Ahmedabad: As the world approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sep 11 terror attacks, the memories remain vivid for Jay Patel, a New York-based third-generation Gujarati tech investor and film producer who witnessed the tragedy unfold from close quarters.Patel recalls driving towards downtown Manhattan on the morning of Sep 11, 2001, when he noticed smoke rising from the World Trade Center. Moments later, he saw a second aircraft crash into the other tower.“Being a trained pilot, I knew it could not have been a human error. I froze on the West Side Highway,” Patel said on Thursday in Ahmedabad. Patel is here to participate in the upcoming 72nd National Film Awards in the state later this month.Like many Gujaratis and Indians living in New York at the time, Patel carries deeply personal memories of the attacks. His immediate concern was for his roommates, Tom Ryan and Mudit Sachdev, both of whom worked at firms in the World Trade Center. The trio had frequently met at the complex, including at the iconic Windows on the World restaurant just days before the attacks.Patel rushed to the site, where scenes of chaos, smoke, and debris unfolded before him. Amid the confusion, he met a woman from north India whose son had been attending a job interview on the 80th floor, one of the levels directly impacted by the aircraft. Unable to bring himself to share the likely fate of her son, Patel stayed by her side and even hosted her at his home until relatives arrived.The experience continues to affect him. Patel remained near the site until early next morning and returned again later that day. In time, he learned that both his friends had survived. “We all cried when we finally met,” he recalled.A recent phone call from Ryan, who shared photographs and a ferry boarding pass from a visit they had taken shortly before heading to the World Trade Center, brought back a flood of memories.Patel has since written a book recounting his experience of 9/11 and the lessons it left behind. He says the tragedy made him more compassionate and appreciative of life. Over the past 25 years, he has travelled to more than 80 countries and undertaken multiple motorcycle expeditions across the Himalayas. He also developed a deeper appreciation for New York’s resilience and spirit, recently revisiting the Freedom Tower after avoiding the area for more than 15 years.
