Tony Oliver

I started with the PANYNJ on 10/31/1972 in the Mailroom located on 111 8th Avenue right after High School. I was given an assignment to work with the Secretary’s Office soon afterwards as their personal mailman.

We moved to the WTC in January 1973. On April 4, 1973 I was designated to be one of the staff members to open the WTC doors for business as Peter Goldmark greeted the occupants. I worked for the PA for 39.5 wonderful years. I had the pleasure to introduce to the WTC and public the wonderful sounds of Latin Jazz and Salsa music. Director Albert Moncure gave me and Edward Calderon (RIP) special permission to do so and it was an immediate success and the public loved it.

I also was instrumental in introducing personal computer and fax machines to the PA. Technology was my strength and schooling. I had many supervisory positions but the most important one was the Mailroom job. I was supervising the Mailroom in 1993 when the bomb exploded 120 feet from my office on the B-3 level in the PA Stockroom. My accomplishment was to have the Mailroom functioning again in 72 hours to all the facilities with no downtime.

I received a Metal of Valor for me helping several people on the B-2 level out to safety and big award from and nationwide Postal Mailing Organization for the great job we did with the Mailroom after the bombing.

On 9/11, I was in my office on the 68th floor 1 WTC when the first plane hit our building and after search and rescue responsibility, I managed to get out minutes before the second tower fell. I worked in Ground Zero for nine years then retired in January 2010. Unfortunately, today I have cancer and respiratory and other issues today but I have no regrets.