Witnessing the Tragedy of 9/11: Mark Englert’s Experience

Mark Englert, a business consultant in his thirties from Connecticut, lived just a few blocks away from the World Trade Center in Manhattan on September 11, 2001. On that fateful morning, he returned from a jog only to hear an explosion. Curious and uncertain, he looked out his apartment window to see crowds gazing upward.

Seventeen minutes after the initial impact, another plane struck the second tower. Englert recalls the panic as he dropped to his apartment floor, overwhelmed by the situation. He later ventured to the rooftop, witnessing the grim spectacle of people jumping from the engulfed towers.

Englert’s story was first shared with me, a young reporter at the Hartford Courant, during frantic calls to friends in Lower Manhattan. His account was the first I heard on that tumultuous day.

Over the past 25 years, our friendship has flourished, yet conversations seldom touched on the harrowing memories of 9/11. Recently, prompted by an editorial request, I reached out to Englert again and discovered the impact of that day lingered long within him.

Mark described the chaos inside his building, the darkness that suddenly shrouded the world when the first tower fell. He took action, urging an elderly neighbor to evacuate with him despite the chaos outside. They raced toward the Hudson River as ash enveloped them, eventually reaching a flotilla of boats assisting in what would become the largest seaborne evacuation in U.S. history.

Years later, Englert returned to his Battery Park City apartment, frequently passing by the 9/11 memorial without visiting. He avoids stories and media about the attack, finding himself disturbed by reminders of the event. The sound of low-flying jets continues to trigger anxiety.

While Englert may downplay his experience when asked, the day’s trauma is enduring. Despite the passage of time, the memories remain vivid, continually influencing his everyday life.

The events of September 11 changed many lives, including those of people who reported the news as it unfolded. Conversations and commemorations have evolved over the years, showing how history distances us from the immediate experiences, yet keeps the memories alive for those who were witnesses.