Posted 9/19/01
We will not forget
By MaryHelen Swanson
You might think that something that happened over 1,000 miles away would not have such an affect on the people of East Central Minnesota. But it has. As the days passed after the terrible attack on America in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, it became more and more evident that pain and terror has hit everyone in the country in one way or another.
In prayer vigils in our small communities, people turned to their faith for comfort and guidance to help understand how something so terrible could happen.
In schools, students came face to face with a brand new word - war. Some may never have heard of it, others know very little because life has been good in these United States for children in todayís world.
But at a candlelight prayer service at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rush Point, Pastor Keith Kolzow pointed out that this is a sign that all is not well in the world. Yet, he assured those who came to pray and be comforted Friday, that in the midst of all this we seek peace and justice.
Stanchfield farmer Harold Eklund will not forget the events of last Tuesday. He was standing near the U.S. Capitol building preparing to visit with Congressmen and women when the Pentagon was hit and people ran for their lives. (See his story on page 8).
North Branch resident Mike Leist, in New York Tuesday for business, also has memories heíll never forget (see photo on page 2).
It was while on his way to Merrill Corporation office on Varrick Street, off 7th Avenue, that he first saw the smoke in the sky.
People were wondering what everyone was looking at. They said it was a fire, but never imagined it was the World Trade Center. As he walked along, however, people soon began talking about the WTC. When he found the subway closed, he took a cab. The driver asked if he wanted to listen to the radio. It was at this time the second plane crashed into the second tower. When the cab got to the point police wouldnít let it pass, he got out and walked. It was then he decided heíd better buy a disposable camera. The camera was purchased in time to capture the picture found on page 2. He never feared for his life from his position.
However, he said people walked around as if in slow motion. No one wanted to bump into another person. ìIt was kind of surreal,î he said.
One moment he could see the glow of the fire in the upper floor windows, like coals in a fireplace, he said. As quickly as he turned his head aside, the fire went down another five stories.
He said the cry ìOh my Godî rang out in unison on the streets.
When he arrived at the office building, which was not affected by the fires, he saw a woman frantically trying to get a hold of her niece at the customer service area. Her niece worked in the WTC. This story had a happy ending, the niece was alright.
At this point all work ceased, conference rooms were opened to the employees where televisions and food were offered. Places with radios, he said, turned them up. Some businesses brought televisions out on the street.
A lot of employees in his building saw the second plane hit, he said, they had gone up to the top floors to see the fire. A lot of the employees knew people who worked in the towers and they were outraged.
Leist said at this point he thought ìthe world has now come home to America.î
He finished his business last week and rented a car to drive home although he said heís not afraid to fly. He never went any nearer to the disaster site, he did not want to get in the way.
The drive home, he said, was kind of nice. Electronic road construction signs flashed the American flag and the words ìGod Bless Americaî interchangeably. In Chicago, road sign messages echoed this sentiment. There were lots of flags, Leist said, it was a unique drive.
Waiting anxiously at home were his wife, Debra Calander, and children Erik and Sara. He had been in touch with them all on Tuesday. And his mother, too, in his hometown of Manitowoc, WI.
Leist said before the attack, when you walked around New York streets, people avoided eye contact, even went so far as to look the other way when passing on the sidewalk.
After Tuesday, people wanted to talk and were more friendly, he said. Wednesday, New York was like a ghost town.
To find reverie while in New York, Leist visits Central Park. And so he did last week, taking pictures of the lake and people enjoying the peaceful nature of this island refuge amidst the canyon walls - the buildings.
Leist, who works in shipping and handling at Merrill Corporation in St. Paul, said heís glad to be home.
Far from Almelund, Marlin and Lois Ness witnessed the horrifying event and it may never be erased from their minds. They were visiting Marlinís sister and her husband and planned on a day of sightseeing that would conclude with dinner at ìWindows on the Worldî restaurant in the WTC.
While driving to the park they had seen the smoke billowing out and thought it was just a fire.
ìIt was not an accident,î Marlin said.
ìWe were just totally stunned, filled with unbelief,î Lois said.
ìCouldnít believe it was happening,î said Marlin.
Lois still shivers at the memory. Marlin said heís still somewhat in shock.
ìI canít believe this could really happen.î
They will never forget the sights and the sounds.
From their vantage point at Liberty Park in New Jersey, across the Hudson River, they witnessed the disaster for it was at that very moment the second plane attacked. ìIt came right over us and banked into the building,î they said.
The couple flew into Minnesota Monday morning passing through several ID checks at the airport.
ìThey can do all the checking they want,î Marlin said.
They wanted to share the picture taken by Marlinís sister. Itís a tragic picture, Marlin said. But itís so symbolic with the American flag in it too, Lois said. ìWeíre just thankful weíre here.î
Youíll know after a few spoken words that North Branch resident Theresa Furman is not from Minnesota. In fact, she hails from the Bronx, New York, and itís fun to listen to her talk. But this time the conversation was serious.
ìHaving been born and lived in New York City for 28 years, I feel as I too have been violated.
ìI have heard stories of horror and destruction. I have also heard of families coming together and drawing strength from each other, as well as strangers - total strangers reaching out to help each other.î
Furmanís younger sister is a nurse who has been working triage at a station outside of Bellevue. She has relayed many stories by phone, stories of regular people reaching out and helping anyone they can, said Furman.
Furman had a friend with a three-month-old baby who worked on the 105th floor. She fears sheís dead. And there are others.
ìOne thing that I donít think the terrorists realize, she said, ìis that Americans can argue among ourselves, but when something like this happens, itís all put aside, and we stand as one group of people.
ìWe may have different cultures, but we are all Americans and proud of it.î
Furman works with teens at Como Park High School where students were one of the items of concern last week was the draft. ìThey were asking lots of really interesting questions,î she said. The school has a diverse population, with many Muslim students. One thing Furman tried to help them understand was how these students should be treated. She said she told them they should not be angry with a people nor a country, but only with the terrorists.