Review: An Emotional Account of 9/11 at Ground Zero
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 9, 2011
Ms. Haskin begins this story by stating that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can come about after one has experienced or witnessed life-threatening events like war, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, or violent personal assaults.The author provides a vivid and emotional account of her experiences after the plane hit Tower One at the World Trade Center. She explains that she was frozen with fear and could not understand what was happening. She was one of the last ones to leave her office area because she could not grasp the gravity of the situation.She then entered the stairway and descended thirty-six floors. She describes how crowded it was as they went down the stairs. She was disoriented and was just pushed along as the crowd slowly made there way to the bottom floor.She tells how more people were entering the stairway from each floor.  On one floor, the door was opened and she could see a man who was decapitated. People were yelling, cussing and crying in desperation as they made their way to freedom. She tells of the putrid smoke that was burning her eyes and making breathing difficult. When she finally exited the building, she saw many people jumping from the upper floors.The author sought guidance and strength from her Christian faith. The text contains Scripture that complements the text. She is truly convinced that the Lord was with her and led her to safety on that horrific day.Leslie Haskin has provided a very detailed description of her experiences on 9/11. She is very good at expressing her emotions and providing details that some authors might overlook. I think one of the most poignant moments of her experience was when she witnessed a man and woman holding hands and jumping from a window to their deaths.Some people will object to the author's frequent references to the Bible. I think the verses that she chose to highlight her experiences were very appropriate. She is a woman of faith and she gladly gives all the glory to Jesus Christ.