The amazing story of Daniel's birth

The contractions started at the night of September 11th, 2001. We were living in the West Village, New York, almost on 7th avenue. After a sleepless night we heard the sirens. They went on and on and on. Something very serious must have happened, we realized. Not having a TV set We opened the radio and tried to figure out what’s wrong. Almost at the same time my brother called from Israel: “Are you ok? I just saw on the TV that one of the twin towers was hit by a plane”.  “Yes, yes, we hear the sirens”, I said, “but I am having contractions and going to give birth”.

I couldn’t understand what was going on. It all seemed surreal. Looking out from my window I saw a constant rush of people running all over the place talking on their cells, gathering at street corners. It looked just like the Ant-City we had when we were kids, when you disrupted the ants habitual order and they spread in panic to all directions. Uri went to the street and saw the tower in flames.

The contractions continued for the whole day. With the streets all blocked and no available ambulance in town I had to walk all the way to Elizabeth Syton Birthing Center, on 14th street, an endless walk that took about an hour and a half. We spent the night there and in the morning the midwife told us that St. Vincent’s hospital, that was supposed to be our back up in case of complications during labor, became the disaster center. Since they could not send us an ambulance if we’ll need it, we have to go there (two blocks away) right away and this is where I’ll deliever.
So we walked again. This time the contractions were extremely painful and I remember people looking at me in the streets. The midwife led the way and explained to the police officer who blocked the street on 7th avenue that I was going to give birth. He opened the barricade. I could see the long line of people outside the hospital. They were looking for their loved ones. Some held photos.

Daniel was born on 12.30 am September 13th. Out of the ashes of the old world glowed a ray of light. The One.

Only a year later did I let myself look at films of the event. Only then did I fully grasp the magnitude of 9/11.

Comments

[NB]

Wow! What a story. I've always felt that women's birth stories are always so powerful and fascinating. Along the lines of men's war stories I guess! Yours is sort of an interesting combination of both.

[lois]

Hi Haddas,
He is a ray of light, as are you.

That is an extraordinary birth story. My own impression of birthing is one of simultaneous implosion and expansion. Its like we carve the gateway for this new soul and the univierse comes swooshing in. Your story echos that in some way. The outer world was forever changed by the events of 9/11. One minute peace and the next, the manifestation of fear. In the more subtle world there you were, one woman with one man bringing in a LIFE. It's very beautiful.

Lois

[Idan Gazit]

Wow. I was sleeping in an early-morning math class at NYU at the time -- this sounds like a much more fulfilling story.

They didn't take you in a wheelchair or something? I'm surprised you had to walk...