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BOBBY D'S BLOG

by bdecastro from West LA

Last Post 183 days, 18 hours Ago


9-11 Tribute
Sep 11, 2007 | 1:10 PM
Category: News
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Today is the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. 

Hard to believe it's been six years already, but I remember it as clear as the skies were that day.    It truly was a day that changed my life.  As many tragedies I covered in the past, it was during those moments I realized how precious life is.  

I was shell shocked at first. Many of my good friends had run from the falling towers.  They looked like ghosts covered in pulverized debris and soot.  There was so much paper everywhere, and it kept raining from the sky.  I actually picked up some of those sheets, read memos from one co-worker or friend to another, and wondered if they had made it out alive. 

Days later... it hit me like a ton of bricks as families walked aimlessly around Manhattan, from one hospital to the next, looking for their loved ones, clutching photos in their hands.  A friend of mine was a doctor at one of the hospitals and told me frankly  "There is no one here in the emergency room."  The first time I actually broke down I saw a tired little boy, collapse on a bench, and moan for his missing sister.  I imagined my own family in that same predicament.  That little boy is probably a teenager now.

Life goes on, but I can't imagine what it must be like for folks who lost someone that day.   They will never forget, and neither should we.

 I wanted to send a special note to my good friend, Steve, who lost is brother in the towers.  He was a firefighter, and a hero by any measure.  Our prayers are with you today.

Finally, I don't know what happened to my last post, but I wanted to send out another prayer to my little brother and all the men and women serving in Iraq.  We salute you!



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Member Comments Total Comments: 11
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OClee read my blog
Sep 11, 2007 | 10:04 PM

Thank you Bob for your post. I watched in horror that a.m. from Orange County, only later to find out an aquaintance and friend of my best buds was on the first plane and also my husbands co-worker was probably on that same plane United 11 from Boston. Since that flight was on it's way to L.A, we felt the blow here too.

It seems like you have been here on Fox LA for much longer than you have. You fit in here really well. I love your reporting and cute face. Don't get so embarrased when Steve makes fun of you, it's a compliment! He obviously likes you, and so do we.

My 19 year old nephew just joined the Marines. I have a hard time emotionally between being sooo proud and scared at the same time. God bless your brother. Take care buddy.
bdecastro read my blog
Sep 12, 2007 | 12:33 PM

OClee,

Thanks for our note. Always feel good to know that we are all in this together right!

I'll say a prayer for your nephew as well.

Take care!

bobbyd
samo714 read my blog view my photos
Sep 12, 2007 | 4:05 PM

i remember that day. i had the day off from school, and i remember i was at my sister's house. i turned on the tv, and saw the explosion, then i said "this movie sucks", so i changed the channel, only to see it on every channel. i also remember steve edwards talking about it in his serious voice. that's what i remember.
sebar read my blog view my photos
Sep 12, 2007 | 6:40 PM

I privately mourned for all of those folks and prayed that if any of the NY relatives had been there that they made it out. What always bugged me was why weren't there a mass of chopper at the top evacuating people? I know that choppers could have reached that roof, it always bugged me greatly, because the people trapped on the upper floors could have been saved, even with raging fires below. I sometimes also wonder if that "God" forbid our tall buildings were hit here, would choppers be available to evacuate trapped folks near the top? Do we have a plan?

That day seeing downtown NYC I thought wow, this looks like the tall buildings in downtown LA, and those were fellow Americans in those buildings. The other thing that still haunts me are the photos of the jumpers, one guy snapped upside down out a window in his business suit on his way to the concrete! This is why we need to level al queida and any country that supports it. Those countries should be nuked bigtime!

American Author, Poet and Filmwriter
"Mark Paul" Sebar
The Power To Write The Best!
memoryjoe read my blog view my photos
Sep 12, 2007 | 8:20 PM

i will never forget that day that moment ,or the heartache i felt ,that was the day wene feeling safe was over and living in fear would be a new way of life for us all , GOD BLESS AMERICA 6 YEARS NOW BUT THE PAIN IS STILL FRESH :(
GREAT BLOG
OClee read my blog
Sep 12, 2007 | 9:22 PM

Mem, well said "that was the day when feeling safe was over and living in fear would be a new way of life for us" I had the same feeling after Northridge earthquake. The only thing that made sense was for me to FIND THAT TIMECLOCK AND PUNCH OUT, like working on a disaster movie.
OClee read my blog
Sep 13, 2007 | 10:56 PM

Hey Bob! Just found out my 19 year old nephew is going to camp Pendleton in January to start boot camp and will have several days prior to shipping out in March. I am excited because I haven't seen him in a few years because he lives in the midwest. He will have a home here in the OC when on leave. Still proud, yet scared to death.
asnapper read my blog view my photos
Sep 14, 2007 | 4:06 PM

Oclee will be praying for your nephew to have a safe return.
OClee read my blog
Sep 15, 2007 | 5:54 PM

Thanks snappy! It seems that my generation seemed to luck out as far as wars go. Too young for Vietnam and too old for Desert Storm, but now our kids are the fresh meat for the government.

It is really scary and I haven't felt this kind of emotion before. Sure my dad was in Korea, father in-law a Navy Seal, and 2 older brothers-in-law were in Nam, that was so long ago. Now I have some friends whose military carreer husbands are in Iraq, but it's starting to hit MY boys. I'm scared.
mystere read my blog view my photos
Dec 24, 2007 | 3:54 PM

Bobby D:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I saw your report from the K-Mart in Burbank...great job! I stopped by to ask how your little brother is doing...I also asked Nischelle Turner about your little brother just minutes before I signed onto your blogs...I hope your brother and Nischelle's friend are both doing well and staying safe in the Middle East.

You both take care now!

"Mr. E" from Cypress
OClee read my blog
Dec 28, 2007 | 12:50 PM

Hi Bob. My nephew is already in training in S.D., they moved up his date considerably.

God bless our troops in the holiday season and everyday in between!

OClee
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bdecastro

Bob DeCastro joined the Fox 11 Morning News and Good Day LA in May 2004. He came to Los Angeles from our sister station in New York city where he worked for more than 3 years. While in the Big Apple, Bob covered a number of high-profile stories. He reported live from Ground Zero immediately after the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. He also covered the Anthrax Scare, the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, the Washington D.C. Area Sniper shootings, and the Space Shuttle Tragedy in Texas. Before moving to New York, Bob was an anchor and reporter in several television markets on the West Coast. He made stops in Las Vegas, Reno, and Chico California. Television is Bob's second career. He traveled all over the world when he was a Lieutenant on a US Navy Destroyer based in San Diego. He was deployed to the Pacific, South Pacific, Mediterranean and Persian Gulf Regions. Bob grew up in South Carolina and graduated from Boston University.

Member Since: 3/13/2007


 

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