Witnesses to terror

June Casagrande

Though a year and 3,000 miles separate them from the events of

Sept. 11, for Rob Stewart, Scott Ramser and Lyle Davis it’s not over.

Some of the lasting effects are positive, like a renewed ability

to appreciate family, children and life itself. Other effects are

more haunting, like Ramser’s occasional nightmares or Davis’ feeling

that closure won’t come until accused terrorist Osama bin Laden is

stopped.

But the one thing that not even time can take away from them is

the solace they found in each other on the long journey home to

Newport Beach from New York City last year.

“I think it helped us all get through it better -- we were able to

immediately talk about our experiences and relive them,” Ramser said.

“I think that really helped a lot with regard to the healing

process.”

The three men were all eyewitness to last year’s

still-unfathomable tragedy in New York City. Each was there

separately on business. Davis was unaware that his friend Ramser was

in town. Stewart had never met either of the other two Newport Beach

residents, who were also stranded in New York City after the attacks.

Air travel was out of the question; rental cars were nearly

impossible to come by; hotels were in short supply. But through

friends and relatives at home, the three managed to find each other

in the fallout. Along with Wes Morrissey of Laguna Beach, they loaded

themselves into Davis’ rental car for the long ride home. And on the

drive to Akron, Ohio, where they finally found a flight back to

Southern California, they shared their shock and grief, and formed a

bond that will last a lifetime.

“Lyle and I have gotten a pretty good friendship out of it,” said

Stewart, who goes spear fishing with his new friend once or twice a

month. And though Ramser hasn’t stayed in such close touch, his life

remains intrinsically connected with the other two: Stewart recently

learned that the new house he is building in Irvine Terrace will make

him next-door neighbor to Ramser’s sister; Davis lives next door to

Ramser’s parents in Dover Shores.

“It’s all still very fresh,” Ramser, 42, said. “It’s a lot to

process.”

Davis keeps on the wall of his office an 11-by-14 poster of the twin towers in flames -- a daily reminder of the tragedy and its

lessons.

“Unfortunately there is very little closure for me until Osama bin

Laden is confirmed dead or is killed and Saddam Hussein is removed

from office,” Davis said. “I feel a great deal of frustration and

anger over what happened.”

Davis had been in Newark, N.J., on business on Sept. 11. From

across the Hudson, as he watched both towers tumble, he saw his world

change forever.

“The photograph of the twin towers burning reminds me daily that

my challenges pale compared to the victims of Sept. 11,” Davis said.

Ramser was on his way to a business meeting on State Street right

near the twin towers when he encountered his business associates in

the street. In horror, they watched from a few blocks away as the

first then the second tower fell.

Stewart, though, survived an even more immediate danger. He had

been scheduled to be in a business meeting inside the World Trade

Center at 8:30 that morning.

Chance had moved his meeting to another location. He was in the

street as the two towers burned. When his horror finally overwhelmed

him, he turned to walk away. If a stranger hadn’t agreed to give him

a ride, he likely would not be here today: The first tower collapsed

onto the spot where he had been standing.

“It’s almost more powerful to look back on it now,” said Stewart,

36. “At the moment, you’re just caught up in survival. Your senses

are going 80 miles an hour. But looking back now, it’s almost as

strong as it was then ... It really brings to mind what’s important

in life. We get caught up in deadlines, all the little things, but

this gets you back to being thankful. You saw people’s lives

shattered, devastated. They’ll never be the same. We should be

grateful for what we have.”