Post Fest...One Year Ago Today

[VAM]

Before I started my journey home from the 2001 Festival and the Marriott WTC, I decided to go outside and sit in the Courtyard for a short time. It was just a nice way to relax, catch some sunshine,  and recall the events of the weekend. However, I seemed to still be aware of much happiness  transcending that day from the smile on faces of those going about their business to the laughter of teens taking animated photos in front of the Twin Towers. No one could of guessed what sadness was to come...

[Philippe Cordier]

I'm thought i read that all the Marriott staff and quests were later accounted for but could be wrong.

Jennifer, I think that was the information that was given out at first.  However, it proved to be inaccurate.  I don't remember exact figures, but I know that more than one Marriott staff member was killed and several guests who remained in their rooms.

Watching some of the coverage on CNN on Wednesday, I noticed on the crawl at the bottom of the screen of the names who died, one was a Marriott staff member, general manager of something, but I didn't catch the full information.

[ROBINV]

On Sunday morning during fest weekend, I met some good friends in the courtyard.  We got doughnuts and coffee from Krispy Kreme, sat down and talked.  

I recall looking up at the Twin Towers for a few moments, admiring how beautiful they were.  It was a warm day, but I got a terrible chill all of a sudden, and wondered what the hell was wrong with me.  

Of course, when terrorists committed mass murder there  three weeks later, I wondered if I'd had a premonition of what was to come.  

I look at the ghost-laden crater that now stands where the World Trade Center stood and realize that I took six rides into and out of that subway tunnel (I'd decided not to take a room at the Marriott in order to save money).  There is no more Cortlandt stop, and won't be for a long time to come, if ever.  

I attended two memorial services on 9/11, one at the postal facility where I work, the other in a local park near home.  I cried during both.  What happened to America that day will never heal, not completely, because we have lost our innocence, the belief that we are invulnerable, and the violence happening in other places could never happen here.  

It did.

And since I live on Long Island, it was very close to home, too close for comfort.  And since I was at the WTC myself only three weeks previously, I ponder how timing is everything.  

I pray for the dead, and for the living who mourn them.

Love, Robin

[Midnite]

Here's an article that appeared in the NY Times last week.  It's a difficult read, but it reveals what's known about the losses suffered inside the Marriott Hotel.  The photo is also devastating, so be prepared if you decide to visit the link.  You may be asked to register for the site first.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/11/nyregion/11HOTE.html

Some of you probably got the idea that no employees or guests were lost on 9/11 from reading the ShadowGram announcement posted last year, but I'm sorry, what was said in it doesn't jibe with any other report I've read on this subject.

Dearest Bob the Bartender, in the 4 years I've been moderating this forum, your account was the first post that made me cry, but I don't mean that in a bad way!--  it's the wonderfully honest way you revealed your feelings that I found to be so touching.  Speaking of this, of all the posts lost when VNet (our former host) deleted our boards without warning, I'd give anything to get back the one topic started on 9/11 which Gerard began by saying he was grateful his friends were safely back home, and by doing so he offered the rest of us, numb with shock, an opportunity to begin speaking about it.  And being able to share my feelings with the rest of you helped me so much in coping with the horror of that day.  I don't suppose anyone else saved all or part of that thread?

[Maria_Merriweather]

Thanks Midnite for posting the link to the NY Times article.  Until I read that I had not realized the extent of devastation to the Marriot--I had just heard that the hotel had been evacuated and I did not know that there had been any loss of life there.  It's incredible to think that  only 3 weeks earlier so many fans and stars of Dark Shadows had been in that very place.

[Connie]

Here's an article that appeared in the NY Times last week.  It's a difficult read, but it reveals what's known about the losses suffered inside the Marriott Hotel.

This article is just devastating.  Like many others, until recently, I had always assumed there had been ample time for everyone at the Marriott to get out safely.  Obviously not the case.  It's easy to understand how the Tall Ships bar was the only escape route.
We had dinner there on Sat. night.  Everyone was so nice.  We had a good time.  It's really true - ALL the Marriott employees we came into contact with were just lovely, lovely people.

