From Jason: The Falling Man.
Some people who look at the picture see stoicism, willpower, a portrait of resignation; others see something else—something discordant and therefore terrible: freedom.
They jumped continually, from all four sides of the building, and from all floors above and around the building’s fatal wound. They jumped from the offices of Marsh & McLennan, the insurance company; from the offices of Cantor Fitzgerald, the bond-trading company; from Windows on the World, the restaurant on the 106th and 107th floors—the top. For more than an hour and a half, they streamed from the building, one after another, consecutively rather than en masse, as if each individual required the sight of another individual jumping before mustering the courage to jump himself or herself.
One of the most powerful 9/11 articles I’ve ever read. Long, impeccably written, and worth taking a moment out of your day to read.
Hey there. I'm Ariel Meadow Stallings, a native Seattleite who's written my way up and down the Left Coast. Electrolicious is where I post daily randomata, but I also write for a living. My first book, Offbeat Bride, was published last year.
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jess
September 11th, 2003 at 7:50 pm
wow. thank you for the link. definitely worth reading.
erica
September 12th, 2003 at 9:11 am
hey ariel -i read that when i got my magazine in the mail about a month ago - and i hadn’t felt as moved since 9/11 or the 9/11 anniversary last year. it’s an amazingly poignant article huh? i second your recommendation and have passed it along to many friends.