P000417
Tuesday, January 29, 2002 4:18 PM
wtc families
My name is , my birth Mother
and Brother , who live in NY
are missing. I spoke with on Sept 10, 2001. He
told me he was going about a job the next day at a
Restaurant called Windows something, he and
were going to lunch together later. I have not heard
from them since. When the attack happened I felt
devastated for the families of those lost. I gave
freely and prayed for them. I attempted to call
but I was told all phone lines were down, when he
didn't call me, I didn't worry. My life has been
destroyed since them. I can't talk about in right now,
but I mailed him and when it came back, I knew
something was terribly wrong. I contacted the NYCPD
who tried to call them but couldn't get through. I was
given the number to hospitals and was told to call the
ARC when I mentioned where my brother and birth mother
were headed on 9/11. When I called the ARC the rep
took all my information and told me that my local red
cross would call me the next day and take a missing
person report, send it to NYCPD and arrange for dna
testing. I was transferred to another dept. and given
a number that I was told not to forget. The next day
the local arc did not call me, so I called them the
rep said that local did not do any missing person
reports of dna. I was told to call nat'l back. Nat'l
told me that local was supposed to. After this went on
for days local still would not help. Not only did they
give me the runaround, but I lost my federal job the
1st of Oct. I needed to get to NY and find my family,
but Nat'l said they could not make travel arrangements
until local sent in request. Finally and other
reps told me I would be going to NY that Fri. When
Fri. came, I was told that I would go the next Fri.
then I was told I had to start all over with local,
then I was told I had to get police report number even
though I had been told earlier that they had taken
care of that, I had been given a number and
everything. I was told to contact Office of Victim
Crime. I contacted them and the rep took
report and said that they would give info to police
and take care of calling the Red Cross and have them
"stop giving me a rough time" and get me to NY, the
next day from OVC contacted me and validated
and completed the missing person report, again stating
that as they were the Federal Gov't, then missing
person report would go from them to state and local
police. A storm knocked out our phones and I had to go
out in it to contact the Red Cross because I was still
getting the runaround. I stood for over a hour in that
storm and was lied to again about how everything was
being taken care of. I requested financial help with
my rent from arc also and still kept getting the
runaround. My story is long but after at least 6 times
the arc gave me travel dates and then cancelled them.
Then I am told that I need to file a missing person
report with the NYCPD, I contacted OVC who told
me they would send copy of it to police, when I
request a copy they said they can't give me one, when
I asked the number to my report so I can give it to
police dept, they said they don't number their
reports. I called who said they could only
take a report once I was in NY. I was finally given my
travel and hotel package by arc in Mid December. I
contacted funeral home about memorial service and
contacted moving company. The day before me and my
sons were to leave, an arc rep called me and told me
to go to canal street. I questioned this because my
local rep had told me to go to pier 94, this rep said
that the lines were too long there and insisted that I
go to church street arc. When we got to NY and went to
church street Friday, we were told that we had to go
to chamber street, we walked there in the pouring
rain. When we got to church street, we were there for
more than 6 hours, before they finally sent someone to
take us to pier 94. At pier 94, I was told that they
were closing for Winter Wonderland and that I was not
in the system and could not get my families urns. I
could not get access to my brothers apt to even get
dna samples until I had a missing person report. I am
now back in KY and we have got nothing but lies and
runarounds, 4 memorial services have been cancelled.
The police said I can't make a police report and won't
contact the Dept of Justice OVC. The ARC won't help
and they are the ones who messed up. I am trying to
get grief counciling for my children and myself and
the arc gave them a stuffed bunny and me a tape on how
to grieve. I am at the end of my rope, I can't stop
crying, I can't keep my blood pressure down. I have 20
pages of notes and names and numbers of people I have
contacted to help me get my family home. There is no
closure, there is no peace. When I asked the red cross
rep to give me a letter or something so I can try to
contact the landlord and try to keep their belongings
from being thrown out, I was told that they wouldn't
and I would have to hope whoever the land lord is will
not rerent or get rid of their belongings. After more
than 4 months! My local red cross has said the only
way I can get in the NYPD system and prove that I am
my brother's sister (they have verification that
was were I said he was) is to file for a death
certificate for my mother, but I was told I can't get
that until I am I am in the NYCPD system. I cannot
sleep and when I do I dream of my mother and brother
and I am running to them but I can't reach them. My
oldest son ran away, and my youngest has nightmares
every night. When I was three months old my mother
took my brother and left, all my life I wanted to be
with my big brother and now I am not going to let him
or my birth mother down. We just found each other and
I will not let anyone keep me from giving them I final
gesture of my love. Because I love them and I know
they love me, but it is so hard, I am so depressed and
lonely, I am in KY and though my church can sympathize
and pray for us, they just don't know what this has
been like. Earlier this month I bought a bottle of
wine and a bottle of sleeping pills, I drank almost
all of it and took about 12 pills, I just wanted to
stop hurting for a little bit. But I have 2 boys who
love me and I have a family to bury so I stayed awake
the whole night afraid that if I did go to sleep I
would not a waken. This urge is still with me and I
beg of you to please help me. My phone has been cut
off, but I sold my car for a couple hundred dollars
and will have it on next week. I am so sorry to bother
you like this but when I found your web site I finally
felt a little hope that someone is out there who cares
and knows what this has been like. A reporter has
contacted me and I am ready to tell him my story, I am
going to seek legal assistance against the red cross
and the OVC, they have shown no compassion or caring
toward my brother, birth mother and my family. I am
trying to get to NY and I will do whatever it takes.>>
ank You> God Bless>
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