Not long ago I was searching through my wallet for something and came across this.  I can't find the words to express how I felt.  All I can say is, I had to run to the bathroom.



Midnite is right.  Be forewarned before you read the article - particularly if you attended the Fest.

-CLC

[Nancy]

DS Festival Chairman Jim Pierson checked out of the Marriott Vista on Monday night, September 10th after spending time there planning for the next New York festival.

Nancy

[VAM]

DS Festival Chairman Jim Pierson checked out of the Marriott Vista on Monday night, September 10th after spending time there planning for the next New York festival.

Nancy

He was at the one on Times Square and not at the Mariott WTC. Correct?

[Nancy]

No.  He was at the WTC Marriott "Vista" (as it was known to the festival crowd) the night before the disaster.  The midtown Manhattan Marriott is called the Marquis and no, he was not there.

Nancy

He was at the one on Times Square and not at the Mariott WTC. Correct?

[Carol]

It wasn't until I saw Connie's receipt that I remembered my daughter saved the ticket stub from our 5/30/97 class trip to the WTC. We went up to the Observation Deck and took the simulated helicopter ride.

The ticket's time is 9:39am

[Mark Rainey]

We've got several receipts from WTC (which I'd kept to write off the trip), matchbooks from Tall Ships and Windows on the World, ballpoint pens with the Marriott WTC logo on them.... just a bunch of little, ordinary things that have taken on a whole new, grim significance. Needless to say, those things are now keepsakes, not to be tossed.

[shadow=brown,left,300]--Mark[/shadow]

[Carol]

We've got several receipts from WTC (which I'd kept to write off the trip), matchbooks from Tall Ships and Windows on the World, ballpoint pens with the Marriott WTC logo on them.... just a bunch of little, ordinary things that have taken on a whole new, grim significance. Needless to say, those things are now keepsakes, not to be tossed.

We put the ticket stub on an American flag background and have it in a small black frame for everyone to see.

[Cassandra]

We've got several receipts from WTC (which I'd kept to write off the trip), matchbooks from Tall Ships and Windows on the World, ballpoint pens with the Marriott WTC logo on them.... just a bunch of little, ordinary things that have taken on a whole new, grim significance. Needless to say, those things are now keepsakes, not to be tossed.

Since the WTC is so close to where I live we use to frequent there alot. Last August my sister in law, her family & I were on one of those visits.  While there, we bought alot of souvenirs to take home from the WTC.  Well as a last stop we decided to go to Little Italy and get something to eat.  Wouldn't you just know it, some idiot broke into my Sister in law's car trunk and stole everything!  Knick Knacks & all!  Needless to say we never even noticed until we hit home here in Yonkers and it was time to get our things out of the trunk.
At the time we were just glad that her car was in one piece, but looking back now, it just seems so sad that these little items would have been a little momento for us to keep now.  I bet the jerk who stole them couldn't even care less!

[Bette]

Thanks so much, Midnite, for posting this link to the NYT arrticle about the Marriott. Though it did make me sad to read I have been searching all year for some info on the Marriott and just how it was impacted. I had seen one TV special that mentioned that the rescue workers were using the lobby as a staging area, but no other information, other than that at least 20 people and 2 employees had died. I remember the Tall Ships Restaurant so well, especially Saturday night in the lobby, just outside the restaurant where many of us on this Board spent a wonderful evening (and you have the pictures to prove it). This article answered all the questions that I had about a place which will forever remain in my memory and my heart.

I also have a matchbook from the Tall Ships and if I search my pen collection I can probably find at least one Marriott pen.

Bette

[VAM]

I have luggage stubs,  the plastic keys and the jacket given to me at check-in. The key jacket has a picure of the Marriott Hotel shadowed by the Twin Towers. Also, I have the Marriott card that was signed with a birthday greeting to me from the Hotel.