I’ve read heartbreaking books about 9/11 but the piece of writing my brain recalls every year is the bizarre first-person account of the Toronto Star writer who happened to be in New York when the towers came down. Unfortunately for the Star, that person was their fashion editor.
Star fashion editor Bernadette Morra was in NY to cover the spring/summer 2002 showcases. When the attack on the World Trade Center happened she jumped into action by… attempting to file her fashion stories from her hotel.
The internet was down but she managed to dictate two full stories over the phone before some editor realized what was happening and (one imagines) screamed at her to head to the site of the terrorist attack. 
When she finds she can’t take a cab to ground zero she phones the paper to let them know it’s impossible to drive there. I can only imagine the face of her poor editor imploring her to walk.
In an incredible stroke of reporter luck she gets taken into a hospital with victims because she presumably has O-negative blood. She describes sitting and talking with survivors. Yet this piece does not actually recount any of their stories.
It does, though, mention which clothing stores were closed.
She then decides to take a free limo ride away from New York and the story of the century. She describes her and her friends partying and getting drunk off of appletinis on the ride home. This piece ran days after September 11.
The final grafs discuss designer show reschedulings and conclude the industry, like all of us, will never be the same. It was titled “We Shouldn’t Feel Guilty For Enjoying Fashion.” There’s been lots of deeply moving writing about 9/11. This is not that. But it’s sure something.
It should go without saying but do not reach out to this person or try to harass her. We should be able to read a story from two decades ago without bothering the writer today. Most people responding have been normal but some have not, if it keeps up I'm just going to delete.
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