Vicente Gonzalez oral history interview conducted by Dr. Benjamin Luft, June 16, 2014

About

On the morning of September 11th, Vicente worked for the Government Services Administration as an armed guard, at the corner of Duane St. and Broadway. He saw the first plane hit the North Tower. He first helped evacuate 26 Federal Plaza. He then began walking toward the World Trade Center. People were running in every direction and as he got closer, the building collapsed. He felt "helpless," in the face of what looked like a "war zone." Vincente provided security at Ground Zero for about a week and then was assigned to work security at a makeshift morgue on the West Side Highway. He worked 16 hours per day for a year and a half. Many people would come desperately looking for loved ones and it was very difficult to turn them away. As hard as this was for him to witness, he knew that was where he had to be. The Red Cross provided food and resources throughout the recovery. The people of New York rallied together for a common cause. There were always so many signs thanking him, and his fellow responders, every day. Vicente will always remember when President George Bush visited Ground Zero, which boosted the morale of so many.

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Library of Congress

Language

English

Country

United States

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