Re: Anyone heard from Louise Cloutier?

[Guest guest]

Hello, Bonnie --and everyone on CEDA

Thanks for your concern! I'm fine, and all my family in New York and DC are

accounted for and fine. Here's some clips from an email I got from my

brother yesterday.

hugs to you all!

Louise

Hiya,

It was quite a day yesterday indeed. (brother-in-law) flew into

National Airport ten minutes before the Pentagon was hit a mile away - not

to mention, considering the side of the Pentagon that was hit, had the plane

considerably

overshot the Pentagon, it was in a direct path towards National. After four

hours in traffic, he made it to my apartment okay but tired. He's very

familiar with the WTC and knows people who worked there, as I am the

same with the Pentagon, with many former co-workers still there as well. It

was a surreal for both of us to watch the footage unfold during the days

events as both of us are very familiar with the respective buildings hit.

Luckily for the Pentagon, I'd have to say maybe ten percent, if that, of the

building was affected. It is as large underground as it is above and being

comprised of five sides with five concentric rings of buildings, it seems

the plane only seriously damaged the three outer rings of that side, a

largely unvital side of the Pentagon that was just re-modelled. Had the

plane overshot that side and crashed into the inner courtyard opposite that

side (the courtyard is commonly refered to by employees as 'ground zero' due

to all the nuclear weapons pointed at the

Pentagon's center), not only would it have hit the more vital river side,

but it would have been close to impossible to try to get firefighting and

rescue equipment into that area.

In the long run, the Pentagon was very, very lucky that it was hit where it

was and not in another area such as the busy concourse side where thousands

of people enter/exit from the Metro and buses - it is also a focal point of

many support businesses, cafeterias and other areas where many people

congregate. I was not surprised at all that the Pentagon was open for

business this morning. Without having seen it, or rather been inside it, it

would be impossible for anyone to understand just how really huge that

building is.

In Baltimore this morning, traffic was eerily quiet and people had suspended

American flags from some of the overpasses. Many people here know someone

who was at either site. One of my co-worker's sister was just

getting to work at the WTC and was in the lobby when the first plane hit,

and luckily re-located to a safe area. He was on a cell phone with her when

the second plane hit and then lost connection due to all the cell phones

jamming the lines. A crazy day for many people indeed.

[Guest guest]

So Glad to hear from you Louise!!!

Love Lana