man said, uncertainty and hope filled in his voice.
"Yes." Zack answered and with a newly found strength, he broke from his helper's grips and ran towards Maurice, who was already running towards him.
It took five seconds for Maurice to close the distance and wrap his arms around Zack, who quickly followed suit. They stood like this for several moments, tears freely flowing down each other's faces. Finally they pulled back and kissed each other several times before they looked at each other's face.
"What are you doing here?" Zack asked.
"I got so worried when I couldn't get you in the phone or email so I came down here as fast as I could. I got here just as the South Tower collapsed." Maurice answered. "Are you ok? He asked as he looked him up and down.
"Yeah, as far as I know." Zack answered. "I'm so sorry you were worried." He said as he nuzzled his head into Maurice's neck.
"I'm just glad you're ok." Maurice said, squeezing Zack even harder.
"What happened?" Zack asked as he pulled away to look Maurice in the face.
"Two planes hit the towers and one hit the Pentagon. One crashed in Pennsylvania. They were hijacked in an apparent terrorist attack." Maurice answered. Zack was silent as he processed the info.
"Oh my God, all those people." Zack said as he buried his head back onto Maurice's shoulder and sobbed. Maurice noticed a medic coming their way and gently nudged Zack away so he could turn to them.
"I hate to interrupt." She said. "But we need to check you out." Zack nodded as he and Maurice walked towards the ambulance, Maurice's arm around Zack's waist.
Chapter 6
It didn't take long for Zack to get checked over at the ambulance. No broken bones and only a few bruises and cuts.
Eager for a shower and some food, the couple started walking away from the rubble and towards Maurice's car. When they had gotten about 500 feet away, they both turned to look in the sky where the towers used to stand.
"I still can't believe this happened." Zack said.
"I can't believe it either. I can't believe you survived." Maurice said, squeezing Zack's hand.
"Do you think they'll rebuild it? Zack asked as he squeezed in return.
"Oh I am sure they will." Maurice said. "Come on, let's go home."
Before Zack started walking again, he turned to face Maurice. "I never thought I'd ever feel this way for someone like I do for you." He paused and looked down. "I never thought I that I would see you again. I met you in this city and moved here because I fell in love with this city and you." Zack looked back up and caught Marucie's gaze. "Seeing that you came here looking for me shows me that you feel the same way. You will never know how much that means to me. Thank you."
Maurice was at a loss for words. Fighting the tears, he leaned in for a kiss and whispered, "You're welcome" before taking Zack's hand and lead him towards his car.
TWO MONTHS LATER
The night of the attacks, Zack and Maurice had ventured to one of their favorite pizza places that was far away from Ground Zero and ate quietly. They had had time to watch the news and catch up on the events that happened at the Pentagon and Pennsylvania.
The next day, Zack and Maurice had gone back at Ground Zero, volunteering through the Red Cross looking for survivors. Like many other New Yorkers, Zack and Maurice felt that this was the right thing to do and wanted to do something to make a difference.
By the end of that day, only one day after the attacks, eleven survivors had been rescued from the rubble, including two Port Authority Police officers.
Some other survivors made cell phone calls from under the rubble but there was just too much unstable debris for them to be rescued. By Wednesday night, eighty-two deaths had been confirmed.
After a few days, it was clear that there would be no more survivors and the rescue turned into a recovery effort. Volunteers, including Zack and Maurice, formed lines and passed five gallon buckets of debris to be searched for evidence and human remains.
Zack and Maurice had come down every day for a week after the attacks to help out. Maurice had taken some vacation time and it would soon be time for him to return to work. Both of them were physically exhausted from the back breaking work. They agreed that they would return when they could to help out.
The company that Zack worked for relocated to another office building after two weeks and Zack returned to work. Out of the twenty employees of the firm, only four had perished in the disaster. It was believed that they had gone up towards the roof and were killed when the tower collapsed.
Returning to work was difficult for Zack, but not as difficult as it had been to sleep at night. After Zack and Maurice stopped going every night to help out at the site, Zack started to have nightmares, the events of that day replaying in his head. Some nights the results would be the same where he survived and other nights would be where he didn't.
The stress and lack of sleep took a toll on their relationship too. Zack could be irritable and short tempered at times and Maurice found it difficult to deal with. He suggested that he and Zack see a therapist together to deal with the trauma from the disaster.
At first, Zack argued and said that he didn't need therapy, but when Maurice confided that he too had been having nightmares and losing focus at work as a result of his experiences that day, Zack agreed.
The next week they started seeing a therapist specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. After a few sessions, Zack was sleeping better and less irritable and was feeling better. Maurice was also dealing with his emotions better and they both decided they got what they needed from the sessions.
Within a few weeks, things were almost back to normal for the couple. Zack was able to handle being by himself more and things were going well at work. He and Maurice no longer went to the Pile, as the rescuers had called it, as volunteering efforts had been called off and now personnel related to metal work and construction were focusing now on cleanup.
Chapter 7
ON MAY 30, 2012, the cleanup of Ground Zero was complete. 1.8 million tons, 108,000 truckloads of debris had been removed. A ceremony was held and Zack, Maurice, and hundreds of survivors and workers were there to see the last truckload sent off.
Things were going well for Zack and Maurice. Zack had moved in with Maurice and the couple was very happy. Things were going well at their jobs, Maurice had received a promotion and Zack's company was expanding and the prospect of a promotion was looking promising for him.
Zack never regretted his decision to move to New York. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, Zack and Maurice learned that lesson so well on September 11, 2001 and the months that followed. They would learn to never take a day for granted.
A TOTAL OF 2,977 people would die that day, not including the hijackers. America would never be the same but Americans proved to the world that we were one. Osama Bin Laden's goal of tearing American apart didn't work, it only brought us together.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET.