- 注册
- 2002-10-07
- 消息
- 402,229
- 荣誉分数
- 76
- 声望点数
- 0
To mark the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks that killed thousands in the United Stats on Sept. 11, 2001, and shook the world, The Citizen is reprinting some of its coverage from New York City in the days that followed.
Originally published, Ottawa Citizen, Sept. 17, 2001.
MANHATTAN — Dreams of a bright future lie buried in the rubble as the smell of death pierces rescuers’ hopes, and funerals are free.
In the sea of missing people, Mya Braker is one of the youngest feared dead. She is only six years old. There are 5,000 people missing, but she is but a handful of lost children.
Yesterday morning, doctors at St. Vincent’s Hospital said they had treated 900 patients, and the said it was fortunate that of all the vanished people, there were no known missing children.
Mya Braker is a missing child.
Her story has somehow been forgotten by the around-the-clock television news.
It was 7:30 a.m., and young Mya was looking forward to a day of shopping at the World Trade Center, not to mention a view of its observation deck.
Her father, Alan Braker, showed her to the door, gave her a kiss goodbye, said he loved her and told her not to spend too much money at the centre’s ground-floor shopping concourse.
She looked up and asked if he still loved her mother.
“I love her in my own special way. She brought you into this life and that is something I will always love,” he said about his ex-wife, Mailene Braker.
Dressed in a pink-and-white jogging suit, the little girl said it was the best day of her life. A morning of shopping and an afternoon in the park.
But before all of that, her mother said she had to check in at her office on the 107th floor of the north tower.
They walked into the elevator about 8:30 a.m. In the office, young Mya stayed close to her mother as she was introduced to co-workers.
Minutes later, a hijacked jetliner slammed into the tower. What happened next is not known. Yesterday, rescue workers confirmed that the girl’s mother is dead. Her body has since been identified, but her daughter remains among the unaccounted for.
She always had a smile and, her father says she was a child full of life.
There must have been a lot to miss, because since the terrorist attack, friend after friend has dropped by to see if Mya can come out to play.
At the door of her New Jersey home, father Alan can’t count the times he’s had to tell his daughter’s friends that she’s not home. He says they are too young to tell them the truth.
The other day, he took his daughter’s older brother to a park across the street to explain what happened, that his mother is dead, his little sister missing. It left Mr. Braker at a loss for the right words.
Yesterday, he started losing hope. “I’m sitting here in my home, and I am now starting to realize that she may never come out of there alive,” he said.
“I’m a God-fearing man, but now I want retribution. I want revenge. I never thought I would say this, but I want what happened here to happen to the people who are responsible for this,” said Mr. Braker, 41.
Of all his children, he says, young Mya was destined for great things. The Grade 2 student sang in choir and more than anything, loved the outdoors.
“I just hope that she’s in a better place. I had high hopes for her. You have to understand that she was a special person. She’s only six years old, but she was real easy to confide in, and I will not be satisfied until someone pays the price for her death. This country’s intelligence people should have known enough to be able to prevent something like this, but they didn’t.”
“My life is now in ruins. This has affected everyone, but not like it has affected me. The last thing I told her was that I loved her. I will always love her. Just so you know, I am not coping with this. I don’t know how to cope with something like this. Nobody has prepared for something this bad.”
Mr. Braker tried yesterday to think of the good things in life, but he couldn’t. He hopes someone will show him how.
Yesterday, as this city searched for its missing, the smell of death left rescuers in tears. They say it’s hard to breathe and can’t believe that this city’s financial district goes back to business this morning.
Even doctors are afraid.
“I have to admit that I am scared,” Dr. James Morgan said. “But in the back of my mind, I keep my fears to myself, because I know that if I break down, then the person I am treating loses their direct line to help.”
For the first time in recent history, this city’s funeral homes are waiving fees. They are giving away coffins, and they’re not charging for chapel rooms. Funeral directors say it is the least they can do. They, like rescuers, don’t want to be paid.
Making money from from the largest mass murder in U.S. history is not right.
