Sandra Dickerson

There are many, many memories I have after 33 years of service.

But I will begin by remembering the most recent, approximately a month after the 9/11 attacks. The Port Authority had a Remembrance Reunion, including past and present employees. It was held at Madison Square Garden, there were entertainment, speakers, and acknowledgement of employee’s lost in the disaster and a beautiful spread of fresh fruits and colorful food, held in a separate room for everyone.

Our newly hired Executive Director of the Port Authority of NY and NJ, Neil Levin, had perished in the disaster. He had recently been married to Christy Ferer.

Mrs. Christy Ferer, one of the lead speakers at the Garden, only married to Mr. Levin a short time, spoke to us with an uplifting message and even made a reference to “Mother PONYA,” as if she worked for the PA or knew the history of the Port Authority or somehow related to us. She made an excellent impression and she shared our grief.

Whoever came up with that Remembrance Program, deserved an award. For employees past and present to see and greet each other and embrace one another was so reassuring and heartwarming. Seeing old faces was a welcoming feeling after the disaster.

Thank you for that experience, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Thank you.

Another memorable experience was two weeks after 9/11; I woke up in my bedroom. Everything was rattling and shaking in my room, the furniture, the windows, my TV. I was definitely traumatized after the disaster. Nothing felt secure or stable anymore. But, I no doubt was grateful for having survived it, though I wondered why I was so fortunate. We had lost three people in our department; why were they so unlucky? It didn’t really matter now, what was done was done. What would PA do now? What would I do now?

I then walked onto the screened-in porch, looked upward with a thankful heart and stretched my arms out wide, thanking “Him” for the day and survival. When I suddenly felt something under my foot, it was a FedEx Package. I opened it and found a white envelope inside. I opened the envelope and pulled out a check. It was a PA check. My eyes just started tearing up, I felt that in spite of the terrible disaster I encountered on 9/11, I was still being taken care of, and my biweekly check had come timely. That feeling is one I will never forget. I felt loved and appreciated, a sense of security; I could pay my mortgage, and other utilities.

The Port Authority was a grand agency to work for. Thank You God. Thank you Mom and Dad, and thank you Port Authority. (PANYNJ)