Interview202046 min640×360

Matthew Norton oral history interview conducted by Laurel Gumpert, June 2, 2020

Norton, Matthew

History

At the Library of Congress

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About

On the morning of 9/11, Matthew, a steam fitter, was working as a foreman on a project at JFK Airport. On his way home, he saw the smoke and debris from the first tower falling while on the JFK Expressway. In the following days, steam fitting jobs were shut down and his union was bringing people in to help with the recovery effort. He drove to the Javits Center with several coworkers and discovered complete mayhem. Without any real direction, they drove to Canal Street and walked to Ground Zero. It was like a warzone, the streets covered with dust and thick smoke in the air. He was very familiar with the area but had no sense of direction among all the debris. He began working on the bucket brigade and cutting steel from crushed firetrucks. He remembers the fear he felt when being sent on top of the unstable pile. He hoped that they would find survivors to help, but it was only a lot of smoke and steel. Matthew is grateful that his union allowed him to give back to his community and help with the recovery effort. He knew his family was home safe and wanted to help bring back other people to their families. He was sent back to his normal job after a few days, and he felt guilty that he did not stay longer. He is grateful that he has not suffered any mental impact from the experience, although he does suffer from several physical issues.

Archive
Library of Congress, in Library of Congress
Licence or status
Rights statement at the Library of Congress, as the Library of Congress states it.
Credit
Library of Congress
Language
English
Country
United States
Who can watch
The archive gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from its collection and subjects. How films are placed