Today, this city will try to go back to work. Some rescuers say it’s too soon; others at Ground Zero say the terrible smell of death will turn them away.
This city will never be the same.
查看原文...
Originally published, Ottawa Citizen, Sept. 17, 2001.
MANHATTAN — Dreams of a bright future lie buried in the rubble as the smell of death pierces rescuers’ hopes, and funerals are free.
In the sea of missing people, Mya Braker is one of the youngest feared dead. She is only six years old. There are 5,000 people missing, but she is but a handful of lost children.
Yesterday morning, doctors at St. Vincent’s Hospital said they had treated 900 patients, and the said it was fortunate that of all the vanished people, there were no known missing children.
Mya Braker is a missing child.
Her story has somehow been forgotten by the around-the-clock television news.
It was 7:30 a.m., and young Mya was looking forward to a day of shopping at the World Trade Center, not to mention a view of its observation deck.
Her father, Alan Braker, showed her to the door, gave her a kiss goodbye, said he loved her and told her not to spend too much money at the centre’s ground-floor shopping concourse.
She looked up and asked if he still loved her mother.
“I love her in my own special way. She brought you into this life and that is something I will always love,” he said about his ex-wife, Mailene Braker.
Dressed in a pink-and-white jogging suit, the little girl said it was the best day of her life. A morning of shopping and an afternoon in the park.
But before all of that, her mother said she had to check in at her office on the 107th floor of the north tower.
They walked into the elevator about 8:30 a.m. In the office, young Mya stayed close to her mother as she was introduced to co-workers.
Minutes later, a hijacked jetliner slammed into the tower. What happened next is not known. Yesterday, rescue workers confirmed that the girl’s mother is dead. Her body has since been identified, but her daughter remains among the unaccounted for.
She always had a smile and, her father says she was a child full of life.
There must have been a lot to miss, because since the terrorist attack, friend after friend has dropped by to see if Mya can come out to play.
At the door of her New Jersey home, father Alan can’t count the times he’s had to tell his daughter’s friends that she’s not home. He says they are too young to tell them the truth.
The other day, he took his daughter’s older brother to a park across the street to explain what happened, that his mother is dead, his little sister missing. It left Mr. Braker at a loss for the right words.
Yesterday, he started losing hope. “I’m sitting here in my home, and I am now starting to realize that she may never come out of there alive,” he said.
“I’m a God-fearing man, but now I want retribution. I want revenge. I never thought I would say this, but I want what happened here to happen to the people who are responsible for this,” said Mr. Braker, 41.
Of all his children, he says, young Mya was destined for great things. The Grade 2 student sang in choir and more than anything, loved the outdoors.
“I just hope that she’s in a better place. I had high hopes for her. You have to understand that she was a special person. She’s only six years old, but she was real easy to confide in, and I will not be satisfied until someone pays the price for her death. This country’s intelligence people should have known enough to be able to prevent something like this, but they didn’t.”
“My life is now in ruins. This has affected everyone, but not like it has affected me. The last thing I told her was that I loved her. I will always love her. Just so you know, I am not coping with this. I don’t know how to cope with something like this. Nobody has prepared for something this bad.”
Mr. Braker tried yesterday to think of the good things in life, but he couldn’t. He hopes someone will show him how.
Yesterday, as this city searched for its missing, the smell of death left rescuers in tears. They say it’s hard to breathe and can’t believe that this city’s financial district goes back to business this morning.
Even doctors are afraid.
“I have to admit that I am scared,” Dr. James Morgan said. “But in the back of my mind, I keep my fears to myself, because I know that if I break down, then the person I am treating loses their direct line to help.”
For the first time in recent history, this city’s funeral homes are waiving fees. They are giving away coffins, and they’re not charging for chapel rooms. Funeral directors say it is the least they can do. They, like rescuers, don’t want to be paid.
Making money from from the largest mass murder in U.S. history is not right.
Today, this city will try to go back to work. Some rescuers say it’s too soon; others at Ground Zero say the terrible smell of death will turn them away.
This city will never be the same.
查看原文